Moving to Bethlehem...questions about the weather... (buying a house, buying)

[DCist]

Hello all.

So I'm moving with my fiancee to Bethlehem--we're in the process of buying a house *crosses fingers that it all goes well*--from the DC area and I have a few questions about the winter conditions in the area.

What are winters typically like there? I know it gets cold, but what about snow, ice, etc.

The only serious wintery conditions I've experienced in any long term sense were my high school and college years in Lawrence, KS (Go Hawks!). DC winters aren't that bad compared to KS which tended to be cold, but without much snow or ice. I'm a New Orleans (Geaux Saints!) native and "winter" tends not to be part of the experience there.

We're also looking to replace our awful car with something less awful. Do the winter condition necessitate an SUV or AWD car? Or can we get by with a standard FWD auto?

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

[vapama]

Welcome, DCist. I get very chicken-y about driving in the ice. I drive a Subaru, they all have AWD. Our alley (behind our parking pad and our access to the road) was iced over from Dec to Feb. I'm not exaggerating, though I may be remembering wrong It's not like in the South where school gets cancelled at the threat of snow (I'm talking to you, Virginia) and everyone stays glued to the forecast.

[DCist]

Originally Posted by vapama

It's not like in the South where school gets cancelled at the threat of snow (I'm talking to you, Virginia) and everyone stays glued to the forecast.

Heh. The reason for that is because all southerners have synapses that disable driving skill when the words "cold", "winter", "snow", or "ice" are mentioned. We have to protect the kids from our own crazed selves.

It's a fact.

How would you describe snow removal in the area? In the DC area it ranges from adequate to fairly poor. A relatively light dusting usually causes chaos.

[toobusytoday]

I think you've hit on what's really important - snow removal. It's pretty good overall, not as good on secondary roads. The worst part about our winters, IMHO, is that they last too darn long. This past year it got cold in November and just really warmed up four days ago! We do have one four wheel drive vehicle but there were only a few days when we really needed to drive it. Go Eagles! Welcome to the Lehigh Valley

[ichiroll]

I thought this past winter brought a lot more icy conditions than the past couple years. We usually like to have a car that has AWD/4WD to fall back on in case things get rough.

If you don't live in an area that is too rural, usually they do a pretty good job.

AWD/4WD is over-rated anyways. It's not the number of wheels driving that makes the difference, but the type and quality of tires that are physically in contact with the driving surface. If you have the means to do so, having a set of winter tires to switch to during the winter may be a cheaper option.