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I've lived in California, Massachusetts and Texas. Pretty good variety. But honestly, the change of seasons can be the hardest part of all. For example, in Austin I tend to get upset about the loss of cool mornings and fresh breezes. We're getting into summer soon and I hate the transition. Yet, after it becomes summer, life just changes and I like it again.
Does that make sense? It seems that my resistance to the change is the real problem.
One more thing --- climate determines lifestyle, architecture, landscapes, gardening, etc. I hate Phoenix because it's too sunny and there aren't enough trees. Austin's humidity can be hard to take, but it's part of why we have a lot of trees here. This is a heavily forested city, and we get a lot more cloudy days than Phoenix. So it depends on what you like. Some people think that endless sunny days are wonderful. The sun drives me nuts! Well, I'm not moving to Seattle, but the intensity of relentless blistering sun in Phoenix would drive me nuts. I spent 3 days there with friends and the temperatures were "only" in the 80s and 90s, but it felt MUCH hotter to me because there was no shade, no escape from the extreme sunshine.
So I guess I prefer some humidity, some shade (TREES!!!) and some clouds.
I don't know if this post answers anything about your original post. Sorry if I went off on a tangent.
Yeah, this is exactly what I want to hear. I am nervous about going from Phoenix to a colder, more humid climate. I hate the blaring sun and every time it's cloudy or cold here I love it. But, that said, I've never really lived in a 4 season climate before. I wonder if I will have a hard time. Every time I mention moving back east, or south people tell me I'm crazy! I'm already in the best climate, and I will hate the snow. I'm looking forward to some snow, but am I crazy to do so? And is humidity really that bad? I am so dried out in Phoenix. My hands and feet, my hair, it's all dry and brittle. I use a 1/2 bottle of lotion a week. I think I would like the humidity. In the monsoon out here I love it. So I wonder, and post like yours help out a lot.
Thanks
Yeah, this is exactly what I want to hear. I am nervous about going from Phoenix to a colder, more humid climate. I hate the blaring sun and every time it's cloudy or cold here I love it. But, that said, I've never really lived in a 4 season climate before. I wonder if I will have a hard time. Every time I mention moving back east, or south people tell me I'm crazy! I'm already in the best climate, and I will hate the snow. I'm looking forward to some snow, but am I crazy to do so? And is humidity really that bad? I am so dried out in Phoenix. My hands and feet, my hair, it's all dry and brittle. I use a 1/2 bottle of lotion a week. I think I would like the humidity. In the monsoon out here I love it. So I wonder, and post like yours help out a lot.
Thanks
Twiggy, you'll probably be ok since you aren't moving to a brutal climate with four seasons. Now if you were moving from Az. to my area, there's a few words of warning I'd have for you about our winters. But Ga doesn't seem to have anything horrible for winter. If you'd be looking at a few feet of snow and 4 months of sub-zero temps, you'd still be using tons of lotion and you'd probably be miserable. Boone looks like it has a fairly nice climate.
Twiggy, you'll probably be ok since you aren't moving to a brutal climate with four seasons. Now if you were moving from Az. to my area, there's a few words of warning I'd have for you about our winters. But Ga doesn't seem to have anything horrible for winter. If you'd be looking at a few feet of snow and 4 months of sub-zero temps, you'd still be using tons of lotion and you'd probably be miserable. Boone looks like it has a fairly nice climate.
Well, I was actually planning on moving to New England. GA was a post on here I thought I would look into. What if I moved to say MA or RI? Do you think I would regrete that as far as winters go? I heard it's more humid. I see your in the Dakota's, cold and dry and windy, right? That I wouldn't dream of doing. I would want a humid cold, because it would feel warmer.
Just like the dryness makes our summers more bearable I think the humidity makes the winters more bearable. Desert, or dry cold with wind, yikes.
I've never been to RI or MA, but they get pretty chilly over there, too. Oh and SNOWY!!!
The climate in my state is split. Our state is separated by the Missouri River and East River (where I live) has a somewhat humid climate. West River has a semi-arid climate. East side used to be the prairies (Laura Ingalls Wilder lived just north of where I live~Little House on the Prairie) so it's flat with areas of rolling hills. West River has the Badlands and the Black Hills. They're not actually "hills", but are mountains. They're called the Black Hills because the Sioux used to call them the Paha Sapa and that's the translation. Harney Peak out in the Hills is the highest point east of the Rockies.
We have a LOT of wind East River. I live in the southeastern part of the state so it's a bit warmer then the northern part. The record low for the town I live in is minus 50 and that's without the windchill. There was a morning that hit minus 90 with windchill and I remember it well. We also get some hot days during the summer. (which I love) The record high for my town is 116.
If you live in RI or MA, you may need a few heavy coats and long johns. Snow shovels, a snowblower, and warm winter clothes that you can layer will probably be necessary. You'll need to get your car winterized and be sure to have good tires on your car. I don't know just how much snow they get over there, but in my area~having a four wheel drive in your family is always a good idea. Save up for the winter heating bills because it's getting expensive to heat homes.
I don't know what cities you're looking at, but I just compared my climate to that of Boston. It gets colder here. Their January lows are about 20 degrees warmer then they are for me.
Humidity does seem to make summer temps hotter, but I've always felt that humidity also makes cold weather feel colder.
