Unpopular opinion: Chicago winters aren't THAT bad (homes, live)

[2020's YouTube Vlog]

Originally Posted by MarianRavenwood

Ask any New Yorker and they will tell you too--winters are much shorter in New York than here. A pleasant three months and then the trees start to bud and the tulips come up long before Mother's day. They get lake effect snow, but they don't get the cold because the jet stream is typically headed northward, bringing warm air up; whereas in Chicago the jet stream brings cold air down from Canada.

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NYC winters are awful too.

[Marv95]

Originally Posted by 2020's YouTube Vlog

NYC winters are awful too.

Winter days there can get up into the 70s in some years. It's awful compared to the west or Florida, not compared to the Midwest.

[Lancerman]

Originally Posted by MarianRavenwood

Ask any New Yorker and they will tell you too--winters are much shorter in New York than here. A pleasant three months and then the trees start to bud and the tulips come up long before Mother's day. They get lake effect snow, but they don't get the cold because the jet stream is typically headed northward, bringing warm air up; whereas in Chicago the jet stream brings cold air down from Canada.

Aren't you mistaken that for Buffalo? New York City got down to 7F on Christmas Eve.

[noid_1985]

After those below zero days we’ve had these 25-30 degree days aren’t that bad. When you have crazy weather like Chicago you appreciate the better days, at least that’s always been my mindset.

[BOORGONG]

Originally Posted by noid_1985

After those below zero days we’ve had these 25-30 degree days aren’t that bad. When you have crazy weather like Chicago you appreciate the better days, at least that’s always been my mindset.

Right. A lot of places with "perfect weather" have empty sidewalks, non-existent streetlife. There is something to be said for appreciating summer better when winter keeps you cooped up for months.

[Pahn]

Chicago winters seem comparable to Pittsburgh's, perhaps a bit windier. Slightly lower highs, and barely lower lows.

https://weatherspark.com/compare/y/1...and-Pittsburgh

Interesting that Chicago has a longer growing season than PGH.

[Pahn]

Originally Posted by personone

There are certainly parts of the country that are worse, but by most of the country’s frame of reference, they would describe Chicago’s winters as bad. Yes, you can get a bunch of warm clothes and do other things and it will be fine, but you shouldn’t need to do all that in a place if the winters “aren’t that bad” IMO.

Do a bunch of things? Dressing for the weather is one thing. Snow tires are sensible in huge swathes of the country.


It's cold and windy and sometimes snowy, but other places have hurricanes. Some places have tornadoes. Some places have earthquakes. At least snow and cold can be planned for and handled.

[GraniteStater]

You can't do much of any consistent winter sports activities outside in Chicagoland as the snow cover doesn't last long anymore. I much prefer Northwoods winters where you can get out and enjoy the snow on all the trails.

[AlwaysBeachin]

Single digits with wind can be annoying, but what gets me is having to wear short sleeve shirts under winter coats because, for some reason, every establishment in Chicago feels the need to heat their places to 120 degrees inside. Living in the South, I should be used to heat, but I deal better with the cold; can't stand to be hot. I no longer dress in extremely heavy coats when I'm in town due to the fact I have to undress every time I go into a store, and I still wind up sweating like it's 90 outside.

[Avondalist]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

You can't do much of any consistent winter sports activities outside in Chicagoland as the snow cover doesn't last long anymore. I much prefer Northwoods winters where you can get out and enjoy the snow on all the trails.

A friend who grew up in the Green Bay area complains that Chicago winters are too short and too warm because that means no winter sports activities.