Ok, Ok, Give me your best winter misery stories. (Boston: smog, jobs)

[twiggy]

Hi everyone. Everybody out here in sunny Phoenix who came here from back east tells me I am CRAZY for moving back east. That I will hate the winters, and never be able to handle it, I have to admit I am a little nervous. I have been posting on the weather forum to try and get a feel for it. I am sick of the sun, it's so unhealthy, and I am sick of being so dried out all the time. I want 4 seasons, and better schools. Am I crazy? How is arthritis back there? Will I get depressed and be thinking seasonal suicide like I am being warned about from the easterners out here in Phoenix. Let me know, the straight truth, am I a nut ball? lol P.S. Puffle, do you feel like a nut ball? lol Lay it on me people!!!!!

[skytrekker]

Winters vary here in Massachusetts and Connecticut to Northern New England.
Even here in tiny CT - they can have a foot of snow in the northwest hills, and over here in eastern CT rain or an inch or two.

Same thing happened this past winter, here in central to eastern CT we had an 'average winter' the cold was not all too bad, and the snowfall was slightly below average- around 35-40"- but north of central Mass into New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont they had record amounts of snow-over 115"! Greater Boston faired better- being milder- under 45" of snow which is about average- but as you go north/northwest/west of the city by 25 miles or so- there was a great deal of snow.

Southeastern coastal CT and most of Rhode Island received under 30" of snow.
Weather as you know here is really tough to understand sometimes. One thing for certain however is that precipitation is about 20% YOY higher then 25 years ago- probably attributed to climate change.

So the increased snow in northern New England might be attributed to climate change.
Trees leaf out about 7-10 days earlier here then 30 years ago.

[CaseyB]

Worst winter memory? That's easily the Blizzard of '78:

A Look Back At The Blizzard Of '78 - Boston Weather News Story - WCVB Boston


Blizzard of 78 - Google Video

[twiggy]

Wow, some stories. I remember that blizzard, my grandma sent me pic's of her house buried to the roof. My grandfather owned the local bar and stayed open for people who couldn't get home. I wonder if this is how I would feel in a regular winter. lol

[twiggy]

Originally Posted by skytrekker

Winters vary here in Massachusetts and Connecticut to Northern New England.
Even here in tiny CT - they can have a foot of snow in the northwest hills, and over here in eastern CT rain or an inch or two.

Same thing happened this past winter, here in central to eastern CT we had an 'average winter' the cold was not all too bad, and the snowfall was slightly below average- around 35-40"- but north of central Mass into New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont they had record amounts of snow-over 115"! Greater Boston faired better- being milder- under 45" of snow which is about average- but as you go north/northwest/west of the city by 25 miles or so- there was a great deal of snow.

Southeastern coastal CT and most of Rhode Island received under 30" of snow.
Weather as you know here is really tough to understand sometimes. One thing for certain however is that precipitation is about 20% YOY higher then 25 years ago- probably attributed to climate change.

So the increased snow in northern New England might be attributed to climate change.
Trees leaf out about 7-10 days earlier here then 30 years ago.

So, I should stay as far south as possible I guess. My husband got a job offer in Warrick Rhode Island. I wonder if that would be better with the snow? I wonder how Cape Cod faired in the Blizzard? If the winters are easier down there? My grandma's house got plenty of snow and she was on Buzzards Bay in Borne. But west of the bridge so?
Some parts of winter weather sound fun, but some are a little scary. I'm sure the kids would like it, but I also have my mother with me and she has a hard time with arthritis. I'm not sure how she would do. She says she would love it. he he I'm not so sure her memory is working on that snow subject. lol

[puffle]

"sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't"...I think becoming a nutball is more of a possibility in Los Angeles and parts of up north. This was considered one of the snowiest winters in a long time but the roads were always cleared and school was open except for one day. I would MUCH rather have a very snowey winter than 100 degree Spring, Summer and Fall!!! People will think I'm nuts, but coming from California with constant sunshine I usually wish for rain after a few days of sun here in Ma. I just like the change and always having something to look forward to. This spring has been amazing!! Picture perfect, with just enough rain to keep everything clean and green with no visable smog like you always see in Ca. It's going to get UP to 80 tomorrow! Woohoo!! But two days later back to high 60's and low 70's. The coastal areas seem to get less snow and are warmer than where I am but I wouldn't want to live on the Cape permanentally from what I have read here with little to do and schools being better elsewhere. What about Hingham or Marblehead?

[twiggy]

Originally Posted by puffle

"sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't"...I think becoming a nutball is more of a possibility in Los Angeles and parts of up north. This was considered one of the snowiest winters in a long time but the roads were always cleared and school was open except for one day. I would MUCH rather have a very snowey winter than 100 degree Spring, Summer and Fall!!! People will think I'm nuts, but coming from California with constant sunshine I usually wish for rain after a few days of sun here in Ma. I just like the change and always having something to look forward to. This spring has been amazing!! Picture perfect, with just enough rain to keep everything clean and green with no visable smog like you always see in Ca. It's going to get UP to 80 tomorrow! Woohoo!! But two days later back to high 60's and low 70's. The coastal areas seem to get less snow and are warmer than where I am but I wouldn't want to live on the Cape permanentally from what I have read here with little to do and schools being better elsewhere. What about Hingham or Marblehead?

