Would you relocate because of Wisconsin Winters? (Milwaukee, Green Bay: appointed, house)

[Eshea]

I stay because i love the weather here! I grew up here and until i am really old or my Doc says move for my health....here is where I will stay!

[43north87west]

Originally Posted by Milwaukee City

If you could just pick up and leave would you? If your job relocated and you had the means to move could you leave all your family and friends?

The choices didn't really do justice to the variety of options in the US, but I voted all the same.

I already did just this. I left, sort of. I enjoy Milwaukee when the weather is nice, and the southwest when the weather in Milwaukee is crap. In my opinion, Milwaukee's winter blows. This winter simply redefines the word "blows". It blows worse. But it blew last winter, and it blew the winter before that. It's only the degree of how much the weather blows, that changes. For a person who likes cold, gray, humid weather, or for a person who is indifferent to cold, gray, humid weather, Milwaukee is nice. For a person who hates cold weather, or a person who is affected by chronically gray skies and cold, clammy weather, the weather in Milwaukee stinks.

Like EP, I enjoy the desert southwest. I'm also very interested in New Mexico, since it has a nice climate, nice people, a low d-bag factor, and it's a nice size. And it's separated from California by Arizona. High desert is a very appealing climate. Not too hot, not too cold. And dry. It has an outdoorsy, artsy feel, without being weird or "off". But, there are other places that are nice, some of them haven't yet boomed. Ask me the best place to live in another 20 or 30 years and I will probably tell you several more places that I haven't yet lived.

[JS20000]

I moved to Milwaukee for some job; I have no friends or relatives within several hundred miles of this place. The weather here is my utmost gripe-I will never get used to snowy, minus degree winters. The traffic is very manageable for a city of its size, the people are a lot nicer than expected (contrary to what I have been told for years about people "up north"), and the city is generally safer than a lot of others. I think that people who are used to these kinds of winters, grew up in Wisconsin, or have some familial connection to this place will stay here (or even return). Not a lot of people from the south live in Milwaukee (except for me-what was I thinking)?

[Milwaukee Ronnie]

For me, weather will never be the deciding factor, or even in the top five list of deciding factors, when choosing to move or remain.

[Butterball42]

I moved here from Kansas over a year ago (husband took a job here), and although that first winter was a bit of a shock, I must say I love it here and am happy to stay!

Sure, there are places throughout the US with "perfect" weather (San Diego, etc.), but there are also many, many areas with terrible weather! The NE has long, cold, wet winters, the SE has the sweltering, muggy summers, even many areas in Cali are unbearably hot. Having grown up in western Kansas, we endured winters that are just as cold as Wisconsin (though admittedly less snow), and then put up with long, 100+ degree summers as well, complete with no rain and very little vegetation which is dead and brown by June. Milwaukee may have crappy winters, but last year, when spring/summer arrived, I thought I was in heaven. Beautiful greenery/flowers everywhere, summer temps that actually allow people to do stuff outdoors, gorgeous autumn... so even if I have to put up with a rough winter (which many people througout the US also do), for me, the rest of the year is completely worth it. I had never been to Wisconsin before moving here, and I'm actually a little saddened by a lot of the negative posts throughout the forum, because I think it's a great place to live and a sort of well-kept secret.

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by Butterball42

I moved here from Kansas over a year ago (husband took a job here), and although that first winter was a bit of a shock, I must say I love it here and am happy to stay!

Sure, there are places throughout the US with "perfect" weather (San Diego, etc.), but there are also many, many areas with terrible weather! The NE has long, cold, wet winters, the SE has the sweltering, muggy summers, even many areas in Cali are unbearably hot. Having grown up in western Kansas, we endured winters that are just as cold as Wisconsin (though admittedly less snow), and then put up with long, 100+ degree summers as well, complete with no rain and very little vegetation which is dead and brown by June. Milwaukee may have crappy winters, but last year, when spring/summer arrived, I thought I was in heaven. Beautiful greenery/flowers everywhere, summer temps that actually allow people to do stuff outdoors, gorgeous autumn... so even if I have to put up with a rough winter (which many people througout the US also do), for me, the rest of the year is completely worth it. I had never been to Wisconsin before moving here, and I'm actually a little saddened by a lot of the negative posts throughout the forum, because I think it's a great place to live and a sort of well-kept secret.

What a great post!!

I think winter's hardest aspects up here are their *length* more than anything, however, I think you are right - largely, when it *isn't* winter, it is quite nice here. Unlike many areas of the US, summers here are very pleasant rarely exceeding 90 (outside of the blasted mosquitoes), and generally September and October are beautiful.

Great post!

[Milwaukee City]

Ugh I'm already dying because of our winter already. Is it summer yet!!!

[lotus PA]

Living between Milwaukee and Chicago for 40 years has been a good run, but it's getting old. Winters are getting old. Not so much the cold or the snow but just the gray and lack of sun. You can only do the museum thing, aquarium, planetarium, go look at tall buildings and hang out by Lake Michigan and drink beer thing so much. It starts to become meaningless if you cant enjoy outdoors for more than 5 months a year. That's about when most people in the midwest crawl out of their caves, me included. Good food is available in most areas of our country these days. I've traveled alot and I've had it all over except Florida is a little lacking. I'd rather work harder for the better weather, maybe find a decent deal on an apartment and work farther away from all the congestion of a big city. Yup I'd rather throw my money away and rent that live another year here. This area is becoming more and more congested and if Im going to put up with that, I might as well be warm and happy with some sun most of my life. If I want snow I will drive to it or take a plane to Colorado. Sunshine does =happiness for me. I know me.

[AMC Man Dan King O' Keno]

Originally Posted by Milwaukee City

If you could just pick up and leave would you? If your job relocated and you had the means to move could you leave all your family and friends?

I did relocate because of WI winters.

I can't wait to get back where my family and friends are in WI. I'll handle the winter, as I did before for 27 or so years. Also miss the good grub up there.

But for me, I found that being away from family and friends is brutal. I miss alot of other things about WI as well.

As far as the winters go, the gloomy skies are what really wears on me. But now, after living 5 years in a place that's warm all year round, I know it's not all it's cracked up to be. ( For me anyways)

I'm looking forward to a nice WI summer instead of the sauna that is Florida. Don't get me wrong, FL is okay, I just like WI better.

P.S. Milwaukee City, I'd trade places with ya in a heartbeat!

[just1paul]

I have considered it, but frankly I am here to stay. Already this year we have made it into December with relatively decent weather. Yes we will have more gray days and they can get "wearying" but they do come to an end. By my count we will have winter in December, January, February and March. I won't count April because we don't NORMALLY get nailed, except for the freak once in a while snowstorm. The winter cycle for us is becoming warmer I've noticed, and last year was the first year in a while that we really got nailed.

I will also stay here because so far I haven't seen a tornado in the city itself, nor a hurricane or felt an earthquake.

To borrow and change an old State of Wisconsin motto "We like it here", I will state "I like it here".