Fl VS the Carolinas

[Yoheadden]

I had asked this in a response to a previous thread on why to move to FL. Much of the discussion was based on the weather in FL. One member had asked where would the weather be better. I along with some other members suggested San Diego, but for many of us, CA is just too expensive.

I am curious if anyone is familiar with the Piedmont region of NC. From what I have read, the weather is rather mild and a lot of the storms get buffed from the Appalachian mountains. NC is not as tax friendly as FL but is one state the DW and I are considering.

 

[JoeWras]

We've had the discussion a lot. I'll open it up like this. It is more than weather. Are you willing to think differently about government and taxation? If so, come on down. If you want to import Northeast govt. and taxation along with you, go to FL.

OK, now that I got that out of the way.

The Piedmont is still humid as heck right now. This is as opposite of San Diego as you can get. If you don't like humidity, forget it. And you will not get a break from about June 15 to Sept 15. It will be humid. Period. I call this our "winter." We enjoy summer for sure. Pools don't need heat. You can get out and enjoy mornings. You'll still need to wash that shirt, even for a morning walk. Just like up in the North, you can fight through the heat, or turn on the AC and enjoy inside.

Now, falls are typically glorious and long. I rake leaves until Jan 1, because most leaf drop doesn't happen until very late November and then December. That means that even November can be wonderful, with most days spent outside, eating dinner on our deck. So, mid-Sept to Dec is great. Last year was a bit of an outlier with too much humidity through all of October. That's not typical. October is usually a great month, and dry. Every few years expect a tropical storm. They happen.

Dec through Mar is liveable with many days in the 50s and 60s, great for golf. Sure, we get the occasional 30s too, with snow. Makes it interesting. April and May are fantastic. But if you don't like pollen, don't move here. We all become one color: yellow. No joke, you haven't seen pollen until you've seen Piedmont pollen. May and June are good and bad, depending on the day.

It is all variety. I've lived both in the Midwest and deep south Fl. The Piedmont is a great compromise.

BTW, Midpack may have some comments on a recent move. He did a lot of research.

 

[JoeWras]

I wanted to also mention the "storms" thing. You are absolutely right that the mountains kill many of the winter storms, and even the summer storms.

However, that doesn't make the Piedmont immune. We get them from the South. Winter storms here start in AL or GA and come up SC/NC way. They tap into the Atlantic moisture after already having a start from the Gulf. If cold air is filtering from up north, it gets dammed up against the mountains. This can result in ice storms. Oh, we get some doozies. And of course, in spring, our tornado energy tends to come from the same place: south.

Maybe the incidence is less. It is just not zero. And cold air damming happens a few times per winter. Whether it ices or not, those days suck.

And if it happens big, the results are big. I will never forget the ice storm of 2002.

 

[Bamaman]

My sister lives in Banner-Elk, NC where the Sugar Mountain and Beech Mountain ski resorts are. She lives in an equestrian neighborhood with a Jack Nicklas golf course and its own 4600' landing strip.

There are a number of popular tourist towns around like Boone and Grandfather Mountain. It's a rather rustic part of the state and a terrific place.

Other alternative areas would be Upper East Tennessee--cheaper real estate and less property taxes, etc. North Carolina is just more expensive to live in.

 

[Born2BRetd]

My brain keeps reading the Fl as FI: Financial Independent vs. the Carolinas.

No opinion on either as I've never been to either state (not that that doesn't keep many people from having opinions).

 

[steelyman]

There’s some information and further links about the NC Piedmont region at ncpedia:

https://ncpedia.org/geography-part-3-piedmont-region

 

[steelyman]

My brain keeps reading the Fl as FI: Financial Independent vs. the Carolinas.

I thought that too on first glance. Maybe the thread title could be changed to use uppercase for Florida (“Carolinas” is not just NC)?

 

[Midpack]

It is all variety. I've lived both in the Midwest and deep south Fl. The Piedmont is a great compromise.

BTW, Midpack may have some comments on a recent move. He did a lot of research.

