Minneapolis Winters (Buffalo, Grand Rapids, Cleveland: schools, quality of life, live in)

[K-Luv]

Well, I am from 'out west' and so far I have endured ten years of Minnesota weather. To be quite frank, I am a bit pissed at the lack of snow fall. Honestly, I was expecting-and excited for-blizzards and ten foot snow banks and what not.

The cold-just dress proper for it and you will be fine. I find it funny that people that grew up here complain about how cold it is, while I am standing there like it is nothing-and I grew up in a place where 40 F is considered effin' cold!

My only complaint is that it tends to drag on a little too long. Come march, April and May it gets to the point where it is like "dude, this is still going on?", ya know?

Now, while it may not be freezing cold on the west coast (out side of the mountains), I find their winters to be more of a pain. While it may not be as cold, it still is drizzly and windy which makes for a very damp and miserable experience.

And bugs. We may only get them get them for three months out of the year, but out west, they are a 365 event. Not to mention the Black Widows...

At least you won't have to worry about snow emergencies.

[JenLee]

Personally, I'd take 3 months of straight -40 F weather over a place with BIG creepy crawly bugs!

Termites, roaches, lizards, black widows, etc.: NO THANK YOU!!!

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by JenLee

Personally, I'd take 3 months of straight -40 F weather over a place with BIG creepy crawly bugs!

Termites, roaches, lizards, black widows, etc.: NO THANK YOU!!!

ME TOO!

K-Luv-we used to have snow like that. I have to agree that there really hasn't been much snow the past 15 years, with the exception of maybe 2 years. Growing up we had the 10 foot snow banks, snow on the ground all winter. We would usually get a couple inches of snow each week and then every month or so would have 10+ inches. We always had at least one GOOD blizzard a year. We would usually have a couple snow days every year. The town I grew up in has a snow day every 5 years lately. It is sad.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by JenLee

Personally, I'd take 3 months of straight -40 F weather over a place with BIG creepy crawly bugs!

Termites, roaches, lizards, black widows, etc.: NO THANK YOU!!!

Termites are an issue (and termite bonds add to the expense of owning a house), but the roaches are large to keep the coyotes away. :-)

Okay, not really. But my wife seems to think so (at least based on her reactions when one gets in the house!) :-)

[warmweather!]

Well, I am currently in High School. I live in the Minneapolis metro. I will tell you this: I CAN'T STAND THE WINTER!!! I too want to move South/West. However, I will not wait to graduate from college. I hope to go to college some place warm!! Every area has a problem: But I will take pretty much any problem over Minnesota winters. I feel cold if it's less than 75 degrees-It's just the way God made me. So I do not do well in -20. I am simply NOT a winter person! I'm coming with you Sonicman!!

[kurls]

I love Mn except for Dec-Feb. I got spoiled living in Denver for 5 years. I know it snows there, but it usually melts in like 3 days and it can be 70+ degrees in January so whatever.

[midwest456]

Originally Posted by golfgal

You can drink beer in the summer too .


I also enjoy the winter. The variety of seasons keeps it interesting here in MN. I couldn't live someplace with the same weather year round. Personally I would take a couple days of -40° then having weeks of 110°+ any day.

-40 does sound a little scary for me, but I have to say, the summer has been beautiful here and so much cooler and less humid than KC's. Maybe it's just not an average Minnesota summer, but I'm going to enjoy this while it lasts.

[kuan]

We don't really get -40F down here. Up on the range it's more common.

That said, it's getting warmer and warmer it seems. Giant's Ridge had to lay off a bunch of people. It was a dismal snow year last season until that one week in March.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by kuan

We don't really get -40F down here. Up on the range it's more common.

That said, it's getting warmer and warmer it seems. Giant's Ridge had to lay off a bunch of people. It was a dismal snow year last season until that one week in March.

Sure we do, especially if you factor in the wind chill. We might only have a few days of that weather but it does happen. Big deal, you either stay inside or you bundle up really well. It is much easier to deal with then a Texas summer where it is 100+ degrees for weeks on end.

Next week is supposed to be more July like, 90's and humid. This has actually been a pretty nice summer compared to what we usually have. It has been warm but NO humidity! Usually we have upper 80's-low 90's and high humidity--much like that in Missouri.

[kuan]

Yeah, with windchill. I raced the loppet and it was -14F at the start and the wind was 20mph. They cut off sections of the race across the lake because it was too dangerousl