Surviving the Winter in Shanghai
Challenging but not impossible! Surviving the winter in Shanghai like a pro requires a little bit of planning and a whole lot of fluffy things…
Shanghai boasts a ‘humid subtropical’ climate, although you may well disagree with the ‘tropical’ part in December. It’s at this time that the first snowflakes start to drop, and your eyeballs start to pop. Exaggeration much? Well, not really. Sure, it’s not nearly as cold here as it is in Beijing, but hey, there’s probably a very good reason you live here and not there, are we right?
Plus, no-one’s ever warmed up at the mere thought that it’s much colder somewhere else.
Spending your first year here after moving the kids into a Shanghai international school or just planning to spend the winter months in Shanghai? Here’s how to survive (and thrive!) in this lovely city during the coldest months of the year.
- Understand the Shanghai cold and know your personal comfort limits
Funnily enough, cold is a very relative term. If you’ve spent most of your life in the Canadian Arctic, you may not need us to tell you how to stay warm. If you hail from Queensland, Australia, however, best be mentally and physically prepared.
Generally speaking, temps will drop to just above freezing in Shanghai in winter, and although that doesn’t sound excessively cold, there are factors that make Shanghai feel like the North Pole, even if it’s way above freezing. In winter, the main issue in Shanghai is the bitter coastal gale, which can feel like it cuts straight through your soul. This is what makes Shanghai feel colder in winter than temperatures may portray.
Oh, then there’s this issue…
- Central heating in Shanghai?
This is one of Shanghai’s many peculiarities, but if you’ve ever lived in a ‘mostly’ warm country, you’ll understand. Shanghai does not do central heating! This is a bone of contention with locals and expats alike, who know that central heating is a given in colder Chinese cities like Beijing.
But that’s what happens when it’s ‘only’ cold for 2-3 months a year. This means that winter in Shanghai can be challenging for those coming from Europe and North America (and even northern China), who are used to having a reprieve from the winter cold at home and work.
- Layers or thermals? BOTH!
Layering is a fail-safe method for dealing with the winter in Shanghai: the whole layer-on-layer-off routine allows you to swiftly regulate your body temperature. That said, a thermal inner layer is definitely the way to go, especially as you may feel as cold indoors as you do outdoors.
- Windproof, insulated puffy jackets
Surviving the winter outdoor in Shanghai means ensuring those bone-crunching sea winds get nowhere near your skin. This means wearing windproof and waterproof jackets that are lightweight but voluminous – this ensures you have pockets of body warmth to keep you happy even in the windiest of days.
- Protect your extremities
We lose most of our body heat via our extremities in winter, which means woolen caps and insulated gloves keep us toastier than (almost) anything else. Add a plush scarf to cover the neck-gap between beanie and jacket, and you’re good to go. Don’t forget thick thermal socks!
- Fur-lined, waterproof boots
Seriously, don’t leave home without them.
- Spicy foods and hot drinks do the trick
Never a better time to acquaint yourself with hot and spicy food and drinks in Shanghai! Keep yourself warm from the inside out with a traditional hot pot, steamed crab, and palate-peeling xiaolongbao.
- Hot water bottles – your summer in a bottle
Sold everywhere in ridiculously kitsch colours and shapes, hot water bottles are amazing, especially if you suffer arthritic pains and aches in winter. They make fabulous backrests in the office are the ideal cuddle-toy in front of the TV at night.
- Electric blankets – the best goodnight hug in winter
Sure, they’re not the most environmentally friendly additions to your home, but hey… they’re a winter must. For safety and good health (in case you’ve never used one), simply turn on your electric blanket about half an hour before retiring, and make sure to turn it OFF once you’ve crawled underneath. Overheating leads to dehydration and headaches in the morning and, for obvious reasons, you’ll also want to unplug it for the night.
- Furry PJs
Fur-lined pajamas may not be the most stylish item you’ll ever wear but, listen up: there’s an excellent reason everyone wears them in Shanghai in winter. These, along with the indulgent warmth of your electric blanket of an evening, are the only things that’ll ensure an excellent night’s sleep.
There are quite a few more handy tricks that’ll help you survive the winter in Shanghai, especially if you’re in an unheated apartment. Aside from investing in a small portable heater, you can also spruce up the insulation of your window if you’ve rented a more traditional space and buy heavy curtains that keep the cold out. You’ll also need some heavy-duty winter duvets and cozy slippers.
Walking around in a pair of plush, animal-shaped slip-on booties is the only real way to survive winter in Shanghai with style.
