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There actually are things you can do in Phoenix during summer outside. People go hiking in the evenings and morning before the heat sets in, and have pools to use during summertime.
Also, sometimes just bundling up in winter isn't enough. I've bundled up a lot even in places like New Orleans during a bad cold front, or in DC in winter, and the cold still got to me.
Sounds like you're not bundling up properly, then. We had a couple -50° windchill days and I was fine outside wearing a t-shirt, a sweatshirt, and a coat. Of course days like that are the extreme exception, most of the time it hovers around -5° to 15° or so, and that's totally outside-worthy weather.
Sounds like you're not bundling up properly, then. We had a couple -50° windchill days and I was fine outside wearing a t-shirt, a sweatshirt, and a coat. Of course days like that are the extreme exception, most of the time it hovers around -5° to 15° or so, and that's totally outside-worthy weather.
That means you're probably just used to it. I did bundle up properly. I just can't tolerate cold very well.
37 inches are really not "tons". Chicago doesn't make the top 30 in terms of snow in the US.
St Louis is hardly a very cold city.
Yeah, it's funny how people think that Chicago actually gets "tons" of snow. Minneapolis gets 1.5 feet more of snow per year than Chicago, on average. Boston actually gets more snow than Chicago as does Pittsburgh and Detroit.
With that being said, as someone who grew up mainly in Minnesota and had relatives in Arizona - tough one. I love hot weather, but Minnesota during the winter if you can deal with it is quite cool (no pun intended). When I grew up there, the cold weather didn't stop any of us from being outside and really, most people will continue to do that whether it's hockey, sledding, snowboarding, skiing, etc etc. I used to even play basketball outside when it was above 25 as a kid all the time. "Snow football" was also a common occurrence when I grew up. Nobody complained about the cold/snow - they knew how to dress and make the best of it. We were outside doing stuff pretty much everyday no matter how cold it was (though once it was -70 wind chill and i quit after 3 minutes outside). That continues even for many adults in some cities with numerous hockey rinks outside, or snowmobiling, ice fishing, etc.
I guess the other thing is physical beauty. Arizona has mountains which are nice, though the winters in Minnesota are quite beautiful. A lot of clean, pristine white snow with trees that can actually be green (i.e. evergreens). It's quite nice.
The only person who complained about the temperature was my mom who grew up near NYC. The first major complaining about weather I heard from the masses was when I moved to Chicago - people here ***** and moan all the time about this stuff. I think that's in part of the reason why others from outside of the area think it's so bad in the winter when it's not as bad in reality (yes, it's still cold though but usually not ridiculous).
I don't know it's a tough one for me since I like cold weather (when it's not too windy) and hot weather. I find Minnesota winters more charming overall though than Arizona.
Last edited by marothisu; 08-10-2014 at 01:11 PM..
I do like the snow, but if I had to pick a place to live all year then I would probably pick AZ. The lifestyle in AZ seems much more relaxed than in MN. After work or during the weekends you can sit by the pool and relax, or go hiking in some of the nicest scenery in the US. Another thing is that having to put boots, gloves, scarfs, hats, and multiple jackets on just to go outside just gets annoying after a while.
I do like the snow, but if I had to pick a place to live all year then I would probably pick AZ. The lifestyle in AZ seems much more relaxed than in MN. After work or during the weekends you can sit by the pool and relax, or go hiking in some of the nicest scenery in the US. Another thing is that having to put boots, gloves, scarfs, hats, and multiple jackets on just to go outside just gets annoying after a while.
I lived in Minnesota for 18 years and never once wore more than 1 jacket at a time and nobody that I knew did either. The most that people put on in Minnesota is a jacket/coat, their normal clothes, and gloves. 90% of the time people don't even wear hats. Where the hell are you getting this from? Take it from someone who actually lived in Minnesota for almost two decades - reassess what you're saying.
it's not the heat. it's the humidity. for that reason, i hate summer. i am in brooklyn, ny and we have cold weather here for the most part and "i'm lovin' it" so i would go for minnesota.
here are basic tradeoffs:
summer:
bugs and more bugs
humidity
heat
direct sun = skin cancer risk so you are greasy all day in spf lotion, it also ages you fast making your skin look like leather
longer days = sleep less
more sunlight so you can enjoy the day longer
water parks are open
able to travel with the kids as schools are out
go out in tshirt shorts and flip flops
baseball is in season...but it's a boring sport...
winter
freezing weather means you wear 10 pounds of clothing
dark overcast days which means you may be depressed most of the time
generally less safe as it gets dark quicker so less ppl are out
the SNOW which means you will break your back (in mike tyson's words) shoveling it out of the driveway
shorter days = longer sleep
less/no bugs
winter sports a-go-go like skiing
THE NFL. YEAH!
nba season is also here
xmas! i am an atheist (yes, i am like a vegan who MUST tell others his inclinations) but i love xmas and easter holidays
also xgiving and halloween are fun (i buy candy the day after from stores to save $$)
I choose AZ heat. At least you can enjoy the pleasant nights and swim in the pool under a canopy of palm trees on a sunny day. And the rest of the year is pleasant.
"Pleasant nights"? Its often well over 100 degrees well into the wee hours of the morning. And come July and August, its humid, too, which makes it quite intolerable. And theres no "canopy" of palm trees here. Theyre spaced far apart, and provide no shade whatsoever. And winters here are nice, but usually only in the day time. Yes its a lot warmer than MN, but its not "warm" at night, its downright cold. Its not unusual to see frost many nights in the winter, and the higher up you go in the Valley (ie Carefree), snow can occur, as well as more frost. If youre looking for year-round swimming, its not possible here in AZ, unless youre looking to become a member of the Polar Bear Club. Come mid-October, the air is simply too cold and the water temps plummet (if your pool is unheated). And in the summer, pool temps are in the 90's, which isnt very refreshing IMO.
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