Why I Hate Colder Climates

[unclemick]

Ah yes roots! 0-26 Pac NW. Rain, the color grey and slug racing. 32-62 New Orleans, the permanent 'Turkish Bath'.

Visit both places at least twice a year to stock up my grey, wet drizzle and steamy humidity quotas for the year.

Kansas City? - interesting - not yet onerous but er interesting.

heh heh heh - Maybe someday the 'Redneck Riviera' but not yet.

[Goonie]

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Originally Posted by Andre1969 .......But, this is where my roots are. I'm currently living in a house that my Grandmother's uncle built back in 1916...l..

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Originally Posted by Purron Wow! Those are some deep roots. I'd love to see a picture of the place.

I can certainly relate to that! My Mom's folks built the house that we live in now on the homestead, back in the early 1900's....the exact year slips my mind right now. Mom was actually born in this house, and then raised here too. They eventually moved into a larger house just up the road a short way, and sold this house to my Dad's folks. In the late 50's, my Grandad and Dad built a house next door to here, and my Grandfolks (Dad's folks) moved in there. At that point, Grandad sold this house to my Dad and Mom, and we moved in here. A few years later, my Grandad on my Dad's side and my great-uncle built another house halfway between Dad's folks and Mom's folks.

Mom has spent a total of about 65 years in this house, and I've been in it for 54 years so far! I really like the ol' homestead, like the neighbors, like the area in general, and so I'll most likely live out the rest of my life right where I am!!!

Oh, and it's 99 and sunny out today!!!! But hey...it's summer time and the gardens are thriving!!!!

[Katsmeow]

My two main reasons for avoiding really cold climates:

1. I actually break out in hives when exposed to the cold. If I make the mistake of going to the grocery store wearing shorts or a sleeveless shirt and I go to the frozen section I will break out in large red hives. This is not fun and is mostly avoided in warm weather (I once went swimming at a pool in Las Vegas that had water that was artificially cooled. I turn red like a boiled lobster and had to leave the pool to take a hot shower).

2. But, for the above I wouldn't mind living somewhere that was cold but had no snow or ice (I don't mind rain that much). Frankly, as a lifelong Texan who has little experience in driving on ice or in the snow, I find the thought of it a little frightening. I do realize that in areas that have heavy snows they tend to clear the roads much more efficiently than they do for the occasional bad storm in Texas. Years ago I had to go on a trip to Vermont when it was snowing. The roads were very clear and I found it easy to drive. I still remember hearing a radio announcer saying that it was expected for temps to warm up to 4 degrees.

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Originally Posted by W2R 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.

Well, sure I could deal with it ...if I had to. But I don't have to, so why live somewhere where I would be required to?

I would guess if the incentives were powerful enough I would do it. So, it wouldn't be the only factor in where I live but I think that most every other criteria I would have for living somewhere could be met in places with more moderate climate. That said, I would look at the whole package and climate would be a big factor but not dispositive by itself.

[Gone4Good]

I spent the first 40 years of my life living in the Northeast and always thought that I'd eventually move to someplace that was warm all year long. Now that I've experienced most of those areas tornadoes, hurricanes, wild fires, mud slides I have a new appreciation for all four seasons.

I've come to the realization that I can bundle up against the cold and still go out and do things . . . skiing, snowmobiling, hiking, etc. But when its 106 degrees outside the only thing I want do is stay in doors or maybe submerge in a pool. The heat is much more limiting than the cold.

The trick, I think, is to live somewhere with lots of winter activities and beautiful scenery, like near the Rockies.

[Nords]

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Originally Posted by My Dream 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.

This sounds like the family version of "C'mon in, the water's fine!"

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Originally Posted by 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 am curious what people find more bothersome: Deep snow or intense cold?

When I was growing up in Pittsburgh, I was pretty annoyed that I'd have to shovel 1/2"-2" of snow off the driveway every day or two instead of one 6" snowfall a week. Parental justifications included reasoning like "It doesn't snow often enough here for a snowblower." I don't miss snow shoveling.

But a few years ago when I had to travel to Denver in December, I thought I was going to end up in the hospital with anemia from nosebleeds. The rental car guy wanted to go out into the lot (temperature: +5 degrees, minus a 20-knot "breeze") to look over my upsell "choices". It was actually painful to be out in the cold (even with shoes, pants, long-sleeve shirt, ski jacket, hat, & gloves). When I returned the car a week later and had to wait outside for the shuttle it was more of the same-- and people couldn't understand why I'd want to wait inside for a shuttle when it was "only" 15 degrees.

