this will be a El nino winter, and with the NW ridge in place in the lower 48, I suppose you wont really get into the cold dry harsh stuff
We won't really know until April 2019. I am ready for 2 weeks of -50s dF overnight with accompanying daytime highs in the -40s dF, and all the sliding down and easing back up that goes with that. Plenty of dry wood for that and my envelope is ready.
I am looking for snow on the ground, measurable, in seven days, one week from tonight. All I have left to do outdoors is sweep the driveway with a broom and get the snow shovel family out.
Before I get the snow shovels out, I need to slip my wife some vodka. It is a depressing event for her every year.
And gasoline. My company has been looking at disaster preparedness all summer. They want me stock 40 gallons of gas at my house in case of "disaster". So next summer I'll be pouring gas into my truck and re-filling my disaster tanks. I ordinarily stock 10 gallons of fresh/ stabilized every autumn. It has been concluded 10 gallons will not "be worth a flip" in event of a disaster.
My studded tires are staged near the truck for quick install, fresh batteries in the timers for the head bolt heaters, extension cords for the head bolt heaters ready to rig, garage rack of dry firewood is full, oil tank is good to likely around Thanksgiving, all my flannel shirts are clean.
I think all I have left to do is find my toques, get some vodka and bring in a disassembled outboard from the toolshed so I can get it back together this winter. And check the batteries in the smoke detectors.
I don't have a kid home to stand on the floor jack to get that tested, it worked good last year. Good on wool socks and base layers.
Yup, down time here waiting for the season to finish changing from last winter to this winter.
As usual, I suspect if a polar vortex sets up in the lower 48 it will be a big problem for all y'all, again, and a small relief for me, again.
Best wishes, feels good to be ready.