[Bydand]

Sounds like a wise philosophy. I'm the exact same way, heat just kills me. -40 I can take easy, 90 not so much. Here is an item I ran across the other day at an old engine/tractor show in Scottville. A snowblower from the late 30's or early 40's. I didn't even know they made them back then.

[VM1138]

The economy is going to drive me out of Michiagn, but the weather makes me want to move sooner. I absolutely hate being snowed in half the year.

Michanders always, always resort to "Well, the People in Florida sweat so much" but they always seem to ignore the fact that it's hot to us here in Michigan because we're used to the cold. People in Florida seem pretty happy to me.

Me, I do like the four seasons, but I'd like to move somewhere it snows considerably less. Somewhere along the old Mason-Dixon line seems to ahve a good mix.

[Wulf67]

Originally Posted by JGatti

When it's hot it's hot and there are times a T and shorts are not enough so what do you do? When it gets bitter cold it sucks, but you can always put on an extra layer, wear a hat and gloves and let the car warm up a few minutes longer."

The same for me when riding my motorcycle. I lived in SoCal and it was miserable to ride into the desert with 90+ degree heat. I can only imagine what it would be like to add humidity. Best temp to ride is about 60-70 degrees for me.

But ask me again in March and I would move to Florida in a heartbeat if I could. I need to retire so I can do the snowbird thing.

[detshen]

Originally Posted by VM1138

The economy is going to drive me out of Michiagn, but the weather makes me want to move sooner. I absolutely hate being snowed in half the year.

Michanders always, always resort to "Well, the People in Florida sweat so much" but they always seem to ignore the fact that it's hot to us here in Michigan because we're used to the cold. People in Florida seem pretty happy to me.

Me, I do like the four seasons, but I'd like to move somewhere it snows considerably less. Somewhere along the old Mason-Dixon line seems to ahve a good mix.

My father lives in Florida, and I have lived in Phoenix. The problem is people end up spending all summer stuck in the A/C. On an extremely hot or humid day you are still miserable in shorts and flip flops, there's just no relief except going inside.

For me, in comparing the hot summer to cold winter, it's easier to wear warmer clothes, and still be able to get out for exercise or winter activity than to get out and do things in the extreme heat. I live in SE Michigan so the winters are mild compared to other places in MI, I can't speak for people who live further north where it's much colder and snowier, but living here in Detroit is preferable to me than Florida or other southern states where the heat and humidity drives you inside.

I agree that to some degree people get used to heat or cold, but people who are considering a move often underestimate how difficult it will be to get used to the extremes. They will be surprised to find that they still end up spending 3-4 months of the year mostly inside. Go to Florida in the summer and you will meet a lot of miserable people waiting for the cooldown. Don't get me wrong some people love it and never complain, just as some love the winter cold and snow.

"Michanders always, always resort to "Well, the People in Florida sweat so much" but they always seem to ignore the fact that it's hot to us here in Michigan because we're used to the cold. People in Florida seem pretty happy to me."

It is not just hot in comparison to MI, it's often real extreme knock you on your ass miserable heat where you are dripping sweat. I think people should live wherever makes them happy, I'm not trying to be discouraging, but I do recommend people not kid themselves about how hard the adjustment might be. To live in Phoenix after growing up in MI was like hell on earth for me, I had convinced myself it would be no big deal, I though I would just trade a cold winter in a heated house for a hot summer in the A/C
but, it wasn't like that, I hated it. For me Florida is even worse because of the humidity. Obviously, other southern states will have varying degrees of heat.

[alysh_parker]

every place is going down hill and the weather can get bad any place u go i have lived here my hole life

[nicet4]

Originally Posted by obamagirl

Is anyone leaving Michigan because of the bad weather the state is known for? There is a shift of population out of states like MI and many moving to florida and other states were the weather is actualy nice in March.

I left northwest Ohio over four years ago and since I lived 30 miles south of the Michigan state line does that count for Michigan?

I lived there for years, did well and liked it but I always hated winters with a passion. On December 23rd I had to drive to Ashtabula (far northeast Ohio near Erie, PA) on the lake, spend one night in a motel to be ready for an 8:00 AM meeting the 24th.

