What is the worst time of year for someone to visit ?

[testing_waters]

Originally Posted by Syringaloid

Weather wise? Depends on if you are visiting to check out the winter activities or summer activities.

I guess my thought was that if I moved there, I should probably visit when the weather is at its ugliest to see if I can handle it. For Chicago, the best time to gauge whether you can handle our winters is to show up between Dec - Jan because the winter is typically at its worst around these months, and it's a very WET winter here because it's windy AND wet which makes the cold cut right through you. If it isn't wet it can get incredibly bitter cold. So yeah .. that was the idea. what would be the most challenging season for a non-native to get used to.

[testing_waters]

Originally Posted by Cnynrat

The wildfire smoke would be a new experience, but that doesn't happen in all areas of the state every year.

That would absolutely be a new experience and one I have only heard about recently in the news. I would probably rent for a few years before investing but that would most certainly be a factor to entertain at that time.

[testing_waters]

thank you for all the responses. definitely helpful and very much appreciated!

[cleosmom]

Originally Posted by testing_waters

I guess my thought was that if I moved there, I should probably visit when the weather is at its ugliest to see if I can handle it. For Chicago, the best time to gauge whether you can handle our winters is to show up between Dec - Jan because the winter is typically at its worst around these months, and it's a very WET winter here because it's windy AND wet which makes the cold cut right through you. If it isn't wet it can get incredibly bitter cold. So yeah .. that was the idea. what would be the most challenging season for a non-native to get used to.

That said, I would suggest coming in January or February when we're in the below freezing temps (at least in SE Idaho). It's a drier climate than what you're used and yes we do indeed get the winds that cut right through you! I've been in both areas during Winter months and both are as equally chilling, just in different ways.

[banjomike]

Originally Posted by cleosmom

That said, I would suggest coming in January or February when we're in the below freezing temps (at least in SE Idaho). It's a drier climate than what you're used and yes we do indeed get the winds that cut right through you! I've been in both areas during Winter months and both are as equally chilling, just in different ways.

Yup.
January has a way of redefining cold for a lot of first-timers here. A day spent in temps that are 20 degrees below zero defies all words. It must be experienced to know what it truly is like.

But there's always an upside; once you know how to get along at -20º, when it drops down to -40º, which is really rare, you know what will need to be done and how to get through the cold snap.

The real cold never lasts for long very often, but no one ever knows what the winter will bring. There are often months when it never gets warmer than zero during the dead of winter around the solstice in the daytime.