Do people in your area really get out and enjoy the weather? (days, storms)
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I think that also has a lot to do with the culture of the location as well as weather. The west coast.. (PNW and California) is well known to be one of the most active areas in the US and people are often trying to get outside even if it's pouring rain. The southeast US (including Tennessee I would presume) has one of the highest obesity rates in the the US. It could be a function of the weather but I think it has more to do with the mindset and culture. For heat haters, winter and late spring and fall would be ideal times to get outside to jog or do exercise but I bet this doesn't happen much in the SE USA even during these seasons because it's not ingrained in the culture. Anyway, that's my take. What do you think?
I agree, and in fact I considered going back and editing my post to state that it might be more of a cultural difference than a climate one. It's probably a combination of several things. There are more bike lanes, trails, sidewalks, and parks here, and people seem a little more apt to leave the car at home (and it's easier to do so). The weather is less extreme, for sure, but in TN I would rarely see anyone outside on what could be considered a typical PNW day: cloudy/drizzly and 40-55 degrees. Of course, that's not to say that people never go outside in TN, it's just that they seem to be less likely to when the weather isn't ideal. When I visited family at Christmas, we walked around the town square and the downtown area for maybe an hour or so. It was sunny and about 60 degrees and the entire area was practically abandoned. There were plenty of cars driving through, but I only saw a couple of people out walking, besides us. Granted, it was a holiday, but here there would still be loads of people out walking and biking, especially with that weather.
From the Tetons to the Snake River, we have some of the best outdoor recreation in the US right in our backyard. People here are outdoors year round, in all weather. It seems like most of the new people you talk to moved here specifically for the quality of life and endless opportunities to recreate outside. Weather may change the gear you need, but it doesn't stop the activities.
Weather may change the gear you need, but it doesn't stop the activities.
That's something that too many people in the Eastern United States have no comprehension of, possibly because, excluding the northern tier, they don't get enough snow to have any real winter activities.
Vancouver people seem very much all-season people. People are out jogging, hiking, biking, and so on, in all weather. Lots of people head up to mountains in winter and ski, too, but despite the Winter Olympics here, the people here seem very all-seasons. There is a slight increase in business in summer, but I'd say it's mostly due to summer being the primary tourist season here.
Cairo people were kind of wimpy when it came to seasonal change. That's not to say people, especially the working classes, didn't brave all weather with a good deal less climate control than the average Canadian, but the concept of "getting out and enjoying the weather" was pretty limited to evening cafe life in summer and afternoon cafe life in winter. People were constantly surprised there at my going for walks in summer ( "but it's hot!" ) or winter ( "but it's cold!" )
despite the Winter Olympics here, the people here seem very all-seasons.
Vancouver is a very poor place to host a Winter Olympics because of its lack of winter, but all the action took place at Whistler anyway, and the Vancouver ceremony was just for show (no offense intended). It's no surprise that Vancouver would be an all-season city. With its July average of 22/13C, it could just as easily host a Summer Olympics.
Vancouver is a very poor place to host a Winter Olympics because of its lack of winter, but all the action took place at Whistler anyway, and the Vancouver ceremony was just for show (no offense intended).
Vancouver has the warmest winters of any city that hosted the Winter Olympics. Until 2014, when the even warmer Sochi will host it.
I'm reposting what NYC's Central Park looks like on a nice day (this was about a month ago). No, you won't find nearly as many people out in January/February.
And at least in the evening, you'll see more people out on a July evening than January. The Hudson River walkway by Battery Park City was almost deserted when I stopped by on a late afternoon December day (windy and 40°F). I think the weather made a difference.
In theory even a tropical city could host the Winter Olympics if they had mountains high enough.. Most other sports could be indoors and climate-controlled. I can't think of any major tropical city at sea level that has mountains high enough for a snowpack in winter though. Hilo, HI could be a contender but it's not a major city.
Although there is always the possibility of government-ISP collusion compromising my safety, I am not concerned about my safety being in danger from any quarter, especially on a weather forum. I have better reasons.
You could post a state or even just a general region. Gives other posters an idea of where their perspective comes from. I'd admit readily my comments on the seasons would be quite different if I lived in the south or the west coast. And my posting my general region gives other posters a sense of where my bias is coming from.
Obviously you're free not to post your location, but I don't think posting the state should cause any privacy concerns.
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