[michmoldman]

I tell my wife all the time...Michigan, along with many upper midwest states, may be the future destination for the weather weary people of the south, and some western states. The weather in the south has been getting worse and worse in the last few years, and I think its here to stay and maybe even gonna get worse. There are tornadoes seems like everyday, tons of rain and floods, and of course the hurricanes will be getting worse. I myself could not imagine trying to build a life in these areas only to have everything wiped out. I know its not every southern state, and its still a great destination, but when will people begin to say enough is enough and start to head for the states where you only have to deal with a bit of snow and cold, which is nothing that could wipe out everything you've worked for. I truly believe as the weather gets worse and worse, there will be a huge shift to more weather stabler states, and Michigan will be one of those states. A lot depends on our economic future, but when things start turning around...dont be surprised to see a huge swing in the population.

[Luzette]

I agree that areas down south have been hard hit lately by extreme weather conditions of the sort that are wiping out homes that people have spent their lives working for. However, anyone thinking of moving to the northern states has to decide how much snow and cold they are willing to live with in the trade off. If you can't stand snow, freezing temps and ice then that will be an issue for you. It's even more so if you don't like sking, snowmobiling, ice fishing and sports of this nature. It's well meaning advice to tell people they need to go out and embrace the elements, but anyone who is cold intolerant will just not enjoy these activities. It would be like telling a heat intolerant person to go out and jog a mile on a 90 degree day. I love most things about Michigan. It's a state with great natural beauty, but it is a very cold state for much of the year. Even summers can be on the cool side so it's something to think about for anyone moving here.

[michigan83]

I don't know if I buy the line that the weather in the south and west is getting "worse and worse".

If you actually look at statistics, it might not actually be "worse" or "better" than it has ever been. You can't just watch the news, see bad stories, and say, "wow, the weather in the south is way worse than it used to be!" You are probably just hearing more about it because we have so much more access to news and information than we once did.

Bad weather and natural disasters have been occurring since the beginning of time. Even in Michigan.

When this tornado hit Flint in 1952, do you think everyone said "the weather keeps getting worse and worse here!! Do you think people will move south because of the weather?" http://weather.about.com/od/f/qt/flintbeecher.htm

[darstar]

Also , notice the Tornadoes seem to seek out the trailer home Parks? The South is loaded with them , yet , people just keep going back for more...like a death wish. Weather extreams are nothing new to the folks who live in the Great Plains. They have always been subject to twisters, Kansas is a good example , and again they stay , rebuild,all the while waiting for the next time.
Florida for example is leading the way when it comes to Hurricanes, and now , its getting harder to get insurance. That cost is driving a lot of people out and away from the extreams. Then there is shake and bake land, Calif. The building costs there are out of site due to earthquake survival requirements. Maybe Michigan does not look so bad after all......besides, when Global warming really gets going and Detroit becomes tropical....us Northern folks will have the best of both....I hate AC , but maybe one day I will need to put it in...in the UP.

[electric_lady]

I think the original poster has an excellent point, and I've long been touting the fact that Wisconsin and Michigan receive the least federal disaster relief dollars each year, out of the entire nation. Last year, as reported by Mother Jones, the Top Ten states asking for federal natural disaster relief dollars were, in order from 1-10: Texas, California, Florida, Oklahoma, New York (?), Louisiana, Kentucky, Alabama, Missouri, Arkansas.

I always considered Michigan's climate a bit harsh in the winters, until I moved out west. While the northern parts of the mitten state get their fair share of snow, the southern half - especially around Detroit - is particularly mild. While out west, we have sun and snow in the winter (which is wonderful, and makes January-March fly by - plus low humidity keeps the bone-chilling aspect down) it's now the first week of May and we are STILL getting snow. Winters in Michigan are much shorter - which I miss! They also have become significantly milder since I was a child growing up only 20 years ago.

I don't think the Mitten State's comparatively mild weather with few natural disasters will serve as its own motivation for people in southern states to relocate. But it may serve as an incentive (along with the other incentives: cheap land/rent, educated work force, water, etc.) for companies who are trying to choose between a few different regions to host their business operations. Let's not underestimate how important our Great Lakes will become. Much of this nation is DRY, and those dry places are where people have been flocking in droves over the past decade. Much of Arizona, Nevada, parts of California simply do not have the resources to host as many people who have moved there - and brought their love of water and green grass to a desert climate which doesn't naturally produce either (I'm thinking specifically of those golf courses around Scottsdale, ugh.)

I, for one, am hoping that a combination of factors such as what I have listed above will help bring our state back from the depths. First thing is first though, nobody is going to move to Michigan in any notable numbers unless there are jobs to be had. And I mean MANY jobs to be had.