Meeting went fine and I was heading home by 9:15. Normally the drive would take 3 hours but I knew I was in trouble before I'd traveled 10 miles.

Snow, ice, wind off lake, black ice on road, cars creeping along at 10 mph and still heading for the ditch etc.

It was to miserable for words and I mean that. May I say I never want to see another snowflake for as long as I live?

By noon I started to question if I would get home Christmas eve.

I always hated the cold and the question popped into my mind "Why are you living here?"

I couldn't take it anymore. I could see how the cold and dark of January through March could drive someone to suicide. It was so depressing.

My wife always knew I hated cold weather but I don't think she really understood how much I dreaded January through March. I hated November and December too but with holidays I could deal with those.

I told my wife how I felt and she, being the best woman in the world, said "let's move, I'll start packing".

And we did. This was a major league move and sometimes I marval that we actually did it.

So I started looking. I wanted to live as far south as I could without actually living in Florida. We did that and let's say I can be in Florida in 15 to 20 minutes.

Got a job and took a 30% cut in pay but absolutely no regrets there. After being here for four years I would not move back to Ohio or Michigan if you tripled my pay.

Life is to short to live like that.

If you live in southern Michigan, northern Ohio let me give you an idea what my winters are like now.

Our November is like your September.

Our December is like your October.

Our January and February is like your October with a little more rain.

Our March is like your late April and our April is llike your May. Our May is like your July.

The lowest temperature I've suffered since I've been here was 26 degrees F.

In four years I might have seen five days where the high temperature for a January day didn't break 50. We do have some January days where we do see temperature climb into the low 70's.

If we're not at home in January we just turn the heat off. Temperature in the house might get to the high 50's.

While most (all really) jobs pay less down here the cost of living is considerably less for utilities and property taxes. Comparable to what I had in ways of taxes and utilities I would guesstimate we save $300 a month by living here.

Houses have come down in price a lot in the past two years but where haven't they? You can get a nice house around here for $125k.

If our January winter month gets to us bad enough we can drive to Orlando in 3 to 3 1/2 hours and it never ceases to amaze me what a couple hundred miles will do in way of temperature. In three hours you can be in the 80's.

Bugs? No winter kill so we have bugs. We have an exterminator come every month so the giant cockroach (it's our state bird) doesn't invade and steal our furniture. Everyone has em and most everyone sprays for them.

Hot and humid. Yes it is but not that much worse than I've seen at times in Ohio.

We got snakes and we got alligators but if you don't bother them they won't bother you.

Quality of public schools? Like Michigan and Ohio you need to watch where you live.

Four years later my wife and I agree this was a great move for both of us.

[detshen]

Originally Posted by nicet4

I left northwest Ohio over four years ago and since I lived 30 miles south of the Michigan state line does that count for Michigan?

I lived there for years, did well and liked it but I always hated winters with a passion. On December 23rd I had to drive to Ashtabula (far northeast Ohio near Erie, PA) on the lake, spend one night in a motel to be ready for an 8:00 AM meeting the 24th.

Meeting went fine and I was heading home by 9:15. Normally the drive would take 3 hours but I knew I was in trouble before I'd traveled 10 miles.

Snow, ice, wind off lake, black ice on road, cars creeping along at 10 mph and still heading for the ditch etc.

It was to miserable for words and I mean that. May I say I never want to see another snowflake for as long as I live?

By noon I started to question if I would get home Christmas eve.

I always hated the cold and the question popped into my mind "Why are you living here?"

I couldn't take it anymore. I could see how the cold and dark of January through March could drive someone to suicide. It was so depressing.

My wife always knew I hated cold weather but I don't think she really understood how much I dreaded January through March. I hated November and December too but with holidays I could deal with those.

I told my wife how I felt and she, being the best woman in the world, said "let's move, I'll start packing".

And we did. This was a major league move and sometimes I marval that we actually did it.

So I started looking. I wanted to live as far south as I could without actually living in Florida. We did that and let's say I can be in Florida in 15 to 20 minutes.

Got a job and took a 30% cut in pay but absolutely no regrets there. After being here for four years I would not move back to Ohio or Michigan if you tripled my pay.

Life is to short to live like that.

