We can't do much about the weather, but we can be prepared. (Comstock Complete)

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On a sweltering afternoon just after Labour Day, an e-mail arrived about a writing trip I was about to take to Riding National Park in Manitoba.

Under the heading "Preparing for your adventure,'' it offered this advice:

"You will need a fleece . . . Toque or other warm snow hat for outdoor activities during frosty mornings is helpful. You should bring a pair of wind pants or rain pants -- they help cut wind and keep you warm.''

Hilarious. It was 33 degrees outside. The central air was still on. But I packed a toque, substituted a wool turtleneck for the fleece, dug up rain pants last worn a decade or two earlier, and threw in an pair of wool gloves -- with a hole in one finger -- that were lurking in the back of the hall closet.

A few days later, I was wearing all of the above, plus every other layer I'd packed. The overnight temperature in the park had fallen to minus-2, and at 8 a.m. I was staring in disbelief at wet snowflakes.

We talk a lot about the weather but can't do anything about it. Or so the saying goes. Maybe not, but we can be prepared.

Check websites such as www.weather.com or www.theweathernet-work.ca. They have short- and long-range forecasts for the major centres and lots of smaller places as well.

Play it safe by taking something with short-sleeves even when you're going where it's supposed to be cool, and something warm even for hot climates. Even if the forecast is accurate, unseasonable weather can occur. I was reminded of that during a holiday break in Florida a few weeks ago when the daily highs plummeted from the mid-20s to single digits.

Wind is one of the main concerns. I've been in both Cuba and the Bahamas in January when a cold front in nearby Florida brought grey skies, winds and temperatures significantly lower than the tourist boards boast about. Even when it's hot, something long-sleeved is a godsend in over-air-conditioned dining rooms and tour buses.

Couple wind with dampness and you have real discomfort. A windproof, waterproof jacket goes with me virtually everywhere, and certainly on every trip on the water. Even the light nylon shell I took to tropical Belize in case of rain was a godsend when a storm blew up during a snorkelling excursion. We had to huddle in the boat for an hour before the wind dropped enough to head home. Swimsuit-clad bodies already cooled by an hour in the sea started shivering. My shell provided a little protection.

Layering is the key to packing minimally and still being comfortable. That frosty morning in Manitoba I wore a T-shirt --an extra one almost always comes in handy -- a long-sleeved cotton turtleneck, the wool pullover, and my windbreaker.

When we moved to indoor activities from outdoor ones, it was a simple matter of peeling off layers as needed.

Packing in case the weather is the opposite of what you expect shouldn't put a strain on your luggage. Unless, of course, you're like the New York City woman I met on a trip to Arizona.

It was 42 C when we landed in Phoenix. The relative humidity was a martini-dry 11, and it was windy. One step outside anything air-conditioned and you were on your way to mummification. And this, I was assured, was perfectly normal for early September.

The big-city writer arrived lugging two enormous suitcases. She allowed as how she hadn't known quite what to bring, hence a wardrobe that included five jackets and a selection of footwear Imelda Marcos would have been proud of.