KC extreme weather - what to know? (St. Joseph, Mexico: private school, allergies)

[oscottscotto]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

The Upper Midwest has real winters while the Lower Midwest has very mild winters.

Yes, and my point is that these "mild winters" feel like the North Pole to some of us from places where you might refer to as having "no winter".

[northbound74]

Originally Posted by RjRobb2

Some people refer to all winter coats as ski coats.

Cool. I'd honestly never knew that.
The stuff I wear is usually leather, wool, or corduroy, not stuff the that'd make you think of skiing. Then again, where I'm from, skiing is strictly water-based.

[sparksharp]

This thread is really helpful in anticipating what to expect once the hubs and I make the relo! Living in the South for the last 20 years, I've gotten out of the habit of preparing for a rough winter. Shoot...here in Tennessee we may get a snow scattering but it's gone in a few hours. Of course it doesn't stop the schools from closing though! LOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!!

Oh man...the snow and ice is really something I didn't miss from when we lived in Cincinnati, Ohio. Guess I'm gonna have to get out and buy some functional boots, huh? LOL!!!!!

[TabulaRasa]

I doubt a seriously insulated coat and ski pants is going to be necessary.

I've not broken out my down-filled coat or even my heavy wool coat once in winter since moving here, and both were holdovers from when I lived in Minnesota. I spent all last winter just fine in the Target version of a "peacoat," which was essentially thin felt with a polyester lining. What we'd call a "fall jacket" in the upper midwest.

[TabulaRasa]

Honestly, though, for as non-bitter as winters are, here, it's AMAZING to me the minimal amount of "bad weather" local schools will close for. I work for a school, and it's crazy to me the nonweather that gets called a snow day. We had several last year for no real reason.

[RjRobb2]

Originally Posted by TabulaRasa

I doubt a seriously insulated coat and ski pants is going to be necessary.

I've not broken out my down-filled coat or even my heavy wool coat once in winter since moving here, and both were holdovers from when I lived in Minnesota. I spent all last winter just fine in the Target version of a "peacoat," which was essentially thin felt with a polyester lining. What we'd call a "fall jacket" in the upper midwest.

The only time I ever need that stuff is when I play in the snow with my daughter. Even then, I just layer a few sweatshirts.

[lifelongMOgal]

For any anticipated emergencies be they weather related, natural or civil disasters:

1. Have a plan.
2. Be prepared to implement it at a moment's notice.

IN KC, if you don't like the weather, give it 20 minutes and it will change.

[ryanswindle]

It's definitely turning cold as hell faster than I'm used to back in Denver. The temps in Denver throughout the day may be lower or similar, but with the dryness and the lack of wind in comparison, it doesn't feel this cold during the day there. Though right now after dark I'd rather be here than Denver where it's probably starting to drop into the 30s, while here it doesn't drop as much from day to night.

Though was some perfect weather the other weekend for the plaza arts festival, my wife and I really enjoyed that, felt so great to be around real people again. So happy to be out of Pittsburgh. What miserable folks live there, all the friendliness here is exactly the change we were hoping for when moving, and definitely found it in spades.

So how much longer, if any of you all had to wager a guess, until it snows considering this winter?

[Samantha S]

Originally Posted by TabulaRasa

Honestly, though, for as non-bitter as winters are, here, it's AMAZING to me the minimal amount of "bad weather" local schools will close for. I work for a school, and it's crazy to me the nonweather that gets called a snow day. We had several last year for no real reason.

Think about school buses driving on more "rural" roads in even a little bit of ice and/or snow.

If it's not safe for the buses to run, the schools will close.

Also - Quite often the decision to close school has to be made in anticipation of what they think the weather is going to do. And well ... this is Kansas! The weather can turn on a dime.

So when it's snowing at 2 am and they are calling for several inches, they make the decision to close the school only to have the snow stop and the sun to come out early making it unnecessary in retrospect.

But the bottom line is that the safety of the kids getting to school is usually what drives the decision.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by oscottscotto

Yes, and my point is that these "mild winters" feel like the North Pole to some of us from places where you might refer to as having "no winter".

If the local climate can't support spruce, fir, hemlock, tamarack, and pine trees it is probably too warm for me