Why I Hate Colder Climates

[MichaelB]

Here's some photos from when we had moved from Venezuela to NY and just moved into a recently purchased house. First house we ever owned. IIRC it was still late November or early December. The first photo is what I like least about winter - shoveling. The second (same storm) I sent to a good friend in Venezuela who wrote and asked if I was ready to return. The sign, a popular political slogan at that time, says "not one step back"

 

[audreyh1]

No more cold for me! 5 years full timing was all it took to get me to swear off the cold winter months. Even if moderate temps during the day 60 or 50, I hated nights going down into the twenties. I love the winters in the valley - being able to spend loads of time out doors, few freezes, blooming plants all winter (even if interrupted it's a very short time due to a hard freeze). I complain bitterly when I have to visit family in winter and outdoor time is restricted due cold outdoor temps and very cold nights. I don't like the bare trees and brown grass of winter. I don't like having to deal with extra clothes, coats, etc.

Even here in the summer the early mornings and evenings are fine. Cooking outdoors is fine even if it's hot. I think I've gotten very "thin-blooded" too and used to warm.

Don't even talk to me about snow or ice! I want nothing to do with it.

 

[Chelhxi]

Where I am in Canada (Winnipeg) it is commonly below -20C Dec-Feb. If it's only -20C that's not too bad. But the weeks of -40C that happen sometimes get pretty tedious.

I'd prefer a warmer climate because I'm a person who is ALWAYS cold. Yes, I can heat my car, but only as much as my husband can tolerate when he's with me. And I can heat my house, but I'm just not comfortable below 25C if I'm inactive, which is of course way hotter than normal indoor temperatures. At the office I wear long underwear under my work clothes pretty much November to March. And then sometimes in the summer because of the air conditioning. I can never wear short pants or a skirt to work. At least in the summer I can go outside to warm up. In the 9 months of not-summer I don't have that option.

When I lived in Edmonton, which has colder summer than here, it was only 25C for a week or two. Which meant I could only wear shorts outside for 1-2 weeks a year. Not enough. Winters are hard here, but summers are hot - lots of 30C plus days. I love it.

So that is why I dislike cold climates. I want to early retire so I don't have to be cold at work anymore.

 

[Purron]

Yeah, DH and I have been through some cold weather stuff here in the DC area. We'll never forget "snowmageddon" back in 2010.

Could have been worse though...that is if you live down under

Antarctica Condition 1 Weather - YouTube

 

[Midpack]

It hit 100F with lots of humidity here in Chicagoland today, forecast says 102F mañana. If I'm gonna put up with shoveling 30-60 inches of snow each winter, walking/driving on ice/snow (hazardous as we age and fall), and not being able to do my preferred outside activities for 3-6 months a year - you'd think we get moderate summers in exchange.

If global warming proves out, we may end up in a moderate climate area without moving. .

Since we've lived in TX, NJ, RI, OH, FL, WA, IN and Germany, we have a pretty good idea what we like. YMMV, no right answer of course...

 

[sunnysideup]

Spent all of my life in the northeast except many beach vacations in warmer weather.

Have found that in getting older, the cold can be painful, and as pretty as snow is, don't like dealing with snow, or driving with ice, or black ice. Don't really enjoy sweaters as much as I used to either.

DH and I really enjoy sitting outside at night and eating al fresco, but we are so limited here in NJ to about 8-10 weeks. We like gardening and it's also a limited season. We want to move to a warmer climate to leave winter behind, and enjoy the things we love for a greater portion of the year. Spring and fall are okay, just not interested in winter anymore!

I can definitely understand why people love northern climates, but I guess it's different strokes for different folks!

 

[Brat]

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

...

I agree. Yes Portland has many overcast days but extreme weather of any type is rare. If we want cold in the winter, very warm in the summer we just drive 100 miles to the east, over the Cascade Mountains.

 

[veremchuka]

I love winter.


You couldn't pay me to go down south and forget living there! I have been to Florida 3 times and hated just about every minute. No pythons, fire ants, gators or kudzu here! Seldom ever have a tornado or hurricane.


I'm never cold in cold weather but I suffer in heat and especially detest humidity. I never get sick summer or winter. I heat with a wood stove and I am very comfortable all winter and often go out for firewood on the deck in a t shirt, shorts (as in underwear shorts) and sneakers with socks. It is invigorating. I get excited come late October and especially in November, I get depressed in March. I like snow but freezing rain I could do without but it is beautiful especially at sun rise and sun set. I love short days and long nights, I wish the days were shorter in winter. Driving is no big deal, I put snow tires on all 4 wheels of my Accord and drive sensibly. My electric bills are high due to A/C in summer but I spend almost nothing for heating oil all year.


I grow a lot of my food so summer has some use but I need to dig garlic soon and I dread it being over 90 with dew point of 65-73, I prefer to work when it is below 50. I can go out in winter and not break a sweat working and that is enjoyable, I seldom go out in summer except to do necessary garden work and mow the grass.


xyz, great picture I wish I could step outside onto your porch. Ah the winter of 2010 was like they were when I was a kid, this past winter was like winter on 10/28 then it was spring until 6/20. Great climate here, except for summer.