So these days, I'd say intense cold is worse...

[Meadbh]

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Originally Posted by 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

Consider the Okanagan Valley, where I moved to escape Manitoba (north of Fargo) winters. We had the rainiest June on record, but summer has now arrived and temps of 38 degrees C are forecast for the weekend.

Just took this photo from my balcony....... Does that look too crowded for you?

[Andre1969]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purron Wow! Those are some deep roots. I'd love to see a picture of the place.

Well, it's really nothing that spectacular, and it needs a LOT of work. Here's a pic of it, taken in 1965, according to the date on the pic...

BTW, when did color film start becoming common? Was it still pretty exotic, for 1965?

Here's a more recent pic of it, that I took during a snow storm, in early 2005...


Over the years, the road was widened, and got closer to the house. In the early 80's, my Mom, stepdad, and me lived in it for awhile, renting it cheap from my grandparents, and my stepdad closed off the front room, turning it into a small office with a walk-in closet off of it. And the little decorative railing on the second level in front of the windows rotted away and got knocked out back in the 80's, as well. As for the '53 Chevy, I have no idea what happened to it. But the '00 Intrepid got hit-and-runned while unattended in a restaurant parking lot, and subsequently totaled.

Ultimately, if the property ever gets sold, I'm sure a developer will snatch it up, subdivide its 4.28 acres, and simply tear down the house, the old 1-car garage behind it (which is about to fall down anyway), the workshop, and the 4-car garage/pole barn I had built back in 2005.

In a way, I have this house (and my grandmother) to be thankful for, in helping to accelerate my FI/RE goals. She had been renting the place out, but as she got older, it was just too much hassle. And our county can be downright draconian on landlords, in an attempt to weed out the slumlords. She always rented it cheap, with the understanding that you were getting an old house that needed work. But, if the county said it needed a new roof, windows, paint, or whatever, you had to comply. If it's owner-occupied, you have a bit more leeway.

So, when she was getting tired of renting it out, I sold my condo at a nice profit, which I invested, and moved into the house, and she put my name on the title of it. I also opened up an HELOC on it, and invested most of the money. When rates dropped, I pulled out more and invested it. But, I never went too overboard. My HELOC credit limit is only $175,000, so I couldn't go too crazy, even if I wanted to.

As for Grandmom, she and Granddad bought the house across the street back in 1950, so she's been in it for 62 years now!

I'd love to be able to hold onto both places, if I could. But, the neighborhood is changing. Growing, becoming more crowded. Crime really isn't a problem, but I think that's because down at our end of the street it's almost like a little time capsule. Small, modest houses, lots of forested area. Most would-be criminals probably look at us as rednecks with guns who will fight to the death to protect our 30 year old pickup trucks and statues of Elvis sitting on top of the tv, so they'd bypass us and go for the McMansions up the street with the BMW and Benz in the driveway.

[Meadbh]

Wonderful story, Andre! That house has a lot of meaning for you. It has served you family well.

[Cato]

Cold? My biggest fear is that (having just retired) getting out of a vehicle at Walmart (in winter the parking areas are always covered with a thin film of ice), slipping, falling and breaking a hip, getting pulmonary thrombolism after surgery and dying - more common than you think.

I used to work as a radiologist at a busy health centre and in winter I would report daily on at least 20 fractures of people falling and breaking something after slipping on the ice and falling. People 60-70yrs simply no longer have the recovery ability of younger people, and often have osteoporosis.

Vitamin D in formed in the skin but in Canada the angle at which sunlight strikes the skin in winter is too acute and the duration too short to allow transformation to active vitamin D in winter, ergo shortage of endogenous active Vitamin D and early osteoporosis.

I experience any cold below -25C as brutal, no matter how much clothing you put on. I agree with MichaelB that the best climate is to be found in the highlands of central America, above 5000ft, the winters are mild and the summers benign.

[Chelhxi]

Nice to see some fellow Canadians. If we don't snowbird it, Okanagan Valley will probably be our escape from Manitoba as well.

And there's definitely a point where it's dangerous to do outside activities in the winter. No skiing below -25C or so. And waiting for a bus for longer than 10 minutes is no fun. Just don't see the point of staying somewhere I can't go outside without hating it most of the winter, once I'm FIRE.

