How to Get Through a Rainy Winter on the Wet Coast
Born and bred BC Rainlanders know all about dealing with a rainy winter season on the coast. Days and weeks of dull, dark, grey weather can affect mental health, making self-care especially important. Sitting inside and staring miserably out the window as atmospheric rivers roll through won’t do much to help your mood, but there are a few tips that can help you stay healthy, happy, and maybe even learn to love the rain.
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If It’s Dry, Go Outside
The most important thing you can do to get through a rainy winter is to stay active. Take advantage of any break in the weather, no matter how brief. Navigating these pockets is a skill that requires a little bit of checking the forecast and a little bit of reading the skies. It might be as short as an hour or a day, but heading outside even for a short walk will do wonders for lifting your spirits, especially if there’s been a long string of gloomy weather.
Weather forecasts are not really reliable more than a day or two ahead. This is due to the changeability of weather systems rolling in off the Pacific Ocean. Planning activities can get a bit tricky, so the key is to be spontaneous and take advantage of any dry pockets, and plan for it to be wet even if it’s not.
Beware what some call the “sucker hole”: this is the eye of the storm when the rain suddenly stops and lures you into going outside, only for you to be caught in a downpour. Don’t be a sucker!
Check Your Vitamins
In the winter months, the Northern Hemisphere doesn’t receive enough direct sunlight for the human body to produce vitamin D, which is essential for mood regulation and immune system function. B vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, and zinc can also help with the winter blues. If maintaining a healthy diet is difficult, consider taking supplements.
Women also lose vitamins and minerals during menstruation, such as iron, B vitamins, magnesium, calcium, and zinc. Each of these affects mood and/or energy levels, so it’s important to make sure lost nutrients are being replaced. If you find yourself experiencing worsening mood symptoms during certain parts of your cycle, low vitamin or sunlight levels can be a factor.
Always follow dosage guidelines when taking supplements and consider consulting your doctor.
Light Therapy
Some people find that light therapy helps with symptoms of seasonal affective disorder. Light therapy lamps, or SAD lamps, mimic exposure to sunlight, which can boost mood and help to regulate the circadian rhythm.
Light therapy guidelines:
- 10,000 lux of light
- Non-UV white fluorescent lights
- Use for 30 minutes per day, preferably in the morning
Sunrise alarm clocks can have a similar effect. Many people find it easier to wake on a gloomy day with one of these, which mimics a natural sunrise.
Dress For the Weather
British Columbians typically shun umbrellas unless they’re tourists or city-dwellers, and instead opt for Gore-Tex and functional footwear. If you’re new to the coastal region of BC, it’s worth investing in a good set of raingear. Finding the right one can be tricky, and sometimes pricey.
Most rainwear is only waterproof up to a certain point and will leak after exposure to a prolonged downpour. Fully waterproof rainwear is usually not breathable, which means condensation forms on the inside, making you wet inside and out.
Things to look for when buying raingear:
- Gore-tex
- Seam-sealing
- Venting
- Lined
Sometimes simpler is better. Many outdoorspeople use ponchos, which can be silnylon and double as an ultralight tarp, or just a cheap one from the dollar store. Rain skirts are also gaining popularity for both men and women.
Clothing-wise, the best technique is to layer up underneath your rain gear and choose an activity that’s not strenuous enough to make you sweat. Layers can help to absorb any condensation that forms inside an unlined rain jacket.
Fabric types matter. Avoid wearing cotton, as it has a cooling effect and doesn’t dry easily when wet, which increases the risk of hypothermia. Down depends on air pockets to trap heat, which makes it ineffective when wet. The best fabrics to wear in rainy weather are those that can retain warmth when wet and dry easily:
- Wool
- Fleece
- Polyester
- Nylon
- Synthetic insulation
If you’re out on a multi-day trip and end up with wet gear, the best place for it to dry is on you, depending on the type of fabric. Always bring an extra set of clothing, including a wool baselayer.
Gear: Care and Useful Items
After you’ve been out in the rain, make sure that your gear is thoroughly dry. Putting things away while still wet can cause damaging mold and mildew growth. If you live in a small space, this means hanging up your gear to dry whenever you can. Stuffing newspaper in your shoes can help remove moisture if you don’t own a boot dryer.
Gearheads will rejoice at the array of things you can pick up to make your life a little better in a rainy environment:
Thermos: An essential in cold and wet weather. Bring a warm drink and keep it that way.
Moisture Grabbers: These are great to place in your vehicle if it gets condensation on the inside. They work wonders for pulling excess moisture out of the air, especially in older vehicles. Buy them online or at Canadian Tire.
Boot Dryer: Rather than waiting days for your boots to dry, chuck them on one of these and you’re good to go again in a few hours. Try getting one that can double as a glove dryer.
Waterproof Case: Both Pelican and Nite Ize are reputable brands for keeping electronics and other important items dry.
Silica Gel: You can collect these when you buy new shoes or buy some online. Tuck one into your camera bag or any other electronic to keep the damp out.
Dry Bag: These come in various sizes and are an extra layer of protection in case your backpack leaks or you don’t have a waterproof cover. For folks who are more hardcore, they even make dry bag backpacks.
Waterproofing Sprays: You will need to re-waterproof your raingear at some point, and Nikwax is the go-to brand for this. They also have sprays for waterproofing leather boots.
Best Rainy Day Outdoor Activities
Forest Trails: One of the benefits of living on BC’s coast is that the coastal temperate rainforest is an ideal place to hike, bike, run, or walk in the rain. The forest canopy can act as an umbrella, reducing the amount of rain that gets to you. Rainy days in the outdoors are also generally less busy, so you might get the trail all to yourself.
Waterfall Hikes: What better place to be than a waterfall? Since waterfalls give off spray, making you wet anyway, they’re the ideal hike on a wet day.
Paddling: Getting out in your kayak is great in the rain because your spray skirt keeps you half dry. With water above and water below, you are one with it. For canoes, play boats, and SUPs, your mileage may vary.
Fishing: Word in the fishing world is that you can have better success before, during, and after rainfall. Your mileage may vary on this depending on where you’re fishing, the time of year, and other factors, but at least you’ll have the place to yourself.
Surfing: This one’s strictly for those on the west coast of the island, but surfing in the rain is totally fine because you’re wet anyway. If you live where you can surf, chances are you’ll be waiting a long time for a dry day, so if you want to get out there, get wet.
Indoor Activities
While staying active is important, keeping your brain occupied is equally so. When it’s not possible to head outdoors, try to keep busy inside. Work on hobbies and projects, organize your gear, or grab an adventure book.
You don’t have to join a gym to get exercise. Many channels on YouTube offer free at-home fitness programs, dance workouts, and yoga classes.
YouTube Favourites:
The west coast rain is what keeps our forests lush and alive. While you don’t have to love the rain, if you learn to live with it and practice a little self-care, you’ll start to feel like a true coastal British Columbian. After a long, dry summer, you might even find yourself longing for those moody, wet days.
