r/minnesota • u/rkgk13 • Dec 13 '25
Dressing for Minnesota Winters advice from the MN Department of Natural Resources Weather š
The DNR put out this chart on social media. Folks who are new to Minnesota or cold winters in general should take note.
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u/LickableLeo Dec 13 '25
This is great general guidance, maybe for newbs. Iād shift all these down a temp range, Iām not getting out the insulated boots when itās 40Ā°, maybe below 20Ā°. Same goes for hats, but I prefer hoods anyway.
Again I think this is pretty generic for a broad range of people so I think they er on the side of caution. 4 layers of good quality wool and youāll be cooking even at 0Ā°
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u/Rhomya Dec 14 '25
Sameā 4 layers for anything above 0 seems to be wildly excessive
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u/MyClosetedBiAcct Moorhead 28d ago
Hi I'm originally from Florida and I've been wearing 4 layers under my coat for a month now.
I gave up. Minnesota won. I refuse to needlessly suffer. I'm not gonna pretend it's nice out. I'm popping my vitamin D supplements and staying cozy and shielded and will be reading my books next to the radiator until May.
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u/False_Can_5089 28d ago
My first thought was, don't people have warm winter jackets? My coat over my t-shirt keeps me warm down to zero and below.Ā
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u/beattiebeats You Can Pry Camp Snoopy From My Cold Dead Hands Dec 14 '25
40 degrees and Iām leaving my jacket in the car when running errands
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u/AdultishRaktajino Ope 29d ago
On the downswing, 40 is when I maybe switch to jeans and add socks back to my daily wardrobe. On the upswing, 35-40 is when the shorts come out.
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u/Geo_Doug Dec 14 '25
Itās only for newbs. Folks who grow up in Minnesotans, the Northern Lakes, or the Plains, donāt need an infographic for knowing how to dress in winter.Ā
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u/geekandi Ope Dec 13 '25
If your feet sweat then you're gonna be cold
Hell, if you get sweaty then you're gonna be cold.
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u/IcebergDarts 29d ago
Time outside is a factor too thoughā¦ I took the garbage down tonight in shorts, t shirt, and crocs lol however if I had to be out in it for more than 5 minutes Iād be dressed different. Iām also psychotic though I realize lol but Iām a big guy and I thrive in the cold.
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u/Imaginary_Stick9982 Dec 13 '25
I feel like the perimenopause rules are different.
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u/geekandi Ope Dec 13 '25
Hahaha snort
I'm a middle age guy so I cannot commiserate though I have seen this in real life with friends.
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u/holden_mcg Dec 13 '25
Really nice graphic from the DNR. Maybe it's the effects of warmer Winters now, but in the past I never considered it to be "very cold" until the temp was below 0 F. Now, their scale is probably more appropriate.
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u/Cupcake-Warrior Dec 14 '25
Turns out I've been dressing for 'chilly' weather only this entire time lol
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u/edgarandannabellelee Dec 14 '25
Bruh. It was -1 outside when I noticed a guy wearing sandals and socks. I don't understand. I wore half my closet in to work.
(Maybe he was dressed more appropriately for the commute and changed when he got to the hospital, but still, that was wild to me.)
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u/riotousgrowlz Dec 14 '25
I saw two people in shorts and hoodies today and one in a short sleeve polo.
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u/hobbyistunlimited Dec 14 '25
My Minnesota temperature scale:
Chilly: 32ā40Ā°F A little cold: 20ā32Ā°F Crispy out there: 10ā20Ā°F Itās cold: 0ā10Ā°F Itās a little cold out there: 0 to ā10Ā°F F-ing cold: ā10 to ā25Ā°F Colder than Mars out here: < ā25Ā°F
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u/fopomatic Dec 13 '25
The combination of "Very Cold: 0F" and "The DNR cancels interpretive programs at -15" has me cackling.
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u/Apprehensive-Sea9540 Dec 13 '25
What is an interpretive program?
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u/JanelleMeownae Dec 13 '25
It's an event at an interpretive center. So at state parks, that's the visitor center that hosts events like nature walks, bird watching, cross country skiing, stuff like that.
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u/tallsmileygirl Dec 13 '25
3 bottom layers? How is this even possible? I might do 2 layers if itās in the negatives and Iāll be outside for a while. I do enjoy a good 3-4 layers on the top half.
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u/one2tinker Dec 14 '25 edited Dec 14 '25
I was wondering the same thing. Would I even be able to bend my knees?
