One of the most difficult survival situations is a cold weather scenario. Every time you venture into the cold, you are pitting yourself against the elements. With a little knowledge of the environment, proper plans and appropriate equipment, you can overcome the elements. As you remove one or more of these factors, survival becomes increasingly difficult. Remember, winter weather is highly variable. Prepare yourself to adapt to blizzard conditions even during sunny and clear weather.
Cold is a far greater threat to survival than it appears. It decreases your ability to think and weakens your will to do anything except to get warm. Cold is an insidious enemy; as it numbs the mind and body, it subdues the will to survive. Cold makes it very easy to forget your ultimate goal — to survive.
COLD REGIONS AND LOCATIONS
Cold regions include arctic and subarctic areas and areas immediately adjoining them. You can classify about 48 percent of the Northern Hemisphere's total landmass as a cold region due to the influence and extent of air temperatures. Ocean currents affect cold weather and cause large areas normally included in the temperate zone to fall within the cold regions during winter periods. Elevation also has a marked effect on defining cold regions. Within the cold weather regions, you may face two types of cold weather environments — wet or dry. Knowing in which environment your area of operations falls will affect planning and execution of a cold weather operation.
Wet Cold Weather Environments
Wet cold weather conditions exist when the average temperature in a 24-hour period is -10 degrees C or above. Characteristics of this condition are freezing during the colder night hours and thawing during the day. Even though the temperatures are warmer during this condition, the terrain is usually very sloppy due to slush and mud. You must concentrate on protecting yourself from the wet ground and from freezing rain or wet snow.
Dry Cold Weather Environments
Dry cold weather conditions exist when the average temperature in a 24-hour period remains below -10 degrees C. Even though the temperatures in this condition are much lower than normal, you do not have to contend with the freezing and thawing. In these conditions, you need more layers of inner clothing to protect you from temperatures as low as -60 degrees C. Extremely hazardous conditions exist when wind and low temperature combine.
WINDCHILL
Windchill increases the hazards in cold regions. Windchill is the effect of moving air on exposed flesh. For instance, with a 27.8-kph (15-knot) wind and a temperature of -10 degrees C, the equivalent windchill temperature is -23 degrees C.
Remember, even when there is no wind, you will create the equivalent wind by skiing, running, being towed on skis behind a vehicle, and working around aircraft that produce wind blasts.
译文:
不可思议-在超级寒冷地带生存
寒冷的气候是最不易求生的环境之一。当您在严寒中行动时，面临的是恶劣的生存条件。只要对周遭环境有一定的了解，并制定了周全的计划以及配有合适的装备，您就可以克服这些恶劣的条件。这些要素缺一不可，无论缺少哪一项，都会使得求生更加艰巨。切记，冬季气候变化多端，即使在晴朗的天气中，也要做好抵御暴风雪情况的万全准备。
在寒冷的气候下求生比我们想象的要困难的多。低温会降低您的思考能力，减弱您的求生意志，一心只想着要找个温暖的地方。严寒就像是阴险的敌人，它会麻痹身心，使人放弃求生的意念，让你很容易就会忘记最终的目的——那就是勇敢地活下去。
寒冷的区域及地区
寒冷的区域包括北极和亚北极地区，以及其邻近的区域。由于气温的影响，48%的北半球陆地面积都是严寒地区。洋流造成寒冷的气候，并且使大部分的温带地区在冬天时都十分寒冷。海拔高度也是定义寒冷区域的主要因素。在寒冷的环境中，您可能会面临两种类型的寒冷气候环境：潮湿或干燥。根据您活动区域的不同，预防严寒的计划和方式也有所不同。
潮湿型的寒冷气候环境
在 24 小时内，当平均温度为零下10摄氏度或更高时，就属于潮湿型的寒冷气候。这种气候的特点是，夜晚非常寒冷，白天则稍微温暖一点。虽然这种气候条件下的温度比较高，但冰雪融化所造成的泥浆会使地面十分潮湿泥泞。您必须留意脚下泥泞的土地，同时也要预防冰冷的雨和雪。
干燥型的寒冷气候环境
在 24 小时内，当平均温度低于零下 10 摄氏度时，就属于干燥型的寒冷气候。虽然这种气候条件的温度非常低，但是您可以不用对抗冰雪凝结后又融化的情况。在这种气候条件下，您需要更多的内层衣物以抵御最低可达零下 60 摄氏度的低温。如果强风和低温同时来袭，将会造成极度危险的情况。
风寒指数
风寒指数会增加寒冷区域的危险性。风寒指数是指流动空气对曝露在其中的人体所造成的影响。举例来说，在零下 10 摄氏度的气温中，每小时 27.8 公里 (相当于 15 海里) 的风速，相当于零下 23 摄氏度的风寒指数。
请记住，即使在没有风的情况下，滑雪、跑步、由车辆拖行的滑行以及在产生强风的飞机附近也会有程度相当的风速。