I am so glad you posted. I love the rainy cloudy days here, but I wasn't sure it was because of all the sun. I'm so sick of endless sunny days. It sound crazy to people but I am one who loves change too. I am always moving my furniture around. The lack of change in Phoenix weather drives me nutty. I think the weather would be exciting out there, but people who have moved from back there think I'm crazy. They say "your 40 now, you won't like the snow anymore". I'm glad to here you do, coming from our climate. What about your son? Does he like it? My girls want to go to a colder climate, they love the clothing options. lol They would love to be able to wear a hat and ear muffs without people thinking they are strange. lol Oh, and boots, they love big boots. You can't really wear them here unless you work construction. lol I'm getting excited to go. Our house is almost ready for market and I think by April things will be looking a little better as far as the market goes. I will be renting for awhile, after this bad housing fiasco. I don't ever want to be stuck in a place again. It's driving me, well, a little nuts. lol I will look into those towns. It will depend a lot on jobs for us. I hear you can get a lot of places in about an hour there, not like Phoenix where everything is so spread out. I don't think we will live on the Cape, I do miss it, but we can shoot down there in the summer. The cancer stories down there are a little to much. I'm escaping the pollution, and bad water down here and I don't want to go from one to the other. I need a little break.. How are the people? When I visit everyone is so nice. But that is on the Cape, and everyone also tells me from here, I won't like the people back there anymore. I don't like the people here already, so I figure it can only get better. Maybe I'm so east coast with my family from there and everything, I think people in Phoenix are fake. Their nice to you out here in the stores, but come on, they are trying to sell you something. lol I wish I could leave now. It's really getting to me with the summer approaching here. We have had a cold spell, 60 degrees after 2 -110 days and I'm loving it. It makes me want to get outta here before the heat descends. Yikes. 5 months of 100 and something. Thanks Puffle. I'm glad your there to tell me how it is for a desert rat adjusting. I think we will be fine.

[CaseyB]

Originally Posted by twiggy

So, I should stay as far south as possible I guess. My husband got a job offer in Warrick Rhode Island. I wonder if that would be better with the snow? I wonder how Cape Cod faired in the Blizzard? If the winters are easier down there? My grandma's house got plenty of snow and she was on Buzzards Bay in Borne. But west of the bridge so?
Some parts of winter weather sound fun, but some are a little scary. I'm sure the kids would like it, but I also have my mother with me and she has a hard time with arthritis. I'm not sure how she would do. She says she would love it. he he I'm not so sure her memory is working on that snow subject. lol

The Cape had a storm surge. No coastal area is safe in a storm like that even if the snow accumulation is less than further inland. Lots of homes were lost on the Cape and the South Shore along with further beach erosion.
While Cape Cod doesn't get the amounts of snow that the rest of the state does, they seem to lose power frequently.

[MagicTouch]

Twiggy - I moved here from CA, all anyone would say is how much I would hate the winter and that I wouldn't be able to handle it. As a reference I was born and raised in CA, never lived anywhere else for 47 yrs. Well for the winter....I actually liked the winter and I do drive to work every day. There was only one day for me that was bad and it was driving home, work let out early, the schools closed early and the snow plows didn't get out there ahead of every one...LOL. So for one day during the winter it took me 2 1/2 hrs to get home. But I still enjoyed the drive, not something I could even begin to say about CA bad traffic days. For me I adjusted to the weather really well and it didn't seem so cold to me and spring is gorgeous. As the saying goes if you don't like the weather, just wait and it will change....and it does. It could be sunny in the morning as you head to work and raining late that same evening. I love the change of weather here, it's doesn't get old (it can't it changes so often). Not like sunny CA, where the weather is the same old sun, and smog.

Sad to say though for me I may have to move again.......yuck. But I'm becoming very adventurous in my old age.

[twiggy]

Originally Posted by MagicTouch

Twiggy - I moved here from CA, all anyone would say is how much I would hate the winter and that I wouldn't be able to handle it. As a reference I was born and raised in CA, never lived anywhere else for 47 yrs. Well for the winter....I actually liked the winter and I do drive to work every day. There was only one day for me that was bad and it was driving home, work let out early, the schools closed early and the snow plows didn't get out there ahead of every one...LOL. So for one day during the winter it took me 2 1/2 hrs to get home. But I still enjoyed the drive, not something I could even begin to say about CA bad traffic days. For me I adjusted to the weather really well and it didn't seem so cold to me and spring is gorgeous. As the saying goes if you don't like the weather, just wait and it will change....and it does. It could be sunny in the morning as you head to work and raining late that same evening. I love the change of weather here, it's doesn't get old (it can't it changes so often). Not like sunny CA, where the weather is the same old sun, and smog.

Sad to say though for me I may have to move again.......yuck. But I'm becoming very adventurous in my old age.

Thanks so much. What a great post, it's made me feel really good about getting out of here. You've got to take chances and live. Good luck on your next move, I hope it's somewhere good.