North Dakotans Laugh At How Tourists Handle Our Weather

I have to admit, I still feel laughed at sometimes

I've been living out here in North Dakota for almost 12 years. I asked a co-worker who is from ND, How long does one have to live here before they are considered a North Dakotan? He said about 4-5 years, and that makes sense to me. I'm from San Diego, California, and I moved to Fargo, North Dakota, back in 2014. I had NO clue what I was up against, I had never seen snow fall and had never experienced temperatures below 35 degrees on the positive side. So I can 100% relate to this story, for I now know that North Dakotans laugh at how tourists handle our weather. Living here in Bismarck brings out all kinds of crazy weather.

I'll give you not just one example, but ten of them

According to myfamilytravels.com "Winter here feels alive, like a trickster that tests gear, plans, and patience. Locals laugh, not to mock, but to show there’s an easier way if you watch closely." Let's see if you can relate to these ten examples:

1. Tourists think “cold” means 30 degrees

Visitors come to North Dakota in winter expecting cold. What they don’t expect is this kind of cold, the kind that bites through gloves, freezes eyelashes, and makes car doors stick shut. That's exactly how I used to feel - COLD meant wearing a sweater

2. Fashion meets frostbite

So, isn't frostbite kind of like when you bring something out of the freezer that's been in there way too long? Visitors arrive in stylish coats, scarves, and city boots. Locals know better. They wear insulated bibs, thick wool socks, and parkas rated for Arctic conditions

3) Car trouble tells the story

I used to wonder WHY I would see someone plugging a cord from their car into a wall - a block heater was what it is

4. Snow shoveling becomes an art form

Let's just say you rarely see a snowman out here - people are too concerned about shoveling their own driveways

5. “Wind chill” changes everything

I used to think I could easily go outdoors with the bright sun shining - I USED to think that right up until I felt a wind chill of around 900.

6. Locals don’t hibernate, they adjust

No we don't live in caves, to outsiders, it looks impossible. To locals, it’s just Wednesday.

7. There’s pride in endurance

Tourists may complain because their hands are almost frozen shut walking down the street - North Dakotans have seen every kind of harsh weather you can imagine, and yet here are, bragging to someone who just moved here from another state.

8. The real challenge is the wind, not the snow

Locals learn how to angle their cars, stack fences, and plan errands around gust forecasts. Tourists often underestimate that invisible force until they open a car door and watch it nearly rip off its hinges.