I don’t know if times have changed much but alcohol was very popular during the “dark timess” when I lived in Norway. On Saturday night late at night on the bus you could get inebriated just breathing second hand booze. On the bright side most towns of any size, and even small villages have lighted nordic ski trails that run around the outside of town or through areas where it is easy to connect. So you where I lived you could walk about 50 yards and then be on a lighted track that went forabout 15 miles around the town. In the countryside nordic skiing in the dark (often with the northern lights) and especially on bright sunny days when the sun is up is really popular. It seemed like the whole country were fairly decent skiiers when I lived there.
A friend and I paddled Lake Hartwell today; our first paddle of '23. High of 66 as we finished. Good to be out in the sun. Water was 49°.
It may be if these people are correct. I really hope they are wrong.
One thing I have learned… weather predictions are not always correct. I hope this is one of their failures.
I love February. It’s often the best month for alpine skiing because the snow pack has some depth by now and it stays cold enough for each new snow fall to add to it. Then comes March, which can have even better skiing than February. 
In coastal and SF Bay Northern California, winter is our second best season to paddle. Yes, it is cool, but except that 1 day in 4 or so when a storm (normally) comes through, the winds are calm. Masses of herring come into the bay to lay their eggs, which are chased by huge numbers of sea birds, seal, seal lions, etc. And we are starting to see baby harbor seals now. I did a 10ish mile bay paddle today and it was beautiful out.
Our best paddling season is the fall, when the winds are often also cal, but it is still warm.
Spring brings winds. Summer has the winds, but cold fog added. So neither is really that great for paddling.
Too technical for me. According to this, the likely impact of the SSW is cold over Siberia and warm over Michigan for two weeks, after which the cold bounces back across the pole to make Michigan colder than normal. So get your paddling in before the end of February.
https://www.mlive.com/weather/2023/02/sudden-stratospheric-warming-becoming-likely-could-slip-us-back-into-winter.html
February is one of the worst months in CO, in my experience. I still feel that way about it.
But when we lived in NW WA, it was a decent month because that was when spring’s resurgence became palpable. The air smelled “soft,” light green growth started sprouting on shrubs and deciduous trees, days noticeably lightened, and I resumed sea kayaking after my hiatus in December and January.
It was also still a quiet time of year, meaning no crowds—a very nice thing.
It’s fairly quiet here, too, tourism-wise, and days are getting longer. But forget about spring growth on vegetation, and kayaking is still two months off. February feels like winter has overstayed its visit and shows no sign of leaving.
Coldest day is historical data for ocean . It may vary a bit and shallower bays can be colder than the Atlantic Ocean.
I’m starting to like February. It was 50 degrees here in Williamsburg, Virginia, and I went for a pleasant voyage in my canoe. I also went two weekends ago in similar weather. The weekend in between I went skiing in the Virginia mountains. February is better for paddling here than July. I’m only talking about flatwater paddling. Whitewater is different.
Almost 50 degrees today in Boston. I grabbed my hiking boots and trekking poles rather than the kayak and paddles. Short but pleasant hike at a nearby reservation.
sing
44 here today with rain and drizzle. My outdoor adventure will be taking the trash out.
It’s good to see birds beginning to frequent the feeder. Robins and Blue Birds are beginning to show up.
And the paddlers, they shall come and go,
talking of cycled lack of snow,
or perhaps how Don no longer in February shivers,
no falling snow or rock stars, nor paper delivered,
And though we made it through coldhearted December
no joy everywhere’s Merl’s Californian town in ember,
while January breathed out her warm sigh,
to frozen depths of Buffalo once piled high.
So when is this coldest time of winter?
Should I shiver to see one falling snow splinter?
Should I March with these lambs awaiting the lion?
Will isobars serve all now straight, was weather this neat all the time?
Looks like the icy stare of the cyclops gator.
He might warm yer heart but frostbite yer taters!
J. Alfred is perhaps my favorite of that slim tome.
The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the dripping pines
The yellow smoke that rubs its muzzle on the dripping pines
licked its tongue into the corners of the fire tarp
Lingered upon the pools that stand in tents
…
And she said, with a tear in her eye
Watch out where the huskies go,
And don’t you eat that yellow snow
Watch out where the huskies go,
And don’t you eat that yellow snow
Frank Zappa
Mine, too, and for these many decades I’ve always wondered if the Allman Brothers were taking Prufrock up on his dare whilst dealing with Duane’s death, or purely be’n good ole Georgia boys.
But then, a bunch of Dummies made me seek other considerations:
I still haven’t succumbed to the midday pajama wear, though.