 

[xyz]

Here's one from the front view of the house. Note it is rather difficult to utilize the RV in the snow.. Although we did take it to Indiana in February for some upgrades that year. Temps were 5 below but it was nice and warm in the coach... I guess I don't mind the cold so much as I do the snow. We had almost no snow this year and winter was alot easier to take. I do have to say Spring and Fall here are the best seasons.

 

[Nords]

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.

I hated every minute of the weather of my Maryland incarceration. There was one January where I had to walk from USNA's Severn River seawall back to the nearest underground passage to Bancroft Hall-- a distance of maybe 100 yards across open ground with 40-knot winds. I thought I was going to freeze solid and lock up before I made it to shelter.

Three decades later, that time of year is still referred to by midshipmen as the "Dark Ages". It took nearly three more months for my morale to thaw out.

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. (?)

"Been there, done that, don't wanna do it again"...?

 

[Marita40]

I love living in MN. What in the world would we talk about if we didn't have such interesting weather? The daily local newscast is at least 1/2 about the weather.

I would far rather have winter than the 100 degrees and high humidity forecast again today. I can't seem to think straight or get anything done in heat/humidity, whereas I'm a happy, busy little bee once the autumn chill sets in.

I hire out my snow shoveling and leave the car in the garage to take the bus if the streets are too icy to drive. The worst part of winter is when the sidewalks are also too icy to walk, but I discovered YakTraks two winters ago and will never be without them again.

 

[Walt34]

My original retirement plan was to put the snow thrower in the pickup truck and drive south until people started asking what that machine was for. DW had other ideas but it still sounds like a good idea to me. Maybe someday. Sigh.

 

[Midpack]

I love living in MN. What in the world would we talk about if we didn't have such interesting weather? The daily local newscast is at least 1/2 about the weather.

My sister lives in TX, but she went to college in MN and lived/worked in Minneapolis for several years, and absolutely loved it too. It was pretty rough in winter at times, but they're pretty adept at handling snow & ice. And from visiting her summer and winter, the area had tons to offer. Not my cup of tea, but I can well see why millions of people love it.

 

[My Dream]

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

I can think of one reason....wanting to be close to family. If I had a choice I wouldn't be more then a couple hours away from my kids or parents. As it stands now, both kids live at home and both parents aren't more then 1/2 hr away and that's suits both my dw and I just fine. Mind you I don't consider out climate "extreme" but can get a bit cold outside during the winter months.

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

As I'm sure you'd have enough in the fridge to keep me cool during those hot summer days.

Thanks bbbam1

 

[steelyman]

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

Thanks, Nords - I was just being colorful

 

[Danmar]

I think both cold and warm climates complement each other. Seasons are great so we decided to make them even more extreme by buying a house in the mountains(near Banff) as well as one in Arizona. We like the idea of minus 20 one day and plus 75 the next.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

How about an average climate that does not get below 0 (often) but in Turn does not get too warm either. But there are other factors to consider also like overcast skies and rain. They have an effect on well being and quality of life. I can tell you being from the UK it is tedious having days and days of dreary overcast drissley (SP) weather. Then there is the opposite, living in Calgary having 300+ days of sun certainly has something going for it, but 25*C - 35*c Below does get a little chilly and along with a 9 month winter, tedious again, sunny tedium, but tedium nevertheless.

My DW and I are looking at the weather patterms in Nanaimo, Saanich Peninsular and Victoria BC on Vancouver Island for a final retirement location. Struggling with the Rainy season though (Dec-Feb). And also the high seems a little low in summer at 70*F'ish. We really do not want to maintain 2 properties in our retirement.

Currently we live in NE Florida, get lots of sun, very few freeze nights, but it can get tedious in the summer heat (like now). Lots of sunshine, when it rains it rains big but rarely stays overcast for long.

Any comments on the most ideal place in North America (US or Canada)? Other than Southern California, we lived there for 20 years and is it simply too crowded and far too expensive for full retirement. PLUS did I mention that there are simply too many people there, at least for our liking. BUT, the general weather was about as perfect as you can get.

FYI Here is a photo of my back yard this morning, it is 10:00am 92*F and 90% Humidity. Not a cloud worth mentioning, and you can probably stand about 30 minutes of it unless you are in the pool.

SWR

 

[boatfishandnature]

I actually like temperate weather better. But it does interfere with my primary hobbies (fishing and boating). It is great to have a 12 month boating season. Boats are not very good investments no matter what, but if they can only be used 5 month a year they become even harder to justify...

 

[W2R]

I love living in MN. What in the world would we talk about if we didn't have such interesting weather? The daily local newscast is at least 1/2 about the weather.

I would far rather have winter than the 100 degrees and high humidity forecast again today. I can't seem to think straight or get anything done in heat/humidity, whereas I'm a happy, busy little bee once the autumn chill sets in.

I hire out my snow shoveling and leave the car in the garage to take the bus if the streets are too icy to drive. The worst part of winter is when the sidewalks are also too icy to walk, but I discovered YakTraks two winters ago and will never be without them again.

