The Official Colorado Front Range Weather Thread (Denver, Evergreen: salary, job)

[BSL63087]

Snow is nice and looks neat but it's just no fun to deal with. We have had blizzards of up to 22 inches here and it's impossible to go anywhere or do anything except sit at home until it all melts.

LoveBoating- I am from Southern Indiana next to Louisville, KY and I'm sure the winters in northeast IN are much worse than here. We actually had HS baseball teams from the Detroit area come here before on their spring break just to practice and play a couple of games... And it's not exactly great here in early April. Hearing your outsider's perspective on the "mild winters" thing makes me feel better now. I keep hearing that and it makes me think maybe Denver won't be so bad but I don't think it's for me to live permanantly. If I ended up choosing Phoenix or Dallas to move to I'd definitly take vacations there though. The snow and cold isn't so bad when it's only for a few days and then you get to go back to fairly nice winter weather. I'd say Dallas weather is probably about the same as NC where you are going, maybe a little more mild in the winter. They have rare ice storms and frost but from what I understand it's less than 6 days per year.

[justsomeguy]

Originally Posted by BSL63087

I've been doing a ton of research and I'm still awhile off from moving so I have time on my side. I like Denver a lot and it looks like a great place to live but some of the reason I want to move from here is to go somewhere warmer and I just don't think Denver is any warmer in fact I think it's a little cooler. Humidity is lower but I honestly don't think it's that significant to me. I don't even notice the humidity here unless it's above about 60% and Dallas is about the same maybe slightly higher humidity wise as it is here so I don't think it's that big of a deal. I just think a warmer climate suits me more because like I said before I can tolorate the heat and I think cool/cold nights almost all year round is crazy so it probably doesn't make much sense for me to move to Denver but I could still vacation there from time to time.

I'm curious why Dallas, Denver, and Phoenix are your top choices. There are other major cities with probably better suited climates than any of these places, what about them? You seem well-adjusted to heat though so I guess Dallas and Phoenix might not be too bad. I don't care much for cold weather but I absolutely despise sweaty, sticky hot weather so I don't think I could ever live in Phoenix or Dallas.

[justsomeguy]

I am from the Southeast (Arkansas) and we only get a few days of snow/ice a year. I can't say I hate the snow but I guess I don't have enough experience with it to know whether or not it would be a problem for me if I lived in Denver. Snow is pretty to look at, I guess my main problems with it are it gets me all wet and it always ends up turning to dirty, brown "slosh." Is that what happens in Denver?

What are some of the pluses/minuses of living with all that snow all the time?? Will I mind it or do you think it will be too much for me??

[BSL63087]

Originally Posted by south-to-west

I went golfing one morning last June with my girlfriend's dad out in Colorado (Longmont) and I remember how incredibly refreshing it felt. I had left Atlanta where it was already 80 and very humid when you woke up in the morning. I remember that morning in Colorado and how fresh the air felt and how sunny and blue the sky was. It was probably 65 degrees and I mean it felt perfect! The sky was so damn blue and the mountains looked amazing! I couldn't think of a better way to start the day.

I know what you mean about the cold. I live here in Atlanta and I can never go back to the Upper Midwest. I enjoy the days here we get Indian summer weather in December and January. I like the fact that spring arrives in late Feb./early March and the warm weather stays until the beginning of November. But I must say, that I could easily live in Denver's climate. I also like to snowboard, which is another bonus. On the slopes in Colorado, I don't even feel cold because of the powerful sunlight. Some days, people even snowboard in long-sleeved T-shirts!

But if you really dread winter weather and are not into winter sports, you should head to Dallas. It's a nice city, the cost of living is cheap, and there are a lot of young people. If you feel that it's too hot, you can always move. But from one person who hates cold weather to another, you wouldn't be too disappointed with Denver.

I'm not really a fan of winter sports like snowboarding or skiing... I'd enjoy it like on vacation or something but I don't think I'd see myself going all of the time so I don't know that it would be much of a bonus for me. I'm more of a football, baseball, basketball sports type of person. I have always liked ice skating and wanted to try hockey but the Dallas area has several malls with ice rinks actually in the mall that have open ice skating and hockey leagues. Texas is huge for sports especially football. Tons of players in the NFL came from Texas, great HS football, great college football, great NFL football. Baseball is pretty big there too-- not nearly as big as football but I was actually suprised with how many people were wearing Rangers gear at the games and it did feel like a really good baseball area. Even hockey is pretty popular in Dallas.. The Stars are usually at the top in attendance.

Denver is a good sports town too but it seems like more people are interested in "outdoors" type sports like hiking, skiing, snowboarding, rafting, etc.

Cool weather isn't bad if you get out and move around a lot but once it gets really cold it's hard to stay warm.

[BSL63087]

Originally Posted by justsomeguy

I'm curious why Dallas, Denver, and Phoenix are your top choices. There are other major cities with probably better suited climates than any of these places, what about them? You seem well-adjusted to heat though so I guess Dallas and Phoenix might not be too bad. I don't care much for cold weather but I absolutely despise sweaty, sticky hot weather so I don't think I could ever live in Phoenix or Dallas.

Weather is a lot of it and having pro sports teams is also a huge factor. I'm probably the biggest sports fan you will find. My TV is rarely on a channel that doesn't have something sports related on it. I don't know it's just all I grew up with I didn't have much of a choice when my dad was always watching games and taking me to games. Someone on these forums once said "If I loved surfing I wouldn't move to Kansas"... Well I love sports so I wouldn't move somewhere without teams where I couldn't go to games when I had the chance.

