Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Chicago winters are not colder on average. They are the same. Chicago winters are more extreme, because it is the midwest (more temperature variation). Chicago has colder cold days and warmer warm days. Buffalo's temperatures in the winter are remarkably consistent, due to the lake position. Lake Ontario and Lake Erie protect Buffalo from Canadian Air. Lake Michigan doesn't do the same for Chicago.
This is simply a lie. It almost never reaches -5 in Buffalo. It barely reaches 0.. It averages 0 just 3 mornings per year, usually the first week of February. Last year it didn't even reach 0 degrees ever, despite all the complaining.
Toronto has no protection from Canadian Air. Buffalo is shielded by the Lakes. Toronto's cold snaps are like Chicago.
Yes, they are different. Connecticut is warmer than Buffalo. Connecticut is a borderline subtropical climate. NYC is a subtropical climate. Neither Connecticut or NYC have consistent snowpack, because their average temperature in January is right around freezing.
People just assume receiving snow means they are the same. Having lived in the Philadelphia Metro for 5 years, I can assure anyone that the NEC and Buffalo have completely different climates. Buffalo gets powdery fluffy snow from Christmas to early March, due to being cold enough to pack snow. The NEC gets wet heavy snow, lots of rain, and lots of freeze-thaw cycles. Bare ground is incredibly common in NYC, Philly, and Boston during winter. In fact, bare ground is more common than snowpack.
Just for facts sake, the average temperature in January (coldest month) for the NYC Metro area is 36-40 for a high, 21-25 for a low (based on weather stats). What kind of snow is sticking if the daily average high is 5 degrees over freezing?
Buffalo snow is light, powder-like and fluffy? Well that's the easiest snow to deal with! Sound better than coastal snow.
What are you talking about, about bare ground being more common than snowpack? MOST of the time, here on the coast of CT, the ground is COVERED in snow and you can't see the grass for weeks on end.
Last time I was in Buffalo (winter 2013), it was mid January and sunny, albeit very cold (about 20 degrees), and there was almost no snow to be seen whatsoever, except for piles of snow in parking lots.
Buffalo snow is light, powder-like and fluffy? Well that's the easiest snow to deal with! Sound better than coastal snow.
What are you talking about, about bare ground being more common than snowpack? MOST of the time, here on the coast of CT, the ground is COVERED in snow and you can't see the grass for weeks on end.
Last time I was in Buffalo (winter 2013), it was mid January and sunny, albeit very cold (about 20 degrees), and there was almost no snow to be seen whatsoever, except for piles of snow in parking lots.
There is less than a 25% chance of snow in any given day in January in coastal Connecticut. The average high is 37 degrees. Snow will not stay on the ground if the temperature consistently gets above 32 degrees, especially during the day with sun.
There is less than a 25% chance of snow in any given day in January in coastal Connecticut. The average high is 37 degrees. Snow will not stay on the ground if the temperature consistently gets above 32 degrees, especially during the day with sun.
Your anecdote is most likely wrong.
My anecdote is correct, but I concede that it's probably not representative of how it normally is in the winter there. I mean, this was based on what I saw for a 1-2 day period in January. To be exact, it was on January 18-19, 2013. Bright and sunny, zero snow on the ground other than parking lot mountains of snow. But it was freezing. It was about a high of 20 degrees.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
