Winters in Chicago?? (live, vs, estimate)

[Alacran]

Wow. People don't know chicago gets to the hundreds?

Our "cold city" label has really damaged the truth.

[andrewesque]

Apparently, 2009 had a very cool summer; we had something like 18 days at 90 or above last year and about 18 days so far this summer, including two days with 100s, although that's not common. Trust me, if Chicago *never* went above 90 in the summer, I'd be the first in line to celebrate.

People don't stay cooped up, although they do walk faster than in the summer; there are studies on this, although it's just common sense -- you're more likely to take a leisurely stroll in July than January. Of course, there are objectively fewer people outside -- you don't lounge outside on North Avenue Beach when there are ice floes in the lake. But it's not like the city is empty, by any means.

I'm from southern California. I love visiting home and getting a quick warm break during the holidays, but when I get back and head out into the cold, it's refreshing in a very crisp, bracing way. The pleasure of walking around on a sunny, still 20-degree winter morning is different from a balmy summer evening but wonderful in its own right (if you're dressed properly, of course!)

[linicx]

In really cold weather you insulate from tip to toe and don't forget boots (preferably insulated, gloves and the scarf to cover you nose and mouth.

[chirack]

There are different levels of cold 20-50F isn’t quite nice weather, but it isn’t quite freeze to death easily if you are properly dressed. Bellow 20F is when things get dangerous and when people don’t want to be outside. Luckily we don’t get under 20F as often as we are over it in winter. (This also depends on wind… more wind equals harder to stay warm).

However for kids being out in the snow is fun! Snowball fights, snowmen and stuff like that.

For adults scraping your car window or digging out again is annoying but I kinda like the scenery in winter. I love heading up lake shore drive and looking at the frozen lake(the shore areas freeze as far as the eye can see).I love the trees without leaves against the white snow. I love seeing the lake, or sewer lines steam.

What is a problem with Chicago is our spring can be slow going sometimes (i.e. it can still snow in early April in Chicago. It won’t last but still. ). After a while people just want winter to be over….but it won’t be over till it is good and ready to be over.

[CoolSocks]

Originally Posted by chirack

After a while people just want winter to be over….but it won’t be over till it is good and ready to be over.

I feel the same way living in Michigan. The first couple months of winter are nice and somewhat refreshing, especially around Christmas time, it's beautiful, but come February and March, I am damn ready for spring.

[Halsted]

People start bbqing when if it gets up to 40 degrees during winter, so I wouldn't say we stay cooped up. You gotta get to work/school...

[Surf&Turf]

I wouldn't necessarily say that we stay all cooped up in our houses but we undoubtedly tend to seek indoor places even when we venture outside our homes. You won't see many people hanging out by the lake in winter although you may find some fitness fanatic jogging even when there are couple inches of snow on the ground.

And 2009 was an unusually cooler summer, but generally it gets very hot in summer well into the 90's. We already had two triple digit days this year.

[chikid]

The main issue is that in the summer you have things that add to the streetlife like outdoor patio seating at restaurants, the beaches, festivals, block parties, people exercising outside, more people biking, etc. So winter compared to summer it does die down but it doesn't get dead. People will still walk to many places they just won't lounge around outside though in winter. Winters are not that bad. There are some days that it can get bad, and I mean really bad but it's not something that happens weekly or daily. You might have some brutal ass days maybe like 5-8 times out of each month in winter and really that's not too bad.

Chicago can get pretty hot in the summer but really the summer for the most part is more pleasant. Winters take a little more to get adjusted to while summers don't.

[ForYourLungsOnly]

Originally Posted by Alacran

Wow. People don't know chicago gets to the hundreds?

Our "cold city" label has really damaged the truth.

There are few things worse than a Chicago weather thread.

[Chicago60614]

I believe 2009 was the coldest summer on record, or very close. Normally it's mid 80's from June through September.

This July:

70's: 1 day
80's: 17 days
90's: 10 days

I actually love the winter, I can stand freezing WAY more than I can the heat up in the 90's and 100's. Do Chicagoans stay cooped up at home? My friends and I certainly don't. People will stay inside more, but I leave my home and go out just as often in the winter as I do during the summer. People just have more parties, go to restaurants or go to bars, events, etc. inside compared to summer when everything gets dumped outside. Sidewalk cafe's, outdoor seating at restaurants, festivals, lakefront, etc.

It looks much quieter because you don't have the sheer mass outside during the winter, but that doesn't mean everyone is at home sitting around.