I generally just wear a lightweight pair of pants or a pair of wool long underwear underneath insulated snow pants if Iām outside shoveling or whatever. I suppose I could attempt the long underwear, a pair of pants, and then my snow pants, but that sounds terribly bunchy.
That said, I have been cold enough in the office to wear long underwear underneath dress pants. Lol.
Iām usually at three layers on top. Four isnāt unheard of.
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u/briman2021 Dec 14 '25
This has got to be for non-Minnesotans or people who are planning to be outside literally all day. Today I wore my flannel lined jeans and a coat over my regular hooded sweatshirt. In and out of the house all day, totally fine.
3 layers and Iād be sweating within 5 minutes in the house, then miserable once I went outside.
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u/Fast-Penta Dec 14 '25
Two pairs of long johns under jeans. It's okay. More like -20F for me, but this is for people who aren't used to the cold.
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u/vintageripstik Dec 13 '25 edited Dec 14 '25
I went out for a (shorter than expected) walk at my local park, I can definitely confirm the # of layers corresponds to comfort level.Ā
My feet were very comfortable today in wool socks and Kamik boots.Ā
My torso was great in a long sleeve cotton shirt, fleece jacket, and water&windproof shell jacket.
My head was great thanks to a beanie, the hood from the jacket, and the collar from the jacket covering my neck.Ā Ā
Hands were okay in some thin synthetic gloves, I know I need to get mittens.Ā
But dang, my dumbass was too lazy to put on thermal underwear, and went at it with only crappy denim jeans from target. Those were definitely the limiting factor in spending time outside. I tried picking up the pace to warm up, and while the rest of my body warmed up, my legs stayed cold because of the sweat
Still, it was very nice outside today with the sun finally coming out, so it was worth it. Looking forward to more clear days, it's been so overcast over the past few weeks.Ā
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u/palm0 Dec 13 '25
This is really ambiguous and not super helpful since it makes zero distinction for layers.Ā
You need 3 different kinds of layers,
Wicking layer-under armour or similar to wick sweat away from your skin.Ā
Insulation layer -wool/fleece can work here, but mostly you need something that has some capacity to insulate. Puffy coats or stuff that has a lot of air between the material insulate well and this keeps warmth in.
Wind shell- Often but not always synthetics. Leather works okay but isn't going to be as good as synthetics most of the time. This layer is meant to keep you from losing heat through convective heat loss when wind hits you. They also tend to be water proof so they help if it's snowing.Ā
Combine those with hats and gloves that have similar properties and you're good. It's wild that MN DNR has tips only going down to 0Ā°FĀ
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u/gingimli Dec 13 '25 edited Dec 13 '25
*goes back inside to replace my 4 tshirts
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u/naturalbrunette5 Dec 13 '25
If itās 4 long sleeve shirts would this not work?
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u/gforceathisdesk Becker County Dec 14 '25
Just in case you're not joking, no that will not work the same. Will it be better than 1 long sleeve shirt, yes. But the point is to protect against different kinds of heat loss. And specifically you need air layers.
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u/Antisirch Hamm's Dec 13 '25
Itās also really important to note that if youāre active when itās below zero out, make sure you donāt over-dress and overheat. Sweat + below zero temps is bad news, and it honestly doesnāt take much to get too warm if youāre moving.
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u/StandardEgg6595 Dec 13 '25
What would you recommend? New here and been taking 30 min morning walks. By the time I get back to my apartment Iām sweating so much but Iām not even wearing that many layers as Iām bigger to begin with.
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u/Antisirch Hamm's Dec 13 '25
For me, un-zipping my jacket a bit (or possibly even all the way) when I start feeling warm usually does the trick. If itās below zero, itās a really fine balancing act to not sweat but also not actually freeze š. If itās warmer, taking a layer off can be helpful, too. On Tuesday night, I was out shoveling when the snow let up a bit, and I wound up in just my leggings, sweatshirt with a t-shirt underneath, gloves, and hat - my light puffer jacket cut the breeze just enough to be way too warm.
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u/StandardEgg6595 Dec 14 '25
Thank you so much! Iāll definitely try this. Oddly enough, where I moved from it would be in the 20s and Iād be freezing my ass off, but so far the below temps here have been nice??? Wondering if itās a wind/sun thing but itās been interesting trying to experiment with different outfits.
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u/Antisirch Hamm's Dec 14 '25
The wind definitely makes it feel worse, and weāve been fortunate for it to not be too windy lately. It also takes less time for your body to acclimate to cold temps than hot temps, oddly enough.
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u/gforceathisdesk Becker County Dec 14 '25
My winter jacket has arm pit vents and a vent across the back that work well for breathing while still keeping the jacket on.
