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Sometimes students from a warm climate worry about winter when they come to the US. Dayton does have
some snow and cold weather during the winter, but it is much milder than many places in the US like Cleveland or New York.
The average temperature during winter in Dayton ranges from 19-35 degrees F (-12.5 to 1.6 degree Celsius). There are a few days
which are warmer or colder. During the winter months in Dayton, you’ll experience a moderate amount of cold weather, some ice,
and some snow. The following advice will help you stay safe and comfortable during winter:
Clothing
- Cold temperatures can be uncomfortable and, if you’re unprepared, very cold temperatures can be dangerous. Weather
people on TV will mention the “wind chill factor.” This means that when the winds are high, the temperature may feel
much colder than it actually is.
- Most body heat is lost through the head, hands and feet, so it is important to keep these areas warm.
- Hats, ear muffs and hoods can keep the head warm; gloves or mittens can keep the hands warm; a scarf can keep the
neck warm and cover the mouth so you don’t breathe cold air.
- Cotton or wool socks are best.
- Shoes should be waterproof and have good traction on the bottom. For deep snow, boots which cover the ankle are
necessary. (Running shoes are not good for very cold weather or ice or deep snow.)
- There are many good, warm fabrics for winter clothing such as thinsulate, down, wool, gore-tex, tencel, and polar fleece.
- You stay warmer if you layer your clothes. Wear a tee shirt or turtleneck under a shirt or sweater. Wear “tights” or
“long underwear” under jeans. Cotton, wool and polar fleece can all be warm fabrics. Nylon and polyester are not as warm.
Keeping your apartment warm
Gas or electric heating bills can be very expensive in winter, but here’s some advice to keep costs down:
- Instead of turning the heat temperature in the apartment higher, put on more clothing.
- Have warm blankets on the bed, and turn the temperature lower when you are sleeping.
- Keep the temperature in the apartment lower in the day when you are not there. (But keep the temperature warm enough to
keep the pipes from freezing!)
- Stop cold from coming inside! If cold air is coming in cracks by the windows, cover the cracks with tape or caulk.
Cover the windows with plastic for extra warmth. If cold air is coming in under the door, put a rug over the place where
air is coming in.
- Your landlord is required by law to make sure you have heat in your apartment. If the heat doesn’t work, contact
the International Student Services Coordinator for help in how to get the landlord to fix the problem.
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