Young family planning to move from Kansas City - Advice needed (Minneapolis: 2013, house)

[deep33]

Hello,

I am considering a relocation to Minneapolis from the Kansas city metro area for a job. I have li'l kids in elementary school. I have not lived anywhere outside the Kansas City metro area for the past 20 years. We are used to single digit temperatures (0 F to 10 degree F) in KC sometimes. So a Minneapolis winter may not totally scare me like it might scare a Texan or Floridan. I would like to know however, what extra preparations should I take to survive a Minneapolis winter (as compared to KC) with li'l kids.

1) Does it snow so much that you'd have pull snow off your roof in a timely manner? (for fear that your roof caves in?)

2) Is 4 wheel drive a MUST in Minneapolis? I don't have 4 wheel drive in my car and I can't afford a better car right now.

3) Do you require a block heater/auxiliary heating to start your car in a Minneapolis winter?

4) What is a minimum/cut-off temperature below which they don't let elementary school kids play outside during the winter months at school in Minneapolis? Do school staff make sure that the kids are properly geared up before they let them out? Even if i send my younger kid to school fully geared, he tends to lose his gloves every other day!

5) Anything else i should know of.

Thank you,

Best Regards,
Worried Dad

[ellysbelly]

Originally Posted by deep33

Hello,

I am considering a relocation to Minneapolis from the Kansas city metro area for a job. I have li'l kids in elementary school. I have not lived anywhere outside the Kansas City metro area for the past 20 years. We are used to single digit temperatures (0 F to 10 degree F) in KC sometimes. So a Minneapolis winter may not totally scare me like it might scare a Texan or Floridan. I would like to know however, what extra preparations should I take to survive a Minneapolis winter (as compared to KC) with li'l kids.

1) Does it snow so much that you'd have pull snow off your roof in a timely manner? (for fear that your roof caves in?)

2) Is 4 wheel drive a MUST in Minneapolis? I don't have 4 wheel drive in my car and I can't afford a better car right now.

3) Do you require a block heater/auxiliary heating to start your car in a Minneapolis winter?

4) What is a minimum/cut-off temperature below which they don't let elementary school kids play outside during the winter months at school in Minneapolis? Do school staff make sure that the kids are properly geared up before they let them out? Even if i send my younger kid to school fully geared, he tends to lose his gloves every other day!

5) Anything else i should know of.

Thank you,

Best Regards,
Worried Dad

1) MSP doesn't get as much snow as most people think. We get an average of 50" a year-- winter is more of a cold event than a snow event-- that said, our highs in winter are usually around 20*ish-- so while we definitely do have single digit and sub-zero days, it's not (usually, 2013 was an exception to this!) a constant barrage of subzero temps.

2) AWD/4X4 is not a must have, but it is a nice to have; but FWD with good snow tires will be more than sufficient for most people. Streets get cleared here relatively quickly.

3) If you park outside (or have a diesel), then it's a good idea-- but not necessary; but if you have a garage (even just an insulated and not a heated one), you should be fine. My husband has an '08 vehicle that's parked outside and has neither a block heater nor a remote start and he's had no issues.

4) In our school district, kids can play outside during recess as long as the temps are above -10*. They cannot go outside without full snow gear: boots, snow pants, coat (and they should have hats and gloves, too-- but that doesn't seem to be strictly enforced, at least at my kids school)

5) MSP is a FANTASTIC place to raise kids-- there's tons to do, even on the coldest days (sledding, pond hockey, snowshoeing, skiing, tubing, snowboarding, etc)-- your kids will adjust in no time flat; especially as they're used to winter. Additionally, as I'm sure you're already aware, the schools here are excellent.

Welcome to MSP!

[BillWallace]

Hello Worried Dad,

I don't think it's as bad as you fear. Let me answer your questions -

1 - No need to worry about a roof cave in based on snow. During some years you may need to worry about ice dams if you have an older home with inadequate roof insulation. These sometimes do necessitate removing snow from the last 5 feed of a roof's edge.

2 - 4 wheel drive is a plus but not required. The vast majority of vehicles are front wheel drive. Snow removal here is quite efficient. You just need to learn to drive carefully and defensively. You also need to be ready for slow commutes during times of snow.

3 - No block heater is required. I've never used one but I have always had a garage. There are after market magnetic versions that are inexpensive and attach to your oil pan if you find it's an issue.

4 - Schools will often close down if there is 6+ inches of snow or temperatures get below -15/20 wind chill. Teachers will certainly be concerned about child safety in the winter.

5 - It will take some time to adapt but people have been successfully living here for a long time.

[Minnesota Spring]

Hello! My family is originally from the Kansas City/ St. Joe area but we have been living in Minnesota for the past 20+ years. Welcome to Minnesota! Although the winters are colder, I think you will enjoy the amenities and quality of life here more so than KC (although I do love KC and visit regularly).
Anyway- No- pulling snow off of your roof is not needed. If we do get a blizzard or heavy snow, the wind usually limits the amount that accumulates on roof tops.