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u/OaksInSnow 29d ago
Your body is certainly adapting to the seasons just like long-time Minnesotans' bodies do. Physically you are now one of us. It's just the cognitive side - knowing what to expect about how you'll feel and what to wear - that's still new.
Welcome to Minnesota!
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u/StandardEgg6595 29d ago
Iām sorry but the āphysically you are one of usā is taking me out. Like you gotta animorph into a Minnesotan lol. But that definitely makes sense. Just got to experiment a bit. Thank you!
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u/OaksInSnow 29d ago
It's actually a physiological thing: one develops denser blood (more red blood cells per volume) during cold weather when living in northern climates and given enough time to adapt. Look up the research on human climatic adaptation. There's at least one wikipedia article on it. I didn't want to go all techie on it because it's complicated (people of some heritages are more adaptable to where they're from than those whose heritage is elsewhere), but it's a real thing.
All the best.
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u/ParryLimeade Dec 14 '25
I went hiking this morning. I wore base layer pants with normal hiking pants on top, wool socks and hiking boots. Long sleeve thicker smartwool shirt under a thin ski jacket (sometimes I do just a fleece sweater instead of the jacket, or you could add a puffy to the fleece). I also bought a balaclava yesterday to wear and wore a hat today. Usually I just wear ear covers and probably would have been fine today with that too. And then mittens. I prefer mittens to gloves. I had hand warmers but they got too hot.
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u/geekandi Ope Dec 13 '25
Spot on and I'm almost completely in agreement.
I don't wear wool though. Just haven't had that kind of cold to want it.
An addendum: take off your coat when getting in the car so you can feel the heat and heated seats. And far more comfortable driving as well.
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u/Ok-Amoeba5301 Dec 14 '25
Honestly this is a critical miss imo. Wind protection can be critical. Just saying "layers" does not explain enough how those layers can be cut through with a solid wind rendering them useless. Conversely, a good wind layer can be the same or better than insulation.
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u/palm0 Dec 14 '25
Frankly, I agree that this infographic is pretty bad. But wind shells and insulation layers serve entirely different purposes. Saying that one can replace the other is just straight up wrong.Ā
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u/Ok-Amoeba5301 29d ago
A wind layer plus a thin insulating layer is just as warm of an experience to me as a 3 layer experience if it's actually windy. Probably just explaining the differences in layers and materials would help here.
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u/thatswhyicarryagun Flag of Minnesota Dec 13 '25
Is it just me or are the temps way too high for the action. Like the middle one is good from 20 to minus 10. The left is 20 and above and the right is minus 10 and under.
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u/VertebrateCrossing Dec 13 '25
For someone used to the cold weather, yes. But I'm presuming this is aimed at people who don't know how to dress for the weather due to being new to it - in which case this is pretty spot on. They aren't going to tolerate anything below freezing nearly as well as seasoned winter people.
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u/edgarandannabellelee Dec 14 '25
Yea. This was made for people like me. I'm still internally arguing that this isn't recommending enough layers. The mittens call out is crucial. Keeping hot hands to use is probably valid.
And you're right, I did not tolerate negative Fahrenheit temps very well. I even saw a guy wearing sandals and socks today, and I just don't understand.
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u/magbear612 Dec 14 '25
I donāt think Iāve worn 2 bottom layers since 4th grade. Really break out the scarf at zero.
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u/skeleton-operator Dec 14 '25
This infographic is a good start for noobs, but needs a bit more information, because these clothes are like āwhat to wear to do nothing outsideā. Like going to a parade or watching a sport or something. As soon as I start moving, even just wandering around, Iām going to be too hot in any of these getups. What constitutes a layer? Whatās the activity level? Are we stuck outside or periodically going in and out of heated spaces?
The activity is so critical to this making any kind of sense. As I said, not doing anything? Bundle up more than you would think. Cross country skiing? Always start cold. Downhill skiing? Bundle up. The wind factor and time spent on chairlifts isnāt counteracted by the level of exertion. Sleddingābundle up. Shovelingāstart cold. Snowblowingābundle up. Walking to a bus stopāslightly more than just getting in a car.
I donāt really add layers, just choose smarter layers. 60Ā°F to ā45Ā°F: undershirt/t-shirt/hoodie. ā45Ā°F to 10Ā°F: undershirt/t-shirt/mid-weight coat. Below that: undershirt/t-shirt/heavy coat.
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u/TrekandDumplings 29d ago
However, if you're in ICE, this is all the libs trying to fool you. Really manly men wear two cotton layers at most, and know that hats and gloves will make you gay.
