Utah Winter... NOT tropical... (Provo, Vernal: house, places to live, statistics)

[ChrisC]

Sooooooo, (Chris chuckles sarcastically and dons a sardonic little smile) how d'y'all like real winter? Enjoy it. I believe today will be the last day of real winter for now. Me? You bet I'm enjoying it. I went jogging yesterday in around 14 degree sunshine. Seven miles. Perfect. Loved it. Now, had the wind been blowing, no. But as it was, I wish I could jog in that every day. It was a beautiful winter wonderland. Most fun I've had jogging since our cold snap last year. I even got to wear my ice-cleat-equipped running shoes!




Okay, now to give this thread an actual topic (other than me gloating about the true winter we finally have... at least for a few days), let me point out that you cannot say we don't have cold winters here in Utah (yesterday was exhibit A). Yet, I read it over and over on the forum. Mild winters. Doesn't get that bad. Don't need a coat. Well, what do you think now?

It's really a disservice to give someone who asks, and has never been here before, the impression that it doesn't get cold here. It does. Right now it's 10 outside. In Vernal it was -12 F last night. That's cold, boys and girls. Not being dressed for it could be a deadly mistake.

The difference between Utah and places that are famous for cold winters is "duration." Yesterday's high was 16. That's pretty close to a North Dakota or Northern Minnesota winter day. I think we can all agree it's cold! But Minnesota has this sort of high temp all winter long. We have it in little spurts of a few days once, twice, or three times (if we're lucky) each winter. But cold is cold, whether it's for a couple of days or a couple of months. What happens when you tell someone to bring their Hawaiian shirt during the winter because it's "not that cold" and it's 15 degrees when they get here? Are you going to pay for their frostbite surgery?

The thing about Utah winter is that you just don't know. You do know in Northern Maine or Vermont, but you don't know here. It can be just as cold as anywhere else in the lower 48 states. But it can also be 50 degrees during a bad cycle of winter . When I first moved here, winter tended to be more like it is now (very cold) more often. But we still get it at times. We've had it twice this winter and hopefully a time or two more before spring. I guess what my diatribe is getting at is that we should advise others to be prepared for this sort of weather during Utah winters. You may only need a pair of running shorts and a tank top at times during the winter. But what do you need right now if you are going to be out for any length of time? Advise newcomers to be prepared. Better safe than... frostbitten.


Okay folks, time to go running in the winter wonderland. Hasta la vista, baby. Have a great ... W I N T E R ... day! (notice how my mood is better than usual )

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Last year, we had a week straight where the temp never even rose to freezing and the lows were all about 10 deg. After you get used to it, which for me was 1 winter, you can go out in lighter jackets if all you are doing is house-car-store, but not if you are walking the dog, watching the kids, taking a hike, going downtown, etc. And kids playing seem to generate more heat than adults so they might like lighter jackets. But Chris' message is on target!

[skibarbie]

I will take a 5 degree day in Utah over a 25-35 degree day in Kansas any day-even if it is cloudy! Give me those nice, low relative humidity readings, maybe mix in a little bit of sun and I am a very happy girl.
Where I think that mistakes are made is not having several options within easy reach. I keep extra hat and gloves in the my car startin in October thru May and a raincoat in her all year round.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by ChrisC

Sooooooo, (Chris chuckles sarcastically and dons a sardonic little smile) how d'y'all like real winter? Enjoy it. I believe today will be the last day of real winter for now. Me? You bet I'm enjoying it. I went jogging yesterday in around 14 degree sunshine. Seven miles. Perfect. Loved it. Now, had the wind been blowing, no. But as it was, I wish I could jog in that every day. It was a beautiful winter wonderland. Most fun I've had jogging since our cold snap last year. I even got to wear my ice-cleat-equipped running shoes!

Chris, you are absolutely nuts! (I say that in the nicest possible way.) You really need to move to Antarctica where it's cold all the time and no other people to speak of.

Right now it's 10 outside. In Vernal it was -12 F last night. That's cold, boys and girls. Not being dressed for it could be a deadly mistake.

No, anything below 55 is cold. Anything below 40 is miserable. Anything above 95 is hot. 80 to 85 is absolutely perfect.

The difference between Utah and places that are famous for cold winters is "duration." Yesterday's high was 16. That's pretty close to a North Dakota or Northern Minnesota winter day. I think we can all agree it's cold! But Minnesota has this sort of high temp all winter long. We have it in little spurts of a few days once, twice, or three times (if we're lucky) each winter.

But those few days absolutely seem like forever! Historically, starting December 23 and ending January 14, the average daytime high in Salt Lake is 36 degrees and the average nighttime low is 21 degrees. That's over three weeks of what, at least to me and Kaytidid, is way, way, way too cold. As far as the duration of winter is concerned, the average first snowfall comes on November 6. The average last snowfall comes on April 19. That means that statistically, there is a very reasonable chance of snow for 45% of the year. To me snow = winter. So, 55% of the year is split between spring, summer and fall, and 45% of the year is winter. Ugh!

The thing about Utah winter is that you just don't know. You do know in Northern Maine or Vermont, but you don't know here.