We’ve lived east, north east, Midwest, south and southeast (including 3 years in central FL) - basically all over except the left coast. After years of research and a half dozen extended visits, we just bought our forever home in the Piedmont region, and it’s not just because of weather by any means. And no, we don’t have family or friends here.

If you (OP) have specific questions PM, but there are others here who know the Piedmont region much better than I do. And the best place for each of us depends on our many unique individual wants and needs, so I wouldn’t encourage or discourage someone else’s choices. In addition, rural NC and big city NC are completely different worlds, like most states we know of.

There will be compromises, pluses and minuses to anyplace you choose, unless you have the funds to live in Santa Barbara or La Jolla. As an aunt told us, if there was a perfect place, it would be way too expensive or so crowded you wouldn’t want to live there.

Much to our surprise, FL was our least favorite assignment, we were happy to leave and we’d never go back - but I realize that’s not the majority view. I’ve detailed why several times, so I won’t belabor it again.

 

[Red Badger]

We definitely get 4 seasons, but winter is short and usually mild. We do get snowstorms, and they cripple the area. County trucks put down brine in advance. That's about it. We always have food and wine on hand, so sheltering in place is fine. Summers are long and hot, but God saw this and provided us with AC, cold beer, and when applicable, margaritas.

About the humidity. We moved here from GA. The humidity there was much worse. Everything is relative. We're in the Lake Norman (LKN) area, so our humidity might be slightly different than JW. Slightly. I have a couple of fans on my deck and lots of shade. I'm out here (like right now) from 5:30 until around 9 from April until November. Then, I can be found in the screened patio where I have a fire pit. Sometimes, I have to be elsewhere, but only because DW is the domestic Alpha.

Taxes are high for the region, but NC has almost 100 (beautiful) state parks that are open 363 days a year and never charge an entrance fee.
We fell in love with the area before we moved here. In fact, I took a job here to get the relo. That was 13 years ago.

Agree with JW on northern liberal imports. Nuff said.

 

[KenZ71]

My better half says we are moving to Chapel Hill area in 18 to 24 months.

I'm still undecided, would prefer a lower tax & cost of living but it should be better than CT where we are now.

Will see where we end up.

 

[sengsational]

The story I usually tell about weather is how "bad" the winters are. My buddy and I would walk at lunchtime around the corporate campus (about a mile). I never had anything more than a light jacket and we only cancelled the walk once or twice a year due to weather. Not usually due to cold, but due to a wind/rain combo that would have made it really unpleasant. Many of the walks, though, were shirtsleeves, even in December, January, and February. My heating bill is zero until November, and ends in May. The worst part of winter in the piedmont is that it does rain quite a bit, and nobody likes to be out in cold rain.

 

[JoeWras]

We're in the Lake Norman (LKN) area, so our humidity might be slightly different than JW. Slightly. I have a couple of fans on my deck and lots of shade.

That's right. It is just a bit more humid here in the Eastern Peidmont. Yes, there is an East and West.

We have fans and a shaded deck and also spend some evenings out. Mornings are still the best.

The story I usually tell about weather is how "bad" the winters are.

Seng: your story is spot on and says it all. Totally concur.

 

[camfused]

I'm in the RTP area of NC, and have been for the last 41 years. I am fed up with the growth and traffic, and would like to (not so much DW) move to a less growing area. It will either be in the western part of the state (or possibly Greenville SC area). We would like to stay in NC, despite the seriously messed up legislature. Weather is ok: summers are hot and humid but I just barely put up with it, winters are mild, and spring and fall are great.

P.S., Yankees, keep out.

 

[cyber888]

Been in North Carolina for 17 years, and we love it here. People are friendlier than Florida. The weather can be very dry as it can be humid. We have a humifidier when it gets dry. If you are not near the water during summer, humidity is fine. If you go up the Blueridge mountains during summer, it stays below 78-79. Nice. In the Triad area, You’re 2.5 - 4 hours away from VA Beach, Myrtle Beach, OuterBanks and other NC Beach

 

[Tiger8693]

I'm in the RTP area of NC, and have been for the last 41 years. I am fed up with the growth and traffic, and would like to (not so much DW) move to a less growing area. It will either be in the western part of the state (or possibly Greenville SC area). We would like to stay in NC, despite the seriously messed up legislature. Weather is ok: summers are hot and humid but I just barely put up with it, winters are mild, and spring and fall are great.

