Why I Hate Colder Climates

[JOHNNIE36]

I don't understand why people would put up with "extreme climates" of any nature.

This part of Oahu is a "Goldilocks climate". With the right insulation on the roof we don't need A/C, heat, ceiling fans, clothing, footwear, or other "essentials" of life.

Of course this is no fun for weather forecasters: "Highs today in the mid 80s, lows tonight in the mid 70s, tradewinds 10-15 knots, conditions should persist through 2020 with a hurricane or two!"

Hey Nords, my sister used to talk like that when they lived in the San Diego area. She always said they never gave a local weather report because everyone knew what it was going to be like that day, tomorrow, the next day and the day after that. Once in awhile, they would predict a storm so everyone could go outside and watch lightning which they seldom got to see and was a big event.

 

[Grainiac]

It costs more to heat a home to 70 if it's 0 outside than it does to cool a house to 70 if it's 100 outside.

Probably depends on your house and source of energy you use. Using natural gas for heat and electricity for cooling, my utility bills would prove you wrong. Though it has never hit 100 F for the past five summers we have lived here in MN. The hottest day of summer for the past years has been between 92F (2008) and 98F (2010). Immediately after moving into this house and watching our power bills while running AC pretty much constantly for the first summer, we pretty quickly adjusted thermostat to 88 during the day and to 82 only for four hours just before going to bed. Seems to work well for us and keeps our monthly power bills below $250 pain threshold. At today's power rates we would pay about $400 to 500 per month for keeping the house at 70 in July and August. Our highest combined NG and electrical bill is typically in January around $330.

 

[Mulligan]

Played 36 holes of golf in 100 degree weather last 2 days. No complaints. I certainly wouldnt be playing in 30 degree temperatures. I love to wear tshirts and shorts daily instead of sweats, jeans, gloves, and jackets. I get the four seasons where I live, but I could certainly handle living in desert sw and making the yearly weeklong jaunt to the ski slopes and then leaving the snow behind. As long as a/c and showers are available,I certainly prefer the warmth.

 

[Nords]

Hey Nords, my sister used to talk like that when they lived in the San Diego area. She always said they never gave a local weather report because everyone knew what it was going to be like that day, tomorrow, the next day and the day after that. Once in awhile, they would predict a storm so everyone could go outside and watch lightning which they seldom got to see and was a big event.

Spouse and I grew up in cold climates, and we lived in some fairly chilly places for our first eight years of active duty, but when we were stationed in Hawaii it only took about 18 months to lose all our tolerance for cold weather.

After five years in Hawaii we were transferred to San Diego. I can remember sitting on a beach in Coronado in August, wearing jeans & shoes & socks and two shirts and a sweatshirt, freezing my butt off and thinking that I wasn't going to make it to Christmas.

Another 18 months passed and it was no longer as bad as that first week, but I still thought it was pretty chilly there in winter. And it was weird that it only rained two days a year...

These days I don't even like traveling north of 35 degrees latitude between November-March.

 

[My Dream]

Well I live up where some would consider NORTH, it's actually Toronto Ontario Canada. At the moment it's around 95 F and I don't have a problem with that, I prefer the heat to the cold and last winter was actually mild. In some parts of the US it was much colder then we got, go figure. To boot we hardly got any snow last winter.

I'll take some of the Texas heat, as long as I can get into an A/C house to cool down every so often and have an ice cold libation.


Bring it on!

 

[mystang52]

For 25 consecutive year, we NJ-residents have taken our vacation in Fort Lauderdale in July. Since we swim, sail, scuba dive, etc we love it. But to live (and work) there in the summer? I think that's the equivalent of what we go thru in the winter.
Like Marathoner, I love running in the cold [when in Florida I'm out running by 5:30 AM and even then it's tough to run]. Back in NJ, on the days when there are snow or ice storms, we just don't drive. 99% of the time the roads are safely cleared the next day. So, all in all I prefer the northeast, although watching the NY Giants during a winter's game can test my "preference"!

 

[NW-Bound]

Hot or cold? Depends on how hot. Depends on how cold.

Because I cannot afford a place on the Californian coast (and they have earthquake, fire, traffic and all other stuff), I have two places so that I can play snowbird in the same state. And they are only 150 mi apart, while the elevation difference is greater than 5,500 ft. And when I get bored, I get in my RV. Life is great!

I like to wear T-shirts and shorts, and eating outdoors! Can't do that when it's a gazillion degrees below zero.

I think one is more restricted in colder climates.

All I need to do is watch the movie "Fargo" to remind myself.

I need to remind everyone that absolute zero is only 460 deg F below freezing. Not gazillion!

 

[sanfanciscotreat]

Well, I suppose most of you would not like south MS. But for me there are only two months that are really hot, July and August. Played golf this morning before the temperature really got up there. Had a shower this PM which really felt nice. I am fortunate to spend a couple of weeks in AK fishing in August.
Other than the two months mentioned above, weather is fine. We can golf three or four days a week in the winter when is it not raining and the temp gets to 50 degrees F or above. Given my druthers, I would spend July and August near Asheville, NC and the other ten in USM.