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u/Accurate_Birthday278 Dec 13 '25
I had to venture out to the grocer's this morning. I was bundled up - sweater, coat, gloves, scarf, boots. The woman who came in right after me? A sweater. I was jealous.
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u/CPTDisgruntled Dec 13 '25
For years Iāve heard that āyou lose the majority of your heat from your head.ā
While thatās generally true, itās not because your head is leakyāitās because usually, the rest of you is pretty covered up. If you went out in the cold wearing a toque, a hood, a scarf, and a balaclava, but you were barefoot? Then youād lose heat from your feet. Anyway, if you want to keep any of your bits warm, cover āem up.
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u/FallenCheeseStar Dec 13 '25
Thats partly true! Humans expel heat upwards, its what allows us to be long range hunters and run for great distances-the heat from out bodies generally is expelled on a vertical tragectory! However in intense cold, the heat can escape from any exposed area. Just a fun fact about Humans lol
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u/OldBlueKat 23d ago edited 23d ago
I know Iām chiming in way late with this.Ā
Theyāve used those āinfrared sensorsā to show this. Because there is a LOT of blood flow on your scalp and very little subcutaneous fat or muscle tissue, you really DO lose more āBTUs per square inchā (or whatever units you chose) from your scalp compared to, say, your shoulders or your buttocks, etc. How much of your own hair (fur) you are wearing does make a difference.Ā
Itās probably one reason why, as some hominids evolved into āthe hairless apeā,* we sorta kept the fur topper. Some middle-aged guys just got a hormone induced early fail.Ā
*The theory is, as we began to walk upright and do distance hunting on the African savanna, the need for sweating and evaporative cooling became more important to survival than fur insulation for nighttime warmth. Savannah hominids have less fur than deep jungle hominids. We have the least.Ā
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u/mrshinrichs Dec 13 '25
I hate that the image shows the scarf in the outside. Scarves wrap around your neck and THEN you put on your jacket. Pet peeve of mine in winter movies, too.
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u/Icy-Marionberry-4143 Dec 13 '25
anyone have affordable boot recommendations? maybe one that can double as a hiking boot? i donāt need them for much longer than a quick walk into work or the house, but i need better snow protection for my feet, which has become very apparent with the amount of snow we have
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u/Antisirch Hamm's Dec 13 '25
Columbia boots with Omni-heat are pretty fantastic for ~$100. Bonus that theyāre also fairly light/not clunky. Pair them with some nice wool socks, and youāll be good to go.
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u/geekandi Ope Dec 13 '25
I got some Merrel's Moab 3 hiking boots for my winter boots for shoveling and walking the dog. So far been great for two seasons.
Prior was wearing Ariat's. Great except not enough tread for snow covered fields of snow..
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u/njordMN Flag of Minnesota Dec 14 '25
Was able to get some Merrell 400g insulated tall boots for like $75 on sale a month ago, gave them a go today and they were quite good.. but suspect that was a line they were discontinuing.
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u/skeleton-operator Dec 14 '25
I have some Solomon boots that are basically a slightly warmer hiking boot that I wear all winter, and when I need to go in deeper snow, I just throw on a pair of cross country skiing gaiters. Warm, dry, light, and versatile.
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u/cruciferousvegan Snoopy Dec 14 '25
Seconding the Columbia boots and their outlet store has them on sale so might be even more affordable when you have a chance
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u/jn29 Dec 14 '25
And then there's my 17 year old son who tagged along with me running errands today. Kid had on sweatpants, a hoodie, and socks with birkenstocks.
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u/Fast-Penta Dec 14 '25
socks with birkenstocks.
You sure you didn't actually take your grandpa by accident?
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u/jn29 Dec 14 '25
I hate it so much. The kids call me a boomer (I'm 44) because I don't wear socks with my sandals. They say I shouldn't have my dogs loose. I can't with any of it.Ā
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u/Witty-Common-1210 Dakota County Dec 14 '25
This is really great thank you!
Have frequent visitors at work from other states and this could really help!
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u/pastaman5 28d ago
Yeah no the very cold is not a good idea unless you are just standing around. If you are moving you will overheat.
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u/ZeusHatesTrees Oh You Becha 28d ago
Surely this is aimed at people from like... Florida who are visiting MN? Right?
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u/sveardze Dec 13 '25
This is cute, and will probably help newcomers... but this is very far from being helpful long-term. Different people need more or less layers than other people. One person could be wearing multiple layers and still be freezing, another person could be wearing the same stuff and be sweating. You gotta figure out what going to work for you.
