Coeur d'Alene PROS & CONS (Boise, Pocatello: 2014, how much, transfer)

[banjomike]

Originally Posted by f5fstop

I'm confused. If INL is just north of IF, and Pocatello is south of IF, how can IF be upwind, and Poctello be downwind? Does the wind direction blow in a big circle?

And yes, I know this is an older post, but considering a move to IF, Rexburg, areas.

This reply is to an aging post, so I hope f5 notices it.
The site is due west of Idaho Falls, not north.
The prevailing winds here are west to east, but they typically bend into a hook shape when they hit the Divide at the Idaho-Montana border, so the local winds end up coming from the northwest and flow in a southeastery direction.

The winds here are always complicated due to the Great Divide. During the early winter, it can be 50º in Idaho Falls, and over the divide in Bozeman, it can be 30º the same day. The reverse is also true.
The south slope of the Divide usually gets Pacific winds coming in from N. California to Washington, while the north slope typically gets winds moving southward from Canada.

The Rocky Mountain range also creates it's own weather patterns, which can be strong enough to over-ride prevailing winds. A lot of Idaho's weather is passing through every time there is a strong pressure shift, going off to the east and the great plains.

[eggrookie]

Interesting!

[Sage of Sagle]

Originally Posted by eggrookie

Im so grateful for this thread...Im in central CA and hope to head your way in June of 15. This place has become a living hell on EVERY Level. WAY too liberal for us, highest taxes, highest power rates, highest unemployment, highest gas, highest level of folks on assistance, to many people, too little resources. Lordy we can hardly wash our hands for lack of water. It is no place to raise my kids. And I AM concerned about winter and work. Hope hubby can transfer or get work before we get there. Im embarrassed to even tell people Im from CA as we are viewed as a cancer. Im hauling the homestead with me and hope it will all work out. Criminy I can go to JAIL for selling my goat milk here. I need out. I can deal with the meth. I live near 1.5 million nut jobs now.

I always laugh when I hear someone from California say "I can handle the meth". As a retired LEO from SoCal, the meth issue here is nowhere as bad as it was in a very large portion of California outside the yuppie suburbs. It's just that it's exponentially worse than it ever was before, which is why it has received so much attention here, which is understandable.

You NEED to line up work before moving...since the job market can be really tough here as well and wages are lower, as great as it is living here. But life here is amazing...you couldn't get me to move back to California without a court order. I've spent time in some central valley towns...I feel your pain...and completely understand your desire to get the hell out.

But remember when you get here, you can decompress, adjust to a slower way of life. You see other threads about it...but the best way to be happy here is to BECOME an Idahoan...don't remain a stressed out angry Californian living in Idaho. Word to the wise.

[eggrookie]

Yes Sage that is all good advice and thanks for responding. We wouldnt make the move with hubby working and cash in the bank for at least 6 months of living if not more. EVERYTHING here is on high speed and I tell you Im going to die young if we dont get to a place to slow down. We live on a FARM. Im bringing only the goats, horses and dogs with me. I raise a garden that feeds us (I know Ill have a lot of study to do for your climate) I sew for extra money. Im just NOT California. (well maybe the CA of 100 years ago!) We want to have something to HUNT which hardly exists here. There are no fish. There is no water. Ugh

[threejane]

Originally Posted by Cdarocks

FamilyLooking, Idaho IS a great place and I am thrilled you are going to come up and visit, look around and get a feel for the area. Now that we know where you live, many friendly Idaho posters here are going to give you a lot of similar advice, which is come and visit in the winter before you make a decision.

It's not that Coeur d'Alene doesn't want you, but we have seen over and over again people making their decision to move based a summer visit experience. Then we watch the mass exodus back to warmer climates as soon as things thaw out (which sometimes isn't until May). Snow in June isn't unheard of. There is a reason the population of the area is small. Yes, you can get around in your 4x4 - there are lots of them on the road, but there loads of people who drive in the snow without four wheel drive. They are skilled snow drivers (me!).

If, after a visit during our cold season, you can still hack it then you could probably make a great life in North Idaho. It is a wonderful place. I wish you well!

I know this is old but I'm going to echo this sentiment. If you want to know if you can hack it here, don't come when it's beautiful because you'll get all starry eyed.

Come the last week of January, when it's cold and everything is covered with snow and slush and you have to push a grocery cart through 3" of slop to get to your car, only to slip UNDER your car. The sun becomes a distant memory, the wind is biting, and you'll realize that it's like this starting around the end of October and doesn't let up until, oh, say, April or so.

I live north of CdA and I'm a total snowboard **** so the snow and ice are like home for me. But if you're coming from Fresno, the shock can be extreme and total.

Oh, and...if you start sliding, DON'T SLAM ON YOUR BRAKES.

[f5fstop]

Originally Posted by banjomike

This reply is to an aging post, so I hope f5 notices it.
The site is due west of Idaho Falls, not north.
The prevailing winds here are west to east, but they typically bend into a hook shape when they hit the Divide at the Idaho-Montana border, so the local winds end up coming from the northwest and flow in a southeastery direction.

The winds here are always complicated due to the Great Divide. During the early winter, it can be 50º in Idaho Falls, and over the divide in Bozeman, it can be 30º the same day. The reverse is also true.
The south slope of the Divide usually gets Pacific winds coming in from N. California to Washington, while the north slope typically gets winds moving southward from Canada.

The Rocky Mountain range also creates it's own weather patterns, which can be strong enough to over-ride prevailing winds. A lot of Idaho's weather is passing through every time there is a strong pressure shift, going off to the east and the great plains.

Actually, it makes sense to me. Living here in UT we have our unique problems with the river corridor and the Lasal Mountains to the southeast; and the fact Moab is actually in a deep canyon. In winter, sometimes the biggest snow storms hit south of Moab, but north of Moab will end up receiving more snow overall during the winter. Some locals refer to it as Moab being in the center of a donut hole.

Usually, the same can be said for summer storms; however, that has not been proven to be true this year. Appears the donut hole has disappeared.

[f5fstop]

Originally Posted by threejane

DON'T SLAM ON YOUR BRAKES.

True. And with ABS, it makes no sense. Just keep your foot applied and let the brakes do what they do best.

[eggrookie]

Again, great advice, and yes we do plan on visiting in the worst part of ID weather!

[Sandpointian]

Originally Posted by Sage of Sagle

I always laugh when I hear someone from California say "I can handle the meth". As a retired LEO from SoCal, the meth issue here is nowhere as bad as it was in a very large portion of California outside the yuppie suburbs. It's just that it's exponentially worse than it ever was before, which is why it has received so much attention here, which is understandable.

You NEED to line up work before moving...since the job market can be really tough here as well and wages are lower, as great as it is living here. But life here is amazing...you couldn't get me to move back to California without a court order. I've spent time in some central valley towns...I feel your pain...and completely understand your desire to get the hell out.

But remember when you get here, you can decompress, adjust to a slower way of life. You see other threads about it...but the best way to be happy here is to BECOME an Idahoan...don't remain a stressed out angry Californian living in Idaho. Word to the wise.

As always, sage words from the Sage. I agree 100% on each point.

Housing? For CDA, estimate $1000 (rent) up to $1350 (buy) before utilities and cable/internet for houses that are between 5.5 and 7.0 on a ten point scale and in similarly rated neighborhoods.

S.

[eggrookie]

You would be AMAZED how the cost of living is going to go down for us. Truck registration form $400 to $38, car insurance less than half, power less than half, tv down 1/3, internet down 2/3, groceries down, feed for animals down...even sales tax is down from 8.25 to 6%! I appreciate each reply btw!