 

[NW-Bound]

And I forgot to mention that of the two places where I have a home, the low place has a record high of 122F (50C) in the summer, while the high elevation place has a record low of -25F (-32C) in the winter.

If you have to choose just one of these two places, there will be times in the year where you will be miserable. But drive 150 mi, and, ah... Life is good again!

 

[Nords]

I need to remind everyone that absolute zero is only 460 deg F below freezing. Not gazillion!

I think Steelyman was also accounting for humidity and windchill...

 

[NW-Bound]

Sure, but that fear of cold shows that he cannot be that "steely".

 

[Grainiac]

For someone who spends all the non-frozen months evenings and weekends gardening I am extremely happy for living in a climate where I have very low likelihood for running into poisonous snakes, scorpions, fire-ants, and such. Our 7-8 month thaw season here is plenty long for me, and I am more than ready to take a break on gardening and transfer to my inside hobbies by November. Having lived 68% of my years in areas with a "real" winter, I have learned to deal with it quite well. Regarless, I like spending one week in the middle of every winter somewhere where temperatures get above 50 F during the day, just to warm my bones a bit.

 

[LauAnn]

While I dislike the cold, I dislike dealing with snow even more. It turns to ice and is treacherous to drive and walk on. Then there's the fact my LBYM mentality won't allow me to pay someone to clear the driveway, so there are days when I literally am shovelling 3 times a day to keep up with the frequent lake-effect storms our area receives. (We average 100 inches every year of the white stuff.)

For me, shovelling is not akin to mowing the grass, which is done once a week in my area. I don't mind mowing at all. For me it is a part of gardening which I enjoy doing.

Someone above mentioned above that cold is 'painful' while heat is just 'uncomfortable'. That is how I see it too. After living through our very cold northern January and February I never complain about it being too hot in July and August. I just sit still and let the heat seep into my body and relish the realization that such will not be the case in a few months when layers upon layers of clothes and $$ to heat the house are required to be comfortable.

I suspect if I moved south to warmer climates, a constant string of extreme temperatues could get just as annoying as the cold I dislike.

So I guess I'm saying, that though I complain and very much dislike the snow and cold, in the end I'll put up with them rather than move south because the other 3 seasons are just too nice to give up.

 

[Moemg]

For 25 consecutive year, we NJ-residents have taken our vacation in Fort Lauderdale in July. Since we swim, sail, scuba dive, etc we love it. But to live (and work) there in the summer? I think that's the equivalent of what we go thru in the winter.
"!

When I first moved to Florida I was still working so I adapted to the locals life style which is in summer you go to the beach and enjoy all the water sports . We also enjoy the break from the crowds and take advantage of all the restaurant specials but frankly by late August or September I have to leave and visit elsewhere for awhile because summer is just too long .

 

[mb]

I have an outdoor lifestyle.

I could survive in a location with cold winters or hot and humid summers but I prefer a more temperate climate and I'm more than willing to pay a little more and get a little less (in terms of house, etc.) to live in CA.

I recall running a 12 miler in the dark on one of the coldest days in Boston history and many runs and bike rides on hot, humid days in Maryland. In Maryland I preferred the winters to the summers. The winters were not that cold and you can always put on more layers but the summers are uncomfortable not matter what you wear. Those locations have many positive qualities and I enjoyed living there but year around weather is not one of them. In the Bay Area we don't get either extreme and being outdoors is enjoyable all year.

I use my bike for most local transportation, spend a lot of time outside and have the windows open in my house much of the year. IMHO the quality of my life would be lower if I lived in a climate where I spent most of my time going from one climate controlled environment to another climate controlled environment.

 

[Frugalityisthenewblack]

I hate the cold..scraping ice off the windshield every morning before work for many months of the year....I love Canada but I will be a snowbird as soon as i cn!!

 

[MichaelB]

My preference is a higher altitude city close to the equator, such as Caracas or Bogota. The altitude offsets the tropical heat and makes for a very pleasant climate, there's a good amount of rain so the cities are green, amazing tropical beaches are still nearby, and the proximity to the equator makes for a more even amount of daylight throughout the year.

 

[unclemick]

98 degrees right now - should chill to 84 by the time it's dark enough to shoot off my fireworks. Some of us never grow old.

Vancouver(the one near Portland), Seattle, Denver, Long Island, Baltimore, Huntsville(Alabama), New Orleans, and Kansas City.

Where you are at is where you are at. Growing up, school, working and retirement. I still view climate as a challenge to be met versus picking a climate.

I keep saying one day I will pick the 'perfect place' but finding ways to deal with the climate I'm in is still fun - so far.

