Were you orginally from a climate that has mild winters? (Denver: house, live in)

[bhouston77386]

I live in Houston and considering a job offer in Denver, but I'm not sure if I could adapt to the cold winters (compared to Houston)

Houston has very mild winters compared to the rest of the U.S. If you are from a climate that has similiar winters to Houston, did you ever adapt to the winters in Denver or did you move back to someplace warm?

[vfrpilot]

We moved from the San Diego area 4years ago to Monument, which is 2000' higher than Denver. We get about twice the amount of snow. Before San Diego we lived in AZ. We have 'adapted' to the winter conditions pretty well. I think the fact that winter does not last that long and you wll get a couple of nice sunny days every week helps. I think Denver was 70 degrees 3 days ago. We were at 8 last night but will get close to 50 tomorrow. The worst thing about winter is the road conditions can get pretty scary. There are lots of wrecks on the interstate which can resemble a parking lot during the worst of conditions. Last Sunday was a good example. I25 was a mess from Castle Rock to COS, about 35 miles of 5-10 mph.
I think you'll really enjoy the lack of crazy high humidity. I was in Houston this summer and it wasn't too comfortable.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by bhouston77386

I live in Houston and considering a job offer in Denver, but I'm not sure if I could adapt to the cold winters (compared to Houston)

Houston has very mild winters compared to the rest of the U.S. If you are from a climate that has similiar winters to Houston, did you ever adapt to the winters in Denver or did you move back to someplace warm?

I too moved from mild southern California to near Monument (harsher than Denver).

I would prefer warm but I'm not willing to pay for it. Cold weather has it's downfalls like the icy roads and several days of "it's too cold and windy to go outside" but Colorado cold is accompanied by sunny weather quite often.

Put it this way, there are enough nice days per month in winter to have the opportunities to enjoy the outdoors and enjoy the sun.

While Denver weather is different it isn't worse than Houston's (I spent quite a lot of time at JSC). So, with that, I'd look at the other factors in the move: the job, the traffic, housing choices, etc.

High temperature averages

[bhouston77386]

The winters are alot warmer in Houston, the chart you show only has the high temps. That being said the average high for Houston winter is the 64. Denver's average High is low 47. Denver average winter low is around 16. Houston average winter low is around 45.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by bhouston77386

The winters are alot warmer in Houston, the chart you show only has the high temps. That being said the average high for Houston winter is the 64. Denver's average High is low 47. Denver average winter low is around 16. Houston average winter low is around 45.

And you can measure these temperatures while you're sitting in your office or driving in your car or shopping or at the doctor or sleeping....or experience them during the 12 minutes of time the average person is outside during the week.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by Charles

And you can measure these temperatures while you're sitting in your office or driving in your car or shopping or at the doctor or sleeping....or experience them during the 12 minutes of time the average person is outside during the week.

Not to mention 47 degrees on a winter day in Denver is surprisingly comfortable. The sun really makes a big difference. I don't think it broke 40 the entire time I was in town last February and I got by with a medium weight jacket the whole time. I was actually too warm (from overheated buildings) more often than I was too cold.

[PokerMunkee]

You can't ski in Texas!

/thread

I moved from Las Vegas and love the change in weather! You will not miss the hot, sticky, humid summers in Texas. Hell, it's too hot in Colorado Springs sometimes! I moved up to Woodland Park (8500') where it's just perfect.

[Mike from back east]

Came from the DC - Baltimore area.

Weather back there is hot and humid in the summer, sucks.
Weather here is warm and dry in the summer, marvelous, few bugs too.

Winter weather back east was gray and humid. Back there, 40 degrees on a sunny winter day was bone chilling due to humidity.

Winter weather here is sunny and dry, easy to wear shorts while jogging in the winter on sunny days.

Here is can get very cold, Denver was -5F last night, never saw that in DC, but just bundle up and you'll be fine.

Last night I swept 2" of dry powdery snow off my driveway at 7PM in temp of +12F. In fact, I did half the homes on the street in thirty minutes, and though my hands got cold (even with gloves) there was NO sweat on me and my shoes never got wet.

I love it here, ain't going back east for anything, except for the crabcakes in Charm City.

[BrianPhill]

I moved to the Boulder area about 18mo ago after spending the rest of my life before in northern California. The winters have not been a big deal. I have enjoyed the snow, (but luckily have a job where I can work from home on really snowy days). It was 3 degrees when I left the house this morning, but I was outside for all of 30 seconds walking to and from the car - not a big deal. Have had to adjust my driving to icy conditions, but I just take it easy and go slower.

Last winter we did hit a point around February when we got a bit tired of it being cold outside, especially since we have little kids, but as others have said, the sun is so strong and humidity so low that if it's sunny and not windy with temps in the 40s, it's perfectly comfortable to be outside. So as long as you get enough of those days in between the days of 25 degrees and overcast and/or windy, it's bearable.

[bhouston77386]

I've heard that 40 degrees in Houston feels like 20 degrees in Colorado.