It just seems to be a very different climate then what you're used to so it'll take a while to acclimate.
I think Jammie is right about the humidity feeling colder in the winter. I traveled quite a bit for my job the last 7 years and I always found the dry cold in CO and central OR much more tolerable then the damper cold in the east. I grew up in MA but have lived in AZ for almost 13 years so at this point I am more used to the dryness though so maybe that makes a difference.
You should take a trip to New England. In a few days you could cover all 6 states and there are huge differences between them. Just in MA the western part of the state is a whole other world from the Boston area. Of the six states RI has always been my least favorite.
I've never been to RI or MA, but they get pretty chilly over there, too. Oh and SNOWY!!!
The climate in my state is split. Our state is separated by the Missouri River and East River (where I live) has a somewhat humid climate. West River has a semi-arid climate. East side used to be the prairies (Laura Ingalls Wilder lived just north of where I live~Little House on the Prairie) so it's flat with areas of rolling hills. West River has the Badlands and the Black Hills. They're not actually "hills", but are mountains. They're called the Black Hills because the Sioux used to call them the Paha Sapa and that's the translation. Harney Peak out in the Hills is the highest point east of the Rockies.
We have a LOT of wind East River. I live in the southeastern part of the state so it's a bit warmer then the northern part. The record low for the town I live in is minus 50 and that's without the windchill. There was a morning that hit minus 90 with windchill and I remember it well. We also get some hot days during the summer. (which I love) The record high for my town is 116.
If you live in RI or MA, you may need a few heavy coats and long johns. Snow shovels, a snowblower, and warm winter clothes that you can layer will probably be necessary. You'll need to get your car winterized and be sure to have good tires on your car. I don't know just how much snow they get over there, but in my area~having a four wheel drive in your family is always a good idea. Save up for the winter heating bills because it's getting expensive to heat homes.
I don't know what cities you're looking at, but I just compared my climate to that of Boston. It gets colder here. Their January lows are about 20 degrees warmer then they are for me.
Humidity does seem to make summer temps hotter, but I've always felt that humidity also makes cold weather feel colder.
It just seems to be a very different climate then what you're used to so it'll take a while to acclimate.
Yikes, I could never do the Dakota's. Humidity should make it warmer, but, it probably won't make that much difference to me, the desert rat. lol I have talked to a lot of transplants who say they love the snow, they were from the desert in CA. So maybe I'll be ok. I have to experience it at this point. I can't live and die in AZ. I need to get out for a while. lol I'm excited and a little nervous. If only this housing crisis would get a little better. I might not be leaving because I can't sell my house. I will rent for a good while after this. Maybe check out a couple of states and see where I want to grow old. lol Thanks for all your advise. I know I won't live in the North west, that is a no brainer. bbrrrrrrr
I think Jammie is right about the humidity feeling colder in the winter. I traveled quite a bit for my job the last 7 years and I always found the dry cold in CO and central OR much more tolerable then the damper cold in the east. I grew up in MA but have lived in AZ for almost 13 years so at this point I am more used to the dryness though so maybe that makes a difference.
You should take a trip to New England. In a few days you could cover all 6 states and there are huge differences between them. Just in MA the western part of the state is a whole other world from the Boston area. Of the six states RI has always been my least favorite.
I know from a science point of view a dry cold is the coldest. Especially with the dry winds. It tends to get warmer as the snow falls. If there is a good overcast. The coldest places are in the upper west countries like Montana, Dakotas, the wind is unbelievable. The Northern mid west also. The cold + wind is the worst. They get the -50's etc. No way I could handle that. But I think I could do maybe 0 to 20 ok. Below that I would probably die. lol
Here is a little article I read about it from Weather for Gardeners - Warm and Cold, Humid and Dry
By contrast, a clear warm day with high RH means that a lot of water molecules are floating around in the air. These molecules absorb the longwave radiation, then later emit it again. A good percentage of that re-emitted radiation hits other molecules, trees, plants or the ground, keeping them warmer. This process continues all night so a lot less of the radiation is lost to space. That's why the night stays warmer. You may even notice fog forming if the temperature drops low enough for the water molecules to begin condensing. The temperature at which that happens is called the dew point, and that temperature varies as the RH varies.
Knowing this also explains why a hot desert day can be followed by a freezing night, even in a southern desert, and why cloudy nights stay warmer than clear ones do. Relative humidity also plays a major role in other weather phenomena, such as rain and snowfall, and severe storms like hurricanes.
This is regarding plants, but I have heard a lot that a cloudy night is warmer than a clear winter night with wind. From a plants point of view anyway. lol I could be wrong on the human front. lol But I have felt pretty cold out here on a winters night at 40, compared to a cloudy snowing night in Flagstaff. Go figure. It's been a long time though, and I'm 40 now. I hear that changes things. lol
I have asked this question about dealing with the cold so much I come up when you google cold weather. ha ha I am not joking. Maybe I've asked enough.. ha ha How embarrassing is that!!! I guess I'll just see when I get there. Thanks everyone. Which is colder, a humid cold or a dry cold? - Google Search
See for yourself. I think I spend to much time on City-Data. I'm becoming known for it now.
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Their January lows are about 20 degrees warmer then they are for me.