Heh heh heh - knock on wood no health issues dictating a climate relocation.

 

[Grainiac]

My preference is a higher altitude city close to the equator, such as Caracas or Bogota. The altitude offsets the tropical heat and makes for a very pleasant climate, there's a good amount of rain so the cities are green, amazing tropical beaches are still nearby, and the proximity to the equator makes for a more even amount of daylight throughout the year.

That's interesting. Presuming that this applies to other continents as well, what would be some qualifying cities outside of Latin America

 

[Goonie]

For someone who spends all the non-frozen months evenings and weekends gardening I am extremely happy for living in a climate where I have very low likelihood for running into poisonous snakes, scorpions, fire-ants, and such. Our 7-8 month thaw season here is plenty long for me, and I am more than ready to take a break on gardening and transfer to my inside hobbies by November. Having lived 68% of my years in areas with a "real" winter, I have learned to deal with it quite well. Regarless, I like spending one week in the middle of every winter somewhere where temperatures get above 50 F during the day, just to warm my bones a bit.

+1

I've spent the entirety of my 55 years here on the homestead in northern Illinois, and LOVE all 4 seasons.....even Winter!!! As a kid I spent most of my waking hours outdoors playing, regardless of whether it was extremely hot or extremely cold. I've always loved our cold and snow here. It didn't matter whether I was in the snow playing or working.

I worked primarily outdoors for the first 17 years after high school, so got to fully experience what every season of all of those years had to offer. I nearly always preferred working in the cold weather rather than the hot weather. I learned how to dress for the cold....multiple thin layers!!! Two winters of trudging through snow, sleet, slush, and extreme cold as a meter reader wasn't overly fun, but it never really bothered me either. In fact it was much more bearable than doing the same job when it was hot and humid.

After my stint as a meter reader, I spent the next 15 years as the low man on the totem pole on a maintenance crew. As such, I got all of the hottest jobs during the summer, and all of the coldest jobs during the winter. My normal daily routine started with 2 hours washing outdoor wastewater tanks with a 1-1/2" hose hooked to a hydrant.....even in sub-zero weather!

I still enjoy being outdoors in the winter! I love snow! And I don't mind cold at all! I enjoy shoveling snow, and rarely use our snow blower. Many times after shoveling, I sit on he patio and bird watch!!! Did I mention that I enjoy being outdoors?! And like Grainiac, winter gives me a much needed break from the gardens, and time to spend on my indoor hobbies (and planning for the next year's gardens).

My cars sit out all year with no problems, and I have never had to use jumper cables or change a battery in the winter. Our city uses hundreds of tons of salt on the streets just about every winter.....NO sand.....and I've experienced no corrosion problems on our vehicles in decades. (I don't wash the cars during the winter either....and very seldom in other seasons.) As for scraping ice of the car windows......I don't!!! We have 'remote starts' on both cars, so I just hit he button on my key ring and the car starts up with the defrosters on. In about 15 minutes the ice/snow has melted off, and I'm ready to head out. And I don't mind driving in snow either, probably due to the fact that in HS I had Drivers' Ed in December and January....in the snow, and then drove a maintenance truck, a snowplow, or a pickup for 32 years.

I love the cold, i love the snow, I love Winter!!!!

 

[dr_popeye]

I used to live in Canada, moved to Queensland Australia (>300days of sunshine usually). Now I am in Melbourne where the winters are dark and dreary and wet. I almost prefer the Canadian winters. Many people get seasonal affective disorder where the sheer lack of sunlight in the winter months gives them a sub clinical depression. I am certainly wanting to move back to QLD now, but the culture of Melbourne is much better. One thing I noticed is that in a place with 300 + days of sunshine you miss the seasons.

 

[xyz]

I hope I did the picture post correctly but I think the picture will say it all... As I looked at this photo last week it reminded me why I will not spend another winter up north.

 

[W2R]

[...] but I think the picture will say it all....[...]

Perhaps to you it evokes strong emotions and says it all, from your point of view. But it doesn't do that to me, looks kind of pretty so maybe you could verbalize it too. (?)

 

[ERD50]

Perhaps to you it evokes strong emotions and says it all, from your point of view. But it doesn't do that to me, looks kind of pretty so maybe you could verbalize it too. (?)

It looks pretty refreshing to me right now (we are also having a heat wave here in the MidWest - fortunately the humidity is not too bad).

-ERD50

 

[bbbamI]

Well I live up where some would consider NORTH, it's actually Toronto Ontario Canada. At the moment it's around 95 F and I don't have a problem with that, I prefer the heat to the cold and last winter was actually mild. In some parts of the US it was much colder then we got, go figure. To boot we hardly got any snow last winter.

I'll take some of the Texas heat, as long as I can get into an A/C house to cool down every so often and have an ice cold libation.


Bring it on!

I'm not sure if we have any of that there kinda stuff in Texas....

But come on ovah...we'll look in mah pantry.....