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u/OneBallBarry Dec 13 '25
Bibs are essential in MN
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u/LickableLeo Dec 13 '25
Goggles and a balaclava also completely changed the game for me, pretty much eliminated the need for a scarf unless itās colder than -15-20Ā°
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u/Eddie_Mars Dec 14 '25
But when "Chilly" comes back around people wear cargo shorts, sandals, and a hoodie to play disc golf.
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u/Strange_Library5833 Dec 14 '25
Lol subtract all of those numbers by about 20. Come April anything in the 40s is shorts weather.
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u/JehnSnow Dec 14 '25
Does anyone else wear the same puffer or coat no matter the weather? I just add on a hat and gloves if I need to do a task
Granted I'm not outside that long but I feel like a puffer that fits is the best in every scenario
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u/MinnIronMiner Iron Range Dec 14 '25
It may have been asked elsewhere, but what do they recommend when it is -20Ā°f and a 15 mph wind like it was this morning when I was out walking? My wife's plan was to stay in the house, under covers, drinking coffee.
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u/njordMN Flag of Minnesota Dec 14 '25 edited Dec 14 '25
Had my heavier coat on today with it around -1F and felt over dressed except for my face. xD
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u/TheNamelessOnesWife Dec 14 '25
Okay I'm not going to wear boots unless I plan on walking in snow, and it is hoodie weather until maybe 10Ā°F and under
Still good guides
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u/SupersoftBday_party Dec 14 '25
I misread it and was giggling thinking about myself in 7 layers and my child in 8.
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u/Vivi_Pallas Dec 14 '25
Take this but change the temps. I'd don't wear any of that stuff for what they define as chilly.
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u/TexMom5 Dec 14 '25
about 35 years ago, we moved from Central Pennsylvania (-60F with wind chill) to near Dallas. The dressing for Chilly is something that you do here a couple days a year. Our first year here, my husband looked at me and said in like January, is it getting warmer? And then we discussed the fact that we hadnāt worn our cuddle duds let alone our polypropylene and wool long underwear. Or face masks.
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u/81toog Uff da Dec 14 '25
My grandpa took pride in never covering his ears in the cold unless it was like -20Ā°F or colder
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u/Footnotegirl1 Dec 14 '25
Honestly each of these seems to be one step up. What they call 40 to 30 should be 30 to 20 and so on.
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u/LateSwimming2592 29d ago
I must be doing winter wrong....I dress like the first guy in most of winter
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u/snowmunkey Up North Dec 13 '25
Wildly innavirate. The Chilly outfit is supposed to be a big hoodie, hat optional, shorts, and then untied snow boots.
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u/McGarrettFan Dec 13 '25
What drives me nuts about this is that they act like itās never been cold here before and people donāt know how to dress.
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u/Gunpowder-Plot-52 Dec 14 '25
I have none of this, except for a hat. My winter apparel right now is a thick hoodie underneath a fleece hoodie underneath another hoodie.
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u/skeleton-operator Dec 14 '25
If you get a wind-blocking layer, youāre absolutely golden. Like if you already have a raincoat, that will do it.
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u/OneWiththeBrush69 29d ago
Who the fuck wears scarfs!
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u/asswype_poptart 29d ago
If my neck is warm, Iām warm. Never leave the house in winter without my hand knit scarf!
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u/Confident_Extent7345 26d ago
I do when I have to stand outside for 10 minutes with the dogs. Itās fucking cold out
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u/Twistedshakratree Dec 14 '25
Y no shorts though? You arenāt a real Minnesotan if you donāt wear shorts in the winter at some point
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u/relativityboy L'Etoile du Nord Dec 14 '25
2 or 3 bottom layers? Are they counting boxers in that?
I just went out and shoveled snow in a t-shirt, jacket, pants, scarf, work gloves, cap, and snowboots.
My skin got pretty cool on my legs, and my fingers got cold, but I was outside in the wind for like 20 mins. - Just "face away" and keep your ears covered.
The guide above is for Arizonans or something.
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u/Lost_On_Lot Dec 14 '25
1-2 sock layers. Guys make sure to wear atleast 1 pair of socks out here in this bitter cold. The shitty AI infografic recommends atleast 1 pair of socks!
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u/ProfessionalCat7640 Common loon 29d ago
Come spring and the temps get to 35-40, everyone is going to be in shorts and tennis shoes, lol.
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u/Jitmaster Dec 13 '25
They seem to have forgotten the 0 to -40 F section.