Upstate NY winters vs. Fort Collins Winters (real estate, how much)

[jharris213]

My family is looking for a place to relocate and we currently live in NY State. Hubby and i have lived in NY our whole lives and are tired of the awful winters and high costs of living. We are now upstate and kind of in the middle of nowhere. We want a really great town with lots of things to do for families. I have heard so much about Fort Collins, but I am afraid of the weather. Is it bitterly cold for 5 months of the year like NY? Or is it just snowy and sunny? Our winters are mostly grey and cold. Do you think there is a big difference between winters in NY and Winters in Fort collins?
Jharris213

[BlueWillowPlate]

Originally Posted by jharris213

My family is looking for a place to relocate and we currently live in NY State. Hubby and i have lived in NY our whole lives and are tired of the awful winters and high costs of living. We are now upstate and kind of in the middle of nowhere. We want a really great town with lots of things to do for families. I have heard so much about Fort Collins, but I am afraid of the weather. Is it bitterly cold for 5 months of the year like NY? Or is it just snowy and sunny? Our winters are mostly grey and cold. Do you think there is a big difference between winters in NY and Winters in Fort collins?
Jharris213

Do a Search; you'll find lots of commentary on snow/winter in Fort Collins.
I really don't think an FC winter would be as nasty as upstate NY.
I spent about 3 winters in FC many years ago and the only thing I would warn you about is the wind. It *does* get windy.

[WoodPal]

There is a big difference between winters in upstate NY and Fort Collins. We have lived over 15 years in Northern Colorado and 20 years in upstate NY and prefer winters in Colorado.

Daytime and nighttime temperatures can typically vary 30-40 degrees in Colorado due to elevation and lower humidity, whereas in NY a 5-10 degree change may be more common. There are many more sunny days during Colorado winters than NY, and when the sun does shine, the air temperatures warm nicely. If you are outside in the sun, thanks again to elevation and humidity, a 45 degree day can feel like a 65 degree day in NY.

Surprisingly, Ft. Collins get much less snow than upstate NY. When it does snow, it generally melts away in a couple of days.

On the downside, winds can be much worse, and create blizzard conditions by blowing the dry snow into large drifts. Even the warming downslope winds can drive some people nuts.

[nnnn&g]

We've been en madison-wisconsin for 5 years and snow is not so bad. however we do have very low temperatures. how different are average temperatures in fort collins from the ones in madison, wisconsin. we are going to be moving there soon and i would like to be prepared since winter is coming and i have two kids and a baby.
thanks!!!

[bproven]

Originally Posted by nnnn&g

We've been en madison-wisconsin for 5 years and snow is not so bad. however we do have very low temperatures. how different are average temperatures in fort collins from the ones in madison, wisconsin. we are going to be moving there soon and i would like to be prepared since winter is coming and i have two kids and a baby.
thanks!!!

The easiest way is to check city-data's data on temps for both cities and also maybe go to weather underground and check the almanac's (basic historical temps) for each. The biggest diff I bet would be much more sunshine in the winter than WI.

[Rumblebelly]

I lived in Fort Collins for 10 years and moved to Upstate just over a year ago. The winters in Fort Collins are much easier: snow evaporates due to the dry air and there is more sun.

However depending on where you live in NY, I've noticed that NY has much better road conditions in the winter than Colorado. More plows, salt (can be a bad thing), and much less drifting.

You mentioned that you are looking for more community things to do with families. From what I've noticed in our area, there's a lot more to do in NY and most places are within a daytrip.

You mentioned cost of living. Although taxes are much lower in CO, real estate is still pretty high. Also, you'd be suprised how much you might end up paying for water in the summer months. Your lawn will literally burn to a crisp if you don't water it frequently. The air is really dry and some people have skin and sinus problems with it.

Other things to think about:
The falls in CO aren't nearly as pretty as they are in NY. Lush green woods don't exist in CO unless you get into the higher elevations.

I'm not saying you shouldn't move, just trying to point out some things that you might not know about in CO. Fort Collins is a wonderful small city with a fantastic downtown.