I have not had a 4 wheel drive once in my 20 years of driving here and I am fine - in fact I find driving in Missouri during the winter more treacherous due to the greater number of hills and the fact that they don't plow the streets in a timely manner!

I only end up plugging my car in once or twice during the winter if parked outside, but not needed in the Twin Cities area (maybe if you were way up north by Canada).

Again, you will like Minnesota. Missouri winters are shorter, generally, so by the time February comes along you will get tired of it- that's when I usually try to go someplace warm for a week or so (like Florida or CA), but all and all the summers are sooooooooo much better here. Yes, we have some hot and humid days, but compared to Missouri summers, Minnesota is paradise

PS- In Minnesota they say "Aunt" instead of "Ant" for relative, you will notice the "O" in MinnesOta, leftse and lutifisk are real but you don't see too much of it around the Twin Cities area anymore (go to rural Minnesota for that), KC is just a quick 6-7 hour drive down I-35, and Summit and Nordeast beer is better than KC Blvd. beer, haha!

[mr roboto]

You are concerned about things that MAY be relevant 1-2x per year, max. Those are the outliers.

[Hosken Powell]

The policy in Hennepin-Anoka is to not let kids out at recess if it's 0F or -10F windchill. If temp or windchill is -35F, school is cancelled. Not sure about other school districts but I would imagine similar policy.

[StPaulGal]

Originally Posted by deep33

1) Does it snow so much that you'd have pull snow off your roof in a timely manner? (for fear that your roof caves in?)

Definitely not something you have to worry about! Virtually all roofs are pitched, so the snow takes care of itself. The rare flat roof would be constructed to withstand the weight of the snow. As previously stated, the only reason anyone would remove snow from the roof would be to prevent ice dams on an older house with leaky insulation. (Ice dams happen when snow melts slightly and then re-freezes into ice at the edge of the roof, thus blocking the melting snow further up from flowing off the roof and potentially causing water intrusion.)

Originally Posted by deep33

2) Is 4 wheel drive a MUST in Minneapolis? I don't have 4 wheel drive in my car and I can't afford a better car right now.

Certainly not a must. Roads are cleared pretty quickly after a snowfall. 4 wheel drive is nice, snow tires are nicer, but neither is necessary.

Originally Posted by deep33

3) Do you require a block heater/auxiliary heating to start your car in a Minneapolis winter?

Not unless your car is a semi truck or on its last legs. I have a block heater--it came with the trim level I wanted--but I have never used it and I doubt I ever will. I have been parking outside this winter.

Originally Posted by deep33

4) What is a minimum/cut-off temperature below which they don't let elementary school kids play outside during the winter months at school in Minneapolis? Do school staff make sure that the kids are properly geared up before they let them out? Even if i send my younger kid to school fully geared, he tends to lose his gloves every other day!

I can't help you here, but I can't imagine that staff would let your kids go outside when it would be hazardous to their well being. And on that note, it actually takes quite a lot for it to be truly hazardous. Nobody is going to lose a hand because they misplaced their glove on the playground. Will they be chilly? Yes, probably, if they are still playing in the snow. But in danger? Not unless they are out there in their skivvies.

[mr roboto]

In our school anything below zero air temp and they stay inside for recess. My kids (2nd grade and K) bring snow pants, boots, gloves etc and play in the snow at recess. They love it.

[Glenfield]

You do not need to worry about any of these things.

[Mason3000]

All great responses to the OP.

Piling on...

1. No. I've known one person ever who had to clear snow off his roof and he lived in an old flat roofed mansion on one of the city lakes.

2. No. Front wheel drive and good tires is all you need. Most people I know with 4WD find they rarely use it.

3. No. I have a 2001 car that I park on the street. It has a good battery and starts right up every morning, no problem. If you plan to park on the street use your auto-start. If you don't have one, have one installed. Clicking on the auto starter 10-15 minutes before you leave is such a difference in quality of life in Minnesota. Just as I head downstairs to start my coffee, I start the car. It's warm when you get in, you never have to scrape your windshield and rarely have to dust snow off the car windows.

4. No idea. I have two kids in grade school. They bring snow pants, hat, gloves and winter/snow boots. Teachers won't let them outside if it's unsafe. Kids are smart too. They know when enough is enough. There's also a massive box of gloves/hats/scarfs/sweatshirts/sweaters, etc. in the lost and found. I'm not suggesting your kids should wear other people's worn clothing, but over the years kids have been known to borrow mittens from the lost and found in a pinch.

5. Take care of your feet. It's not the cold that will get them, it's getting wet. My day-to-day challenge is usually wet feet. Merino wool or Smart wool socks is where you start. They're a little spendy, but your feet are worth it. It's hard to explain why, but try them, you'll never got back to regular cotton socks in the winter again. Next, weatherproof is more important than insulation if you live in the metro area. Most people don't hike through the wilderness in their every day boots. They just need to navigate the parking lots at work, cub foods, target & the local grade school. You get snow on your boots and hop into the car. The heater's on, the snow melts onto you boots, they get wet, your socks get wet, they stay wet all day long, and stink. I like 'duck boots' personally, but anything that's waterproof will work.