P.S., Yankees, keep out.

Travel to SC frequently. Both Charleston and Greenville have rapid growth, so if that's your pet peeve....

As for all of the "short sleeves in winter talk", I have been there in Jan-Feb, it gets in the teens. Only northeners think that's warm!

 

[ncbill]

It is nice here...JW & RB summarized it nicely, humid, but not nearly as bad as states further south like Georgia or Florida.

Having lived in Durham it is hotter & more humid there (including Chapel Hill) than here.
Traffic is also worse.

I have no plans to retire to any other place than where I am now.

 

[Accidental Retiree]

Are there any reading this thread who relocated to NC from SoCal?

Asking for a friend.

 

[harllee]

I live in Chapel Hill NC in the winter (Great college town, especially if you like college basketball, lots to do.). The weather from Sept-May is good in Chapel Hill, we get maybe one snow storm a year which closes the town and everyone comes out to play. I own a winter coat but hardly ever wear it. I walk to campus almost every day in the winter.

Summer in Chapel Hill is pretty hot and humid so I spend the summer in the Banner Elk area of the NC mountains, usually May- Oct. The NC mountains have PERFECT summer weather. Highs in the mid 70s, low humidity. No air conditioner needed. I love the NC mountains in the summer, I do not like snow so I would not want to be in the mountains in the winter. Lots of fun things to do in the NC mountains in the summer, hiking, fishing, great music and dancing ( I am a bluegrass flatfoot dancer).

In my opinion I have the best of all worlds--Chapel Hill NC in the winter and Banner Elk NC in the summer. I am lucky, I live a great life in a great place.

 

[H2ODude]

Lived ~20 years in NE FL and now 21 in Greensboro. Had considered returning to NE FL but do like having (mild) seasons. Then DS and his family moved to Raleigh so we forgot about that. Now his wife has tenure track job at UNCGreensboro so he moved here. Thinks he died and went to heaven compared to Raleigh. GSO big enough to have everything we need but not the hassle of a Raleigh or Charlotte. Housing also much less expensive. Used to be called a "20 minutee town" as in get anywhere in 20. Definitely worse than than when we moved here but still no problems. DS had to get on I 540 to go anywhere and just hated it. If we had no family anywhere we'd likely still stay put. Nothing driving us away. Nothing calling us anywhere.

 

[Scuba]

Are there any reading this thread who relocated to NC from SoCal?



Asking for a friend.

I didn’t but a former colleague of mine relocated from coastal So CA to Asheville NC about 20 years ago. He and his wife were originally from Chicago. They loved NC - four seasons, slower pace, fewer crowds, lower COL. Didn’t miss So CA at all.

 

[mrWinter]

check out weatherspark.com, really cool tool for comparing average climate in different parts of the world.

 

[thepalmersinking]

Been in North Carolina for 17 years, and we love it here. People are friendlier than Florida. The weather can be very dry as it can be humid. We have a humifidier when it gets dry. If you are not near the water during summer, humidity is fine. If you go up the Blueridge mountains during summer, it stays below 78-79. Nice. In the Triad area, You’re 2.5 - 4 hours away from VA Beach, Myrtle Beach, OuterBanks and other NC Beach

Triad, perfect balance!

 

[Midpack]

Triad, perfect balance!

Depends on exactly what you're after. I'll take Charlotte metro over the Triad any day, but the weather is probably very similar.

 

[steelyman]

I think it takes a few years under your belt living in an area before passing any judgements.

 

[BoodaGazelle]

Unless you are in NC mountains, it will be very hot and humid in the summer.

I spent the last 7 years in St. petersburg FL near (not directly on) the Gulf, and the average summertime high was about 91 or 92, and the humidity is nothing like it would be even an hour inland.

The drawback, if you care to call it that, is that it is like having 6 months of summer.

The advantage as we see it, is we can be out and active 365 days a year, the only caveat being that walking/exercising is done early AM from April thru October.