What's Maine like? Weather, family stuff, etc. (Mexico: law, garden)

[Nancy-NJ-NY-ME?]

Wonderful posts above. Makes me want to drive there now! But no one has yet mentioned the 5th season - Mud Season.

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by rbmomof3

I've never been even for a visit to Maine. What is the weather like in the summer and winter? Do you get a lot of snow or rain? Is it dry or humid in summer?

We're researching states to find out which ones we might move to next summer.

We moved to Brunswick last September. It wasn't humid at all, and most days had temperatures in the upper 60s or low 70s.

By Halloween, days were cooler and nights getting cold.

We got our first snow the weekend after Thanksgiving, and we didn't see the grass again until mid-March. But all the locals said that this was an extraordinarily snowy winter. Last winter, they didn't get the first snow till January, and it just didn't snow much all winter.

I was extremely impressed at how well the city takes care of the roads. When snow hits, plows are out within the hour, and I never once felt the streets were unsafe due to snow. If an ice storm hits (I think we had two or three small ones this winter), it's a good idea to stay home for a few hours until the streets are sanded.

Yesterday, it poured rain all day, but today you couldn't have asked for a prettier day. Partly cloudy skies and a fresh wind.

I grew up in the Southwest and spent almost 10 years in the Pacific Northwest, and I say without reservation that Maine is the best place I've ever lived. You just can't beat the lifestyle here.

[rbmomof3]

Ok tell me about the Maine snow then. Here's what I hate and want to get away from in Nebraska. It snowed a lot last winter and was bitterly cold for most of it. Just when the snow would melt, a WEEK or two later, and the ground outside in my backyard because less muddy, it would do it all over again. If you have kids you know they get cabin fever bad and keeping mittens on them is absolutely hopeless. I want to get away from all that, sounds like you get that type of snow. (

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by Nancy-NJ-NY-ME?

Wonderful posts above. Makes me want to drive there now! But no one has yet mentioned the 5th season - Mud Season.

There wasn't one in Southern Maine this year!

[Maineah]

Humidity checker. Open a small bag of potato chips. Leave them open over night . If they're crunchy in the morning it's probably winter. If they're soggy it's summer.

[Elcarim]

Originally Posted by Maineah

Humidity checker. Open a small bag of potato chips. Leave them open over night . If they're crunchy in the morning it's probably winter. If they're soggy it's summer.

OMG! That's hilarious!! They wouldn't last 15 minutes here in summer or winter.

[dmyankee]

Originally Posted by Nancy-NJ-NY-ME?

Wonderful posts above. Makes me want to drive there now! But no one has yet mentioned the 5th season - Mud Season.

We're heading into Road Repair Season.

[mollysmiles]

Originally Posted by Maineah

Humidity checker. Open a small bag of potato chips. Leave them open over night . If they're crunchy in the morning it's probably winter. If they're soggy it's summer.

OMG you're so right! I used to hate that when I was a little girl and that would happen to my cereal!

hmmm....I *still* hate it actually! but it's a small price to pay!

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by rbmomof3

Ok tell me about the Maine snow then. Here's what I hate and want to get away from in Nebraska. It snowed a lot last winter and was bitterly cold for most of it. Just when the snow would melt, a WEEK or two later, and the ground outside in my backyard because less muddy, it would do it all over again. If you have kids you know they get cabin fever bad and keeping mittens on them is absolutely hopeless. I want to get away from all that, sounds like you get that type of snow. (

If cold and snow are something you want to get away from it won't happen here. The snow doesn't melt completely away here during the winter most of the time. Even if it does melt the ground remains frozen solid. We didn't see bare ground here from late November until about three weeks ago. It wasn't really bitterly cold last winter. I consider bitterly cold to be in the 20's to 30's BELOW zero for at least a week or two. We only had a scattering of nights that were well below zero here on the coast. It did stay consistantly in the teens though so we had a lot of ice build up on the lakes and ponds. Many ponds are still not ice free yet. The snow does melt some between storms and we did get some rain here on the coast even in the middle of the winter though those storms are relatively few with the bulk of the winter precipitation being snow. Maine kids keep their mittens on, the alternative is a painful stinging sensation in the hands when you come in to warm up. After they go through that a few times the kids will generally keep the mittens on even if they become ice blocks.

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by rbmomof3

Ok tell me about the Maine snow then. Here's what I hate and want to get away from in Nebraska. It snowed a lot last winter and was bitterly cold for most of it. Just when the snow would melt, a WEEK or two later, and the ground outside in my backyard because less muddy, it would do it all over again. If you have kids you know they get cabin fever bad and keeping mittens on them is absolutely hopeless. I want to get away from all that, sounds like you get that type of snow. (

Nope, not at all. When it gets here, the snow stays here until Spring. I still have some in my yard in fact (insert most common swear words here). Cold? kind of. It can get cold, but usually doesn't stay around for too long. A few nights of -35 or -40 with a windchill that pushes -80 or -90 then it creeps back up to the single digits for a few days, then back cold again for a day or two. We had 46 days that it was below zero in my portion of Maine this winter, not as bad as some years, better than others. Kids learn real quick that mittens, hats, and jackets stay ON and will not argue that simple fact. If they do, send them out (keep the door open, they will be in VERY quickly); I promise they won't argue again about wearing them.

No mud until Spring, then the kids have a ball with it. The way I look at it, they are only kids once, and God made the buggers washable; so why not let them slop around for a bit outside in the mud.

I would STRONGLY urge anybody who is thinking of moving anyplace, to visit a few times first. In every season the area you are looking into has, and for at least a week each time. Bring shopping lists and compare costs, stop by town offices and ask about property taxes, schools, water system, recreation programs, etc.... Get a feel for the towns and the people you will be dealing with.