[Jtkuokoaea]

I've lived in California & Florida for all of my life so I'm very used to the warm weather. However, this crazy economy is pushing me to new England! Yay COLD! So, What months are summer? Spring? Fall? Winter? What is life like in the New England seasons???? Please give as much detail as possible! Thanks!

[7 Wishes]

There's a "sticky" now at the top of the CT thread list all about the weather, so you should check there.

[Slipperman]

don't get the idea it's that cold here - it really isn't. we get very little snow and 50 degree days in December and January is quite common.

[andthentherewere3]

It's cold here. I disagree that 50 degree weather in January, even December, is "quite common". It happens, but it's not the average temp. Ct. will be much colder than what you are used to. I lived for many years in a warmer climate, and even after nearly 30 years in Ct. I still can't get used to the winters. Sure, it's not frigid every day, but the winters are long, IMO. Fall starts in Sept. with temps cooling down, and Spring doesn't seem to really get going until April. Even then it's possible for a snowstorm. All that said, Ct. is warmer than the northern NE states. Coastal Ct. is generally the warmest area of Ct. during the winter. Summers are nice, not as hot as what you are used to, but often quite humid. Summers really get going in June, although it can often be rather chilly in early June for swimming.

[skel1977]

Its either too cold or too hot here.

[KH02]

I'll second SKEL1977...
It is too cold in the winter and too damn hot in the summer....
we get VERY few true spring/fall time in CT (at least it feels that way)

and I personally feel winter drags on forever...
It likely wont warm up here till April and it's been cold since November/ sometimes late Oct.

[bibit612]

Try to move in the spring or the summer to familiarize yourself with the roads before winter. CT is older than CA so the roads are laid out differently. They are not the orderly grid you will find, esp. in So Cal. People also tended (at least in my experience) to give you directions using landmarks (e.g. bear down this road till you pass the Dairy Queen) which was a big change for me coming from CA where people give you cross streets and N-E-S-W corners. I found landmarks to be useless when you've only been there days.

Spring usually starts in mid-April. The flowers all start blooming...flowers you may not have seen a lot of where you are...fragrant scents of lilacs, lily-of-the-valley, and the color of tulips and daffodils...amazing and exhilarating! It starts getting hot in July, humid hot, not CA dry heat. It starts to cool down mid-September. Be prepared to rake/blow leaves, but the colors around you make up for that annual chore. Doesn't matter if you don't have trees in your yard if your neighbor does since they would fall on yours. Winter can start as early as December. Sometimes it snows on Christmas and sometimes it doesn't. I've experienced snow during Thanksgiving in my nearly 10 years in CT. I don't think it's that cold, esp. comparing it to the teens we've been getting now in the Carolinas. There would be more icing than snow...snow is measured in inches, not feet like uh in Wisconsin for example. You'd be fine coming from CA, but prepare to have a wardrobe for 4 seasons for everyone.

[liflo]

I grew up here and have lived my whole live here in CT. The Winters are COLD!!! I was driving home from work the other day...it was 6 degrees F. The wind is also getting worse, nowadays..or maybe I'm just getting older. Every morning I wait for the bus with my kids and by the time the bus comes, the noses r dripping from the cold and wind. Need hats/gloves/boots for the kids EVERYDAY from about early Nov. thru early to mid March!!!! Summer seems to be coming later and later. July and August are the hottest months, usually pretty humid, but not horrible. Spring is always a welcoming site, trees/flowers budding sun shinning, but not until mid to late April. We rarely SEE the sun during the winter months!! Turning leaves are beautiful, but highly annoying to pick up..fun for the kids though! Snow really sucks cleaning up and driving in..pretty to watch by the fireplace all warm and toasty..but do not go ANYWHERE. If you think you may like the changing seasons...then CT is for you!!

[7 Wishes]

Originally Posted by andthentherewere3

It's cold here. I disagree that 50 degree weather in January, even December, is "quite common". It happens, but it's not the average temp. Ct. will be much colder than what you are used to. I lived for many years in a warmer climate, and even after nearly 30 years in Ct. I still can't get used to the winters. Sure, it's not frigid every day, but the winters are long, IMO. Fall starts in Sept. with temps cooling down, and Spring doesn't seem to really get going until April. Even then it's possible for a snowstorm. All that said, Ct. is warmer than the northern NE states. Coastal Ct. is generally the warmest area of Ct. during the winter. Summers are nice, not as hot as what you are used to, but often quite humid. Summers really get going in June, although it can often be rather chilly in early June for swimming.

Actually in coastal CT the average high is around 40 in both mid-Feb and mid-Dec. It is cold, but the stereotype of "New England cold winters" is more accurate for VT, NH and ME.

You might find these sites interesting:

New York Central Park Yearly Temperature, Precipitation, and Snowfall Graphs

Philadelphia Weather Data @ Franklin's Forecast

If you look at the temperature charts, you'll see that most years there is a 50-deg+ day in each of the months of Dec/Jan/Feb. Usually only 1 or 2 each month, but there is one, sometimes even 60. While it is for NYC and Philly respectively (couldn't find one for CT), they are only a little bit warmer than coastal CT at least, so still gives you an idea. Quite a few people think those 50-60 degree occasional winter days are all "global warming" and that winters in the 1800s and early 1900s were some sort of Grandma Moses painting that doesn't exist anymore or something.

Originally Posted by liflo

We rarely SEE the sun during the winter months!!

You gotta be kidding! Go visit my sister in western NY State along the Great Lakes (Buffalo, NY area) for the winter months and you'll wish you were back in CT. They honestly average about 1-2 sunny days/month in the winter.

[mels]

Originally Posted by liflo

We rarely SEE the sun during the winter months!!

This statement couldn't be more false. It is sunny quite often in the winter months. Granted, it may be sunny and 28 degrees, but sunny nonetheless.