If you live in southern Michigan, northern Ohio let me give you an idea what my winters are like now.

Our November is like your September.

Our December is like your October.

Our January and February is like your October with a little more rain.

Our March is like your late April and our April is llike your May. Our May is like your July.

The lowest temperature I've suffered since I've been here was 26 degrees F.

In four years I might have seen five days where the high temperature for a January day didn't break 50. We do have some January days where we do see temperature climb into the low 70's.

If we're not at home in January we just turn the heat off. Temperature in the house might get to the high 50's.

While most (all really) jobs pay less down here the cost of living is considerably less for utilities and property taxes. Comparable to what I had in ways of taxes and utilities I would guesstimate we save $300 a month by living here.

Houses have come down in price a lot in the past two years but where haven't they? You can get a nice house around here for $125k.

If our January winter month gets to us bad enough we can drive to Orlando in 3 to 3 1/2 hours and it never ceases to amaze me what a couple hundred miles will do in way of temperature. In three hours you can be in the 80's.

Bugs? No winter kill so we have bugs. We have an exterminator come every month so the giant cockroach (it's our state bird) doesn't invade and steal our furniture. Everyone has em and most everyone sprays for them.

Hot and humid. Yes it is but not that much worse than I've seen at times in Ohio.

We got snakes and we got alligators but if you don't bother them they won't bother you.

Quality of public schools? Like Michigan and Ohio you need to watch where you live.

Four years later my wife and I agree this was a great move for both of us.

I think it's fantastic that you changed something that made your life miserable, life is too short to be miserable, but one person's miserable can be another's heaven, we are all different. When you only describe the winter months and ignore the summer ones it gives an incomplete picture. MI has occasional 90 degree days, but having that every day is a very different life experience. The way you feel about winter is exactly how many feel about hot humid summers. Any day above 80 with humidity is unpleasant for me, any day above 90 makes me physically ill.

I grew up in Michigan, in my twenties I was getting sick of winter and decided to move to the southwest, like many I had dreams of a perfect life with sun and warm winters. The winters were great, but summers were horrible and for me soooo much worse than a cold winter. I ended up moving to San Diego which has warm winters and coolish summers, many call it perfect, but I found it boring and it was hard on my pale skin. I lived there for 12 years then moved back to Michigan and LOVE it. The seasons are so beautiful, I love the change and wearing different clothes for each season. The only thing that I really hate is driving in the snow and ice, I wised I didn't have to deal with that, but I overall I enjoy the weather here better thn any other place I have lived. Nothing could convince me to move to Florida or the like, I know many people love it and I'm happy for them, but I find the idea that people try to convince everyone that it's better without explaining the negatives wrong.

[daddythreepointoh]

I'm from California and I personally love the seasons. Admittedly, I'm done with winter by March, and spring doesn't spring until late April/early May...ugh.

But besides that we have fallen in love with the seasons. Our friends in Cali don't understand...but they can keep their hot summers! I love our mild weather right now and wouldn't traid for anything!

[detshen]

Originally Posted by daddythreepointoh

I'm from California and I personally love the seasons. Admittedly, I'm done with winter by March, and spring doesn't spring until late April/early May...ugh.

But besides that we have fallen in love with the seasons. Our friends in Cali don't understand...but they can keep their hot summers! I love our mild weather right now and wouldn't traid for anything!

Yeah, winter does start to get old by March, I always wish spring would start a little earlier, but I appreciate spring so much more here, in California it's just always the same.

[chiroptera]

I've lived in Phoenix, California and the Rocky Mountain West - and now Michigan. No lie, I prefer Michigan's four seasons over the other states I have lived in. (Menopause might have something to do with my current hatred of HOT weather....! )

The Rockies were beautiful but I didn't like the dry, brown landscape for months on end. Arizona's deserts are also beautiful, but the heat wears you down after a while and I hated that so many people spent months running from one air-conditioned environment to another. Like pretty much everyone I'm really over the Michigan winter by the end of February...but then spring is just so magical with everything growing after the months of sub-freezing temperatures. You don't get that in many other states.

And Florida and the other south eastern states? I have spent enough time down there to know that I would never, ever want to put up with that sticky, hot, buggy-muggy weather for months at a time. Ick.