[Idnar7]

Some memories of growing up in MN:

Playing hockey on an outdoor rink and not feeling cold. Then getting home and having the frostbite set in - ears, fingers, toes all burning in pain.

Having an emergency pack in the car. It consists of blankets, heavy socks, boots, stocking caps, choppers (gloves with no fingers) etc. Having a car break down or get stuck in winter can be deadly without such a pack. One Christmas the windshield temp was minus 60 and they were suggesting that people traveling should travel in pairs or packs. We were driving a volkswagen bug and did that.

One afternoon we were ice fishing in a rented ice fishing house. As we were inside, and the walleyes were biting, we didn't notice a surprise storm had hit. It was dusk when we were leaving. It was a complete white-out. It was like standing in a cloud. Very disorienting. We couldn't stay in the house because the propane heater had run out. I ran to another shack that had a light inside. When I got there it was locked (the people had left). By the time I got back to the car I had frostbite on my face. We were sitting in the warm car considering what to do when the driver said we had less than a quarter tank of gas. I remember thinking this is how it ends. We got lucky and a truck with a snowplow came out and led us off the lake. National Guard came out the next morning and found four bodies. People had panicked and tried to walk off the lake. Disoriented they had walked further out onto the lake.

Shortly after the ice fishing trip I relocated to Texas for 14 years. Missing four seasons caused me to return to my roots in MN. No interest in going ice fishing again.

[ShokWaveRider]

Meadph:

Have checked out Kelowna, Peachland and Penticton. My uncle lived in Penticton for 12 years and explained he never wants to shovel snow again, ever. Also housing is quite expensive. I went to Kelowna in the winter once looking for property, I could not stand the cold, gloom and slippery roads. summers agreed are beautiful though, went there from Calgary on holiday many times. Oh and houses are very expensive at least where I was looking (withing 10 miles of Kelowna).

SWR

[Danmar]

Yes Agree the Okanagan is beautiful. Can ski fairly closeby and summer boating is great. Tax rates higher than Alberta though.

[kz]

I'm a cold weather type of girl. Anything over 70 is way too hot for me so this heatwave in the midwest is killing me! I love walking when it's 20 or less. Maybe I'll change my mind some day but hasn't happened yet.

[Mulligan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dawg52 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.

Last few days it has been hotter here in Mo, than Phoenix which is highly unusual. I have played 18 holes of golf each day the past 4 in 106 degree heat. It has been great as we have the course to ourselves so we hit 2 balls a piece to actually play 36 holes each day. That is the great thing about heat not bothering you, you dont have to fight the golfing public as nobody is around.

[Dawg52]

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Originally Posted by unclemick Ah yes roots! 0-26 Pac NW. Rain, the color grey and slug racing. 32-62 New Orleans, the permanent 'Turkish Bath'. Visit both places at least twice a year to stock up my grey, wet drizzle and steamy humidity quotas for the year. Kansas City? - interesting - not yet onerous but er interesting. heh heh heh - Maybe someday the 'Redneck Riviera' but not yet.

Oh yes....the Redneck Rivera. The home of champions.

[Goonie]

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Originally Posted by kz I'm a cold weather type of girl. Anything over 70 is way too hot for me so this heatwave in the midwest is killing me! I love walking when it's 20 or less.......

+1

[rescueme]

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Originally Posted by Goonie +1

+2

Sounds like my kind of gal (same as DW )...

[kcowan]

We investigated places upon retirement in 2002. Florida for a couple of months, San Diego for a couple of months, Toronto, NYC. We decided that PV MX from Nov 15th to May 15th is perfect, like Hawaii without the rain. Summers we live in Vancouver but spend a month in Europe. We like places with no need for heating nor cooling year-round. Southern Cal came close but there was the grey in May and the gloom in June. And we were surprised at the lack of heat in the summer. Those beach boys and girls sure did not spend the time in the water except for late August/September. I agree with Nords that Hawaii is pretty perfect year round. The biggest problem is the drive to get there and the prices. (We were in Honolulu when they recorded record highs and lows for May: 86 and 55!)

[aaronc879]

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Originally Posted by kz I love walking when it's 20 or less.

I don't even want to step outside if it's under 40. Anything under 60 is uncomfortable to me.