CNY Winters v. Southern Summers (New York, Syracuse: buy, movies, high school)

[Texas Gremlin]

Hello Syracuse Forum, I have been wondering how I would take spending a summer indoors mainly or a winter. If my family doesn't move up North, we'll probably stay in the South, moving from Texas to North Carolina or Tennessee.

Is there a difference? Being from Texas and not having any experience with a CNY winter. A hot summer can keep you indoors just as a lot of snow could. Since I love to take walks and spend time outdoors, I wonder if either one of these climes would be a better fit.

[ckhthankgod]

It depends. In last 5 winters or so, it seems to alternate between a very harsh winter and a relatively mild winter in terms of snow. It can even vary within a week or a month too. You will see people walking or running in the winter, but the volume will depend on the conditions.

[ToeJam]

In the summer you can get some relief by going outside at night when it is slightly cooler. You can't really do that in the snow since it doesn't get ant better until it is gone. Even in the summers it rains a lot compared to Texas. Sure there are outdoor activities that can be done in the snow, but the weather is probably the worst part about living here for me.

[boomvang]

With the proper clothing and equipment, winters here can be very enjoyable. I can't stress how important good weather protection is in making the most of your enjoyment of the great variety in winter activity that this area affords. If dressed properly, I find I can be comfortable in temps down to 0' or so, as long as the wind is not too bad. I enjoy snowshoeing and cross country skiing, and have been a little bummed that we have had such little white stuff so far. I feel that you can always put on more clothing if you're cold, but will face arrest (or worse) if you take off too much in the southern summers.

[Neversaynever]

I recently moved back to CNY from Florida where I lived the summers indoors. This is a mild winter here so far, that being said we have cold snaps and then it warms up a bit to walk and do outdoor activites. In FL it never cooled down for months at a time so the outdoor activity was less.

[proulxfamily]

Originally Posted by boomvang

With the proper clothing and equipment, winters here can be very enjoyable. I can't stress how important good weather protection is in making the most of your enjoyment of the great variety in winter activity that this area affords. If dressed properly, I find I can be comfortable in temps down to 0' or so, as long as the wind is not too bad. I enjoy snowshoeing and cross country skiing, and have been a little bummed that we have had such little white stuff so far. I feel that you can always put on more clothing if you're cold, but will face arrest (or worse) if you take off too much in the southern summers.

This!

One of my good friends - a lifelong resident of Cazenovia - hated winters until several years ago. I knew her from high school but didn't cross paths with her much... until she married our neighbor. He introduced her to winter activities and she loves it now. We all go sledding, snowshoeing, build bonfires and have parties... like the "Family Winter Olympics." lol - that's not including regular things like snowboarding/skiing/ice skating. Staple activities of the winter olympics also include a caber-toss and cross-country skiing and shooting. <---biathlon. Even at night, we'll throw a floodlight outside and keep sledding. Hysterics commence, especially when all the sleds are taken (kids DO get first dibs, after all) and the kayaks get pulled out. lol

Bundle up and enjoy the snow. If it's going to be cold, it might as well snow plenty... so we can ENJOY it. And when the wind gets to be too much, go inside and make stew/bread/hot chocolate/popcorn and watch movies. It's really not bad at all.

[ToeJam]

Originally Posted by Texas Gremlin

Being from Texas and not having any experience with a CNY winter.

Originally Posted by proulxfamily

It's really not bad at all.

I think most people who say it isn't that bad grew up with cold weather and snow. I think anyone from the Southwest will say differently. This has been the best winter since I moved here, but I will be happy to never see snow up close again. I think it looks pretty on the mountains in the distance. It has a lot to do with where you grew up and what you are used to. I know people around here hate when it gets hot and it doesn't get nearly as hot here as it does in the Southwest. 100 degree weather isn't really all that bad to some.

[proulxfamily]

Originally Posted by ToeJam

I think most people who say it isn't that bad grew up with cold weather and snow. I think anyone from the Southwest will say differently. This has been the best winter since I moved here, but I will be happy to never see snow up close again. I think it looks pretty on the mountains in the distance. It has a lot to do with where you grew up and what you are used to. I know people around here hate when it gets hot and it doesn't get nearly as hot here as it does in the Southwest. 100 degree weather isn't really all that bad to some.

Yes- huge differences. lol - I've been thinking that this mild winter, until this past week, was wretched... we couldn't do anything because there was NO snow to play with. If it's going to be cold, I want snow.

[ss20ts]

Originally Posted by Texas Gremlin

Hello Syracuse Forum, I have been wondering how I would take spending a summer indoors mainly or a winter. If my family doesn't move up North, we'll probably stay in the South, moving from Texas to North Carolina or Tennessee.

Is there a difference? Being from Texas and not having any experience with a CNY winter. A hot summer can keep you indoors just as a lot of snow could. Since I love to take walks and spend time outdoors, I wonder if either one of these climes would be a better fit.

I grew up near Albany which is about 2 1/2 hours east of Syracuse and now live in SC southeast of Atlanta. Strange to think I actually live south of Atlanta!

The summer here in the South isn't June, July, and August. My a/c has been on since mid-March and will be on until a few days before Thanksgiving. Winter does NOT last that long!

With winter, you can put on extra layers of clothes, buy warm clothes, have fires (woodstoves are fabulous), snuggle up with a blanket, a good book, and a mug of hot cocoa. In Southern summer, you can't walk around naked. Wouldn't really help if you could. Who wants to snuggle with anyone when it's 105 degrees on for 3 weeks straight? Winter makes snuggling fun with humans, cats, dogs, books, blankets, etc.

[shawn88]

I've met three Texans who were up here visiting or moved here and all three of them said they love upstate New York...One of the three talked about how nice it is to have so much water.