That said, Michigan is ripe for the picking right now, and likely for some time to come.

[michmoldman]

Originally Posted by electric_lady

I think the original poster has an excellent point, and I've long been touting the fact that Wisconsin and Michigan receive the least federal disaster relief dollars each year, out of the entire nation. Last year, as reported by Mother Jones, the Top Ten states asking for federal natural disaster relief dollars were, in order from 1-10: Texas, California, Florida, Oklahoma, New York (?), Louisiana, Kentucky, Alabama, Missouri, Arkansas.

I always considered Michigan's climate a bit harsh in the winters, until I moved out west. While the northern parts of the mitten state get their fair share of snow, the southern half - especially around Detroit - is particularly mild. While out west, we have sun and snow in the winter (which is wonderful, and makes January-March fly by - plus low humidity keeps the bone-chilling aspect down) it's now the first week of May and we are STILL getting snow. Winters in Michigan are much shorter - which I miss! They also have become significantly milder since I was a child growing up only 20 years ago.

I don't think the Mitten State's comparatively mild weather with few natural disasters will serve as its own motivation for people in southern states to relocate. But it may serve as an incentive (along with the other incentives: cheap land/rent, educated work force, water, etc.) for companies who are trying to choose between a few different regions to host their business operations. Let's not underestimate how important our Great Lakes will become. Much of this nation is DRY, and those dry places are where people have been flocking in droves over the past decade. Much of Arizona, Nevada, parts of California simply do not have the resources to host as many people who have moved there - and brought their love of water and green grass to a desert climate which doesn't naturally produce either (I'm thinking specifically of those golf courses around Scottsdale, ugh.)

I, for one, am hoping that a combination of factors such as what I have listed above will help bring our state back from the depths. First thing is first though, nobody is going to move to Michigan in any notable numbers unless there are jobs to be had. And I mean MANY jobs to be had.

That said, Michigan is ripe for the picking right now, and likely for some time to come.

Your right. Now even though I do believe that eventually Michigan will be a hot spot for people to settle again, It also scares me that our great waters and state could be ruined. Now if no jobs come, we have nothing to worry about. But if they do...look for West Michigan to be huge compared to what it is now. Grand Rapids could double or triple in size. Now an earlier post said the storms and floods are not worse, but as more and more people flock to these areas...when a tornado...flood or hurricane does hit, there will be a lot more lives lost. I would like to see some info. on weather things really are getting worse or is it just because its reported more. It does seem like the tornadoes are getting stronger...maybe not.
This is an interesting chart, even though it doesnt say if things are getting worse...have to do more research. This just goes to show my point of how "weather stable" our state is, and Im guessing MI. is on the low end of 4-6 disasters.
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/reports.../state2009.pdf

[electric_lady]

Right, in many places it's not that the disasters are worse in scale or more common, but that the area is heavily populated, therefore more lives are affected.

[danielj72]

Im not sure the south is really the area that people may begin to abandon, other than the hurricane areas it will likely remain a stable place to live. What happened in Nashville really is a rare event there. Michigan may see a reversal in its population loss when the western states really start to dry up. It is a fact that the west does not have enough water to support thier oversized population. Its only logical that when water becomes a more scarce commodity in the future that Michigan and all other upper midwest states will see a huge revival. The water issue could make this part of America a boomtown, just like the south and west are now. This may take decades, but it is very likely if you really look at the reality of the water situtation. Most midwest states are seriously underated by other Americans, but sooner or later people will begin to see the great value in these overlooked states (including Mich).

[darstar]

Originally Posted by danielj72

Im not sure the south is really the area that people may begin to abandon, other than the hurricane areas it will likely remain a stable place to live. What happened in Nashville really is a rare event there. Michigan may see a reversal in its population loss when the western states really start to dry up. It is a fact that the west does not have enough water to support thier oversized population. Its only logical that when water becomes a more scarce commodity in the future that Michigan and all other upper midwest states will see a huge revival. The water issue could make this part of America a boomtown, just like the south and west are now. This may take decades, but it is very likely if you really look at the reality of the water situtation. Most midwest states are seriously underated by other Americans, but sooner or later people will begin to see the great value in these overlooked states (including Mich).

Make it Rain...its coming to a town near you. Hitch up the waggon, grab the kids and head out to the tent across the tracks...for more info.

[joemits]

Yes the southwest is too overpopulated for the lack of water they get/have. I only hope people move back to the midwest and not that we lose our political clout in DC and end up having to build a water pipeline to those arid desert cities like Phoenix, L.A.,Los Vegas etc..