That's why I haven't really considered places like Albuquerque, Tucson, Colorado Springs, etc. I need the big leagues, not triple-A.

[BSL63087]

Originally Posted by justsomeguy

I am from the Southeast (Arkansas) and we only get a few days of snow/ice a year. I can't say I hate the snow but I guess I don't have enough experience with it to know whether or not it would be a problem for me if I lived in Denver. Snow is pretty to look at, I guess my main problems with it are it gets me all wet and it always ends up turning to dirty, brown "slosh." Is that what happens in Denver?

What are some of the pluses/minuses of living with all that snow all the time?? Will I mind it or do you think it will be too much for me??

It's going to be brown and a slushy mess on the side of roads and stuff. In your yard or places where cars aren't going through it will still be white and look nice. Just don't eat the yellow snow in your yard

It snows a lot sometimes here, other times it rarely snows. It's nice to look at and it's fun just to sit by the window and watch it snow but it is absolutely no fun to drive in or deal with trying to simply walk outside. My friend fell on some ice one year and landed on his thumb I believe and the nail turned all purple and eventually fell off .. I also read on here where there was an older guy in Denver moving because he fell and hurt his shoulder so bad that it needed surgery and they were wanting to move from the winters. It's not like your guaranteed to fall and get hurt just because it's snowy or icy but you do have to be careful. I would guess the only real way to find out if you would like it or not is to experience it for yourself. I've been asking similar things like if I would be happy with Denver's weather and people try to help the best they can based on your criteria but the bottom line I guess you pretty much just have to experience it for yourself because everyone reacts differently to different conditions.

[gpraceman]

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

Another IMO, if San Diego was cheaper to live in, there would be a lot of people moving/staying there. The NWS says that San Diego has the best year-around weather in the entire U.S.. I've lived there and I'd say "yes" to that.

Cost is only one reason why people are escaping San Diego in droves. There is high crime, more traffic, really crummy schools, and I could go on.

I guess it is all in your personal definition of "the best weather". I lived in SD for 16 years, and unless you are wealthy enough to live near the coast where temperatures are moderated by the ocean, you are in for some sweltering summers (often 100+, the summer we left it got up to 115 one day) and cold winters (not cold by CO standards, but cold enough that you'd be scraping frost off your car windshield in the morning). SD is essentially in the desert, so that is not a surprise (at least not to me). We once went 6 months without a drop of rain. It is certainly not my definition of "the best weather", but to others it is ideal. To each his own. Just know what you are getting into before you move someplace.

[BSL63087]

I just went for a short walk outside then I looked up the weather on weather.com. It's 85, 60% humidity with a nice breeze. It felt about perfect to me. I didn't even notice the humidity honestly.

[LoveBoating]

I am the older guy (58) you read about that fell on snow/ice last December (Holiday Blizzard) and completely tore three tendons and had to have shoulder surgery. After hip replacement surgery in the Fall of 2005 and then the shoulder injury/surgery in Dec. 2006, enough was enough for us! Neitherof us want to end up totally disabled from falling here in the winter. We just don't heal as quickly as we did years ago. We love the summer weather here......as long as we get enough rain and the lawns don't burn up from heat/lack of water. Watering systems aren't cheap to keep running.

Originally Posted by BSL63087

It's going to be brown and a slushy mess on the side of roads and stuff. In your yard or places where cars aren't going through it will still be white and look nice. Just don't eat the yellow snow in your yard

It snows a lot sometimes here, other times it rarely snows. It's nice to look at and it's fun just to sit by the window and watch it snow but it is absolutely no fun to drive in or deal with trying to simply walk outside. My friend fell on some ice one year and landed on his thumb I believe and the nail turned all purple and eventually fell off .. I also read on here where there was an older guy in Denver moving because he fell and hurt his shoulder so bad that it needed surgery and they were wanting to move from the winters. It's not like your guaranteed to fall and get hurt just because it's snowy or icy but you do have to be careful. I would guess the only real way to find out if you would like it or not is to experience it for yourself. I've been asking similar things like if I would be happy with Denver's weather and people try to help the best they can based on your criteria but the bottom line I guess you pretty much just have to experience it for yourself because everyone reacts differently to different conditions.

[LoveBoating]

By the way the local news reports daily, crime is getting worse and worse here. As far as traffic goes, I've been on the I25 during 5PM rush hour and the freeway is pretty full to me. Of course it's not like living in SoCal, but it will be approaching that quickly with more and more people moving here. The traffic in Parker has increased tremendously since we moved there 3 1/2 years ago. There are probaby plenty of people still living in San Diego that would disagree with you and say "San Diego is beautiful" (which it is) "and we love the weather here" (I could see why when we have snow flying here and they are sun bathing on Mission Bay). In fact, there are people living in Laguna Hills/Beach in SoCal that love it there and wouldn't even think of moving anywhere else. Colorado is beautiful, but it can/does have it's weather problems. But, your last sentence below is very, very true.

Originally Posted by gpraceman

Cost is only one reason why people are escaping San Diego in droves. There is high crime, more traffic, really crummy schools, and I could go on.

I guess it is all in your personal definition of "the best weather". I lived in SD for 16 years, and unless you are wealthy enough to live near the coast where temperatures are moderated by the ocean, you are in for some sweltering summers (often 100+, the summer we left it got up to 115 one day) and cold winters (not cold by CO standards, but cold enough that you'd be scraping frost off your car windshield in the morning). SD is essentially in the desert, so that is not a surprise (at least not to me). We once went 6 months without a drop of rain. It is certainly not my definition of "the best weather", but to others it is ideal. To each his own. Just know what you are getting into before you move someplace.