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Did some research on sunny days between the two cities (includes partly sunny days):
New York- 224 sunny days annually (on average)
Chicago- 189 sunny days annually (on average)
Now, the consensus on this board seems to be both of these cities weather are somewhat similar and really not at all that different. But with someone who has SAD, the sunny days between the two could make a big difference.
To anyone with long enough experience in both cities, would you say the length of overcast is noticeably different between the two?
I really don't understand why people find their weather so similar. NYC seems much more mild than Chicago, and it should, as the marine influence tends to stabilize temps.
I can't comment on the amount of sunny days in New York, but I can tell you that 9 times out of 10 while visiting Chicago between November and March, it's been depressingly overcast.
Incredibly noticeable in the winter, when SAD is worst. Do research into sunshine hours in the winter and you'll see the difference is much greater than when looking at the whole year.
I'd say New York and Chicago are both 65% sunny in the summer. But New York is still 40% sunny in the winter, while Chicago is 15%. The only area of North America with less winter sun is the Pacific Northwest. There, it's like 7%.
According to statistics on Wiki, NYC has 57% of possible sunshine hours yearly, while Chicago has 56%. On a month to month basis, NYC stays right around that average every single month. Conversely, Chicago drops 37% in December, but up 69% in July. The highest NYC gets is 63% in August. Chicago has 5 months with over 60%. NYC has only 2. However, Chicago has 4 months under 50% while NYC has only one.
This surprises me. I thought that (generally speaking of course), that the more west you go in America the sunnier it gets, until you reach the west coast which it then gets cloudy.
I have read that chicago gets less precipitation than NYC. Any truth to that?
I definitely think the horrible Chicago winter stereotype is overplayed a little. While it's definitely worse than NYC's, it's not like NYC gets an Atlanta style winter while Chicago gets something straight out of the Arctic Circle.
Incredibly noticeable in the winter, when SAD is worst. Do research into sunshine hours in the winter and you'll see the difference is much greater than when looking at the whole year.
I'd say New York and Chicago are both 65% sunny in the summer. But New York is still 40% sunny in the winter, while Chicago is 15%. The only area of North America with less winter sun is the Pacific Northwest. There, it's like 7%.
This post is so full of misinfomation that its disturbing.
NYC averages 48-55% sun in winter, which is a little higher, but only a few percentage points. So youre talking, what, an extra few short days of sun in winter? It might make a difference to some people, but anyone with SAD will find NYC just as miserable as Chicago in winter.
Now, on the flip side, Chicago is sunnier in summer than NYC. So those suffering from SAD will likely be more depressed in NYC in summer than Chicago.
Incredibly noticeable in the winter, when SAD is worst. Do research into sunshine hours in the winter and you'll see the difference is much greater than when looking at the whole year.
I'd say New York and Chicago are both 65% sunny in the summer. But New York is still 40% sunny in the winter, while Chicago is 15%. The only area of North America with less winter sun is the Pacific Northwest. There, it's like 7%.
Chicago, being west of the Great Lakes, is significantly sunnier in the winter than the eastern Great Lakes Region (Michigan, Northern Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, and Upstate New York).
While Chicago winters are gloomy, you do see the sun now and then. Whereas in Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo, you literally will not see the sun from November through the beginning of May.
Now, the consensus on this board seems to be both of these cities weather are somewhat similar and really not at all that different.
I have never heard anyone on C-D claim that that these two cities have similar weather, except for a few Chicago homers, in some threads where people were complaining about Chicago weather.
NYC has very crappy winter weather, but Chicago takes it to another level. This is obvious to anyone who has lived in both cities. Noticeably colder, more snow and far less sun. Longer winters, and three times as many snowy days. The whole Great Lakes area, from Buffalo to Milwaukee is cold, snowy and especially cloudy. You hardly see the sun for half the year. Cleveland is worse than even Chicago in this regard.
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