You're right about that. It's pretty different from one winter to the next around here. At least this year, we're not going to have to spend February through April listening to the TV weathermen whining about how we need more snow, as if there's anything anybody can do about it.

Okay folks, time to go running in the winter wonderland. Hasta la vista, baby. Have a great ... W I N T E R ... day! (notice how my mood is better than usual )

Actually, I did notice. How could I not? I can't wait till summer and I'm outside on my deck in 90 degree weather, thinking about what I'm going to say to you the next time I get online. Just you wait!

[kaytidid]

Katz, I do believe Chris here needs to be committed...surely we can find him a nice white (as snow) jacket for him to wear...lol

Just kidding, of course. It does take all types of people to love Utah's vast weather patterns. Katz and I just spend our entire winter months at home wrapped up in sweaters and blankets. Thanks Katz, for pointing out the percentage of actual winter months we have here. Ugh indeed.

I am really glad that all the other great points (people, views, summer weather months, ect) outweigh the winter. For that, I will just continue to hibernate and leave the winter weather to Chris so that he can continue to be happy!!

[ChrisC]

Originally Posted by skibarbie

Where I think that mistakes are made is not having several options within easy reach. I keep extra hat and gloves in the my car startin in October thru May and a raincoat in her all year round.

Absolutely. A very wise choice. I always have a heavy coat and some basic survival gear in the car during the winter. I love the winter WHEN I'm prepared for the cold.

Originally Posted by Katzpur

Chris, you are absolutely nuts! (I say that in the nicest possible way.) You really need to move to Antarctica where it's cold all the time and no other people to speak of.

Hey, I'd love it! My fantasy "dream places to live" list has always been almost exclusively populated by such regions. Actually, I'm kind of partial to Greenland. Here's one of my armchair quarterback dream towns in Greenland (yes, I've read about most all of them. I probably know the climate and geography of Greenland better than the US ): Kulusuk, southeast coastal Greenland. (take a look at the full size photo of the town and northern lights. You MUST admit that is absolutely gorgeous!)

Originally Posted by kaytidid

Katz, I do believe Chris here needs to be committed...surely we can find him a nice white (as snow) jacket for him to wear...lol

Just kidding, of course. It does take all types of people to love Utah's vast weather patterns. Katz and I just spend our entire winter months at home wrapped up in sweaters and blankets. Thanks Katz, for pointing out the percentage of actual winter months we have here. Ugh indeed.

I am really glad that all the other great points (people, views, summer weather months, ect) outweigh the winter. For that, I will just continue to hibernate and leave the winter weather to Chris so that he can continue to be happy!!

Yes. I'll be happy for the next month or two. Then comes the time when I'd rather be hibernating... like a grumpy old grizzly bear.

Actually, I'm generally wrapped up as well. But then again, I keep the interior temps below 60 degrees during the winter. Bundling up is half the fun of it! Especially at night under a warm, soft fleece blanket with a definite chill in the room's air. Sheer heaven sleeping weather! A little wrapping up inside the house and a lot of bundling up outside the house. Gotta luv it. Yeah, okay, I'm batty. But I still love it!

[outnabout]

I won't post any 'statistics', but after weathering 35+ winters in Utah, let me say....you ain't seen nuthin yet
There are plenty of storys about 'feet' of snow. And I have my share.
This last storm was a reality, but by no means a Wakeup Call. No doubt, the majority of members here live in/on the 'Front', where most rely on public services to save your caboose. Try being off the Beaten Path and at 7000', to really fathom what winter is.
Storms come and go. Adapt. I woke up to single digits today, only to be in a T-shirt by midday.
Being prepared?...Boy Scouts rule
I don't jogggg, but I showshoe, much more cardiovascular
Thing about Utah, a storm can hit one area and leave another alone. sooner or later,we all are gonna get it

[Chango]

It's winter?! I'd better get off the forum and go outside more often....

[UtahRoots]

ChrisC - Just move to Park City. It snowed on May 24th last year and started up again around Oct. 25th. So spring, summer and fall happened in five months and the hottest day in July I think was maybe 80 degrees. Park City can be awfully darned close to Antarctica (it was 7 degrees when I got to work Tues. morning). It's just flippin' freezing. But Sundance Film Festival is coming up soon, and at least we'll get some entertainment watching the Hollywood types all dressed up for winter. It's hysterically funny. You haven't lived until you've seen somebody try to look glamorous while simultaneously trying to get through three foot snowplow mounds in five inch spike-heeled fur trimmed black boots. Too funny. I can't wait for SkiBarbie to pick up where I'm leaving off...

[gsilver]

As a recent NM transplant, the cold hasn't bothered me that much, as I've still gone hiking in 20-25 degree weather without much difficulty, but it's the ice and lack of sun that really gets to me.

I'm glad that we've had a fair amount of sun in the new year, but things are really dark for my tastes (made worse by the light pollution: you don't really have "dusk" around here in Provo). On the road I'm on, my car has really struggled to get up to the main road most of last week, and I've nearly missed work (and have been hours late or had to call in favors from truck owning people) from the snowfall a few times.