(emphasis mine) This is what I would call an intelligent and sensible adjustment to a colder climate. Retirees would just have to have an attached garage, hire out the snow shoveling, choose a location with decent public transportation, and have a couple of sets of YakTraks (just as retirees in the South need to stop wearing their heavy winter coats and make other adjustments to a warm climate). If a retiree must keep the house miserably cold in the winter in a cold climate or miserably hot in a warm climate, to the point of great discomfort that cannot be remedied by other means, then IMO maybe he should have worked a little longer.

Therefore it is hard for me to understand why someone would object to cold weather due to having to scrape the windshield, snow shoveling, slipping on the ice, or being cold all the time.

So far, it seems to me that most of the reasons for dislike of a cold climate can be dealt with, and the most valid of the objections posed would be for the dangerous driving in ice and snow if it was difficult for a city bus to drive in it. As a retiree, one could either call a cab or just stay home until the ice goes away. I guess the latter could be pretty tedious if it took months for the ice to melt, though.

There are SO many other priorities upon which to base one's choice of retirement location, and *for me* a warm climate seems way far down on the list. YMMV and for many does.

 

[haha]

IMO, there is only a very small band of the US with truly good, year around weather. SoCal no more than 1 mile and preferably only a few blocks from the beach, the central Cal coast, and the Bay Area west of Livermore. I never lived on the central coast, but I lived in these other two, and they are unbeatable in the US.

Everyplace else is a compromise. Seattle is excellent if you can handle drizzle and grey and the occasional failure of summer to show up at all. (It's sunny here today, as it was yesterday, but I am standing in my LR with a sweater on.)

Once I was in New Orleans in February, and it was too hot for me.

Many of us, wisely I think, live where we have roots.

Ha

 

[Keim]

This thread has been interesting to me. It seems most peoples complaints relate more to dealing with snow, than dealing with actual cold temperatures.

I grew-up on the plains of north central Montana. It was rare for us to have more than a few inches of snow, though drifting was a major problem due to the wind (snow tends to require a temp. between about 15 deg. F. and 35F).

Boy did we have cold! I experienced -65f, not including wind chill. So cold it froze the oil in my car, despite having an electric engine warmer. Condensation from your breath froze in your beard. Spilt water froze nearly instantly upon contacting the ground. People scraped the inside of their windshield while driving because the defroster couldn't keep up.

I camped out in a tent at -20f. It was a beautiful, bright, sunny day. Just cold. "Brrrr schit cold weather" as I used to call it. As in "Brrr, schit I'm cold." I could go on.

And I loved it!

Now I find myself in a warmer climate with more snow, and I miss the cold sunny days of north central MT.

I am curious what people find more bothersome: Deep snow or intense cold?

 

[LauAnn]

I discovered YakTraks two winters ago and will never be without them again.

I just discovered YakTraks in January 2012. Agree they are a great find. They are, however, yet another part of the less than desirable 'layering' requirement that comes with living in a colder/icier climate.

 

[Dawg52]

Why I hate colder climates.....

Simple, I don't play golf in cold weather so a mild climate suits me better. Although I played with a couple of guys from South Dakota a few weeks ago and said they actually got to play this past winter because it was so mild. In fact, they said they got a total of 4 inches of snow. Pretty amazing.

 

[LauAnn]

(emphasis mine) This is what I would call an intelligent and sensible adjustment to a colder climate. Retirees would just have to have an attached garage, hire out the snow shoveling, choose a location with decent public transportation, and have a couple of sets of YakTraks (just as retirees in the South need to stop wearing their heavy winter coats and make other adjustments to a warm climate). .

I fully expect my dislike of cold/snow to change once I am retired. I will then have the luxury of the looking out the window and saying - "Nope don't want to deal with that right now" and then returning to bed or breaking out a hobby.

That mentality isn't an option when when you are stilll working and due at the office.

A 6-10" overnight snowfall overnight can drift to 2+ feet, which results in a 4 foot high ice block jam at the bottom of the drive after the municipal plow comes through -- the timing of which can vary based on the severity of the storm.

Yes -- many employers are more lenient towards late arrivals; but then again there are occupations (health care for example) which require you to plan for the eventuallity of being blocked in; thus you are up at 3:00 a.m. to begin clearing the obstruction and leaving early to insure your arrive on time.

 

[LauAnn]

This thread has been interesting to me. It seems most peoples complaints relate more to dealing with snow, than dealing with actual cold temperatures.

I am curious what people find more bothersome: Deep snow or intense cold?

For me, it is definitely the snow. The past winter was a JOY. I only had to shovel once the entire period. The prior 3 winters were above-average in snowfall and that gets very tiresome to deal with. So this 'break' of sorts resulted in a lot of smiles on a lot of people's faces, except on those of the area ski resort owners.

Again, for me, it bears repeating -- this past winter's lack of snowfall was WONDERFUL and made life so much easier.

P.S. I ski because it snows; I do not want it to snow, just because I ski.