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Remember, hurricanes feed off of warm water and the water has certainly been getting warmer. This might mean the Eastern seaboard will see stronger hurricanes even in its more northerly parts.
Maybe New England but Hurricanes tend to turn due North to northeastward above 23-25N meaning that say Delaware and NJ would be in a situation like Jacksonville or Savannah where a storm would have to be weird to strike that area. Because they are behind NC to an extent.
Maybe I'm wrong, but the "No" option has "astronomical risk" associated with it which isn't really correct IMO. A disaster could happen anywhere, but it's not like Baltimore, Boston, and other NE places are at astronomical risk.
And what is often missed is that the Great Lakes region frequently suffers severe rains, snow storms, ice storms and the like. This summer, Rochester NY had docks under water for the entire summer season. And while that is not astronomical risk, it is frequent, expensive and troubling. I know many people who had water in their houses and had to have mold remediation. But no one around the country heard of it.
But, this is really about jobs. People live where they can make a healthy living. If jobs went back to the Great Lakes region, people would follow. The challenge is that taxes, business proximity (close to other big businesses) and desirability makes it a tougher sell. I'm not saying the region is undesirable, but many see it that way. And many job hubs grow organically and cannot be moved so easily.
I think on the flip side, the Great Lakes has or is in close proximity to some of the biggest cities in the Western Hemisphere and world. With Chicago, Toronto/the Golden Horseshoe and Detroit in the region; along with the Bos-Wash Corridor and Montreal within a short plane ride/reasonable drive away, it potentially could be more desirable again.
I do know what you are referring to in regards to people on Lake Ontario seeing encroaching water levels this year. This is the first year I can recall where it has been to this degree, but that doesn't mean that it hasn't happened before. There was flooding in the Utica area this year.
I believe the last big ice storm this way was about 20 years ago in the North Country east of Lake Ontario in St. Lawrence County.
Lake effect snow is pretty light, but in certain snow belts, it can accumulate quickly. With that said, it usually just means a day or days off and perhaps some damage in rare occasions.
Let me rephrase the question to help make an educated selection for those who have not had the pleasure of living in an area that receives tropical storms and hurricanes:
I would rather pay thousands of dollars a year for flood and windstorm insurance than live in the Great Lakes.
I would rather drive thru deep water from tropical rains, every season, than live in the Great Lakes.
I would rather have my car flooded more than once in my life than live in the Great Lakes.
I would rather have sewage filled water in my house more than once in my life than live in the Great Lakes.
I would rather have my shingles blown off and water rain down through my roof than live in the Great Lakes.
I would rather have trees fall on my house, than live in the Great Lakes.
I would rather go without electricity for days or weeks at a time in the summer than live in the Great Lakes.
I would rather periodically have to evacuate my home in fear that all I own will be destroyed than live in the Great Lakes.
I will accept not less than 5% of the value of my home as out of pocket deductible in the event of a hurricane wind damage, than live in the Great Lakes.
I would be willing to pay out of pocket for all exterior fence and landscape damage from wind, than live in the Great Lakes.
I would rather spend days removing flooded possessions, drywall, and furniture from my home, living without electricity, in mildew and mosquito infestations for weeks, than live in the Great Lakes.
I would rather risk my pets die in an evacuation from overheating, or because I had to leave them in an abandoned house, than live in the Great Lakes.
I would rather watch friends, family, coworkers, and strangers suffer losses than live in the Great Lakes.
I would rather put myself, my family, and my possessions at risk every hurricane season rather than live in the Great Lakes.
Lastly, I am willing to accept all of the above, because all are beyond my control should I stay in a hurricane area, than live in the Great Lakes.
Maybe it's family, or school, or job that keeps some living in risky hurricane areas - was 3 of 3 for me, down to 1 of 3, soon to be 0 and then I'm outta here.
There is no facepalm large enough or hard enough for my response to this ridiculous post.
Colorado (or at least Denver, and Colorado Springs) winters are quite mild compared to the Great Lakes.
Mild at times, yes. The only difference that Denver gets Chinook winds that can warm it up a bit from time to time, but the Great Lakes also gets that, too, just not as frequently. Denver's winters can be just as cold (and many times a lot colder) and snowy, and the snow season is longer than the Great Lakes.
I'll stay where I am. Before I moved to NM I lived 65 years with tornadoes, ice storms and snow in the winter, unbearable heat and humidity in the summer, astronomical AC bills and cutting grass nine month of the year. Now I have gorgeous weather, an infestation of quail, and see a scorpion once a year. No grass cutting in four years and never hear a lawn mower! Pass the margaritas. Pretty scary...you won't like it...don't come.
Mild at times, yes. The only difference that Denver gets Chinook winds that can warm it up a bit from time to time, but the Great Lakes also gets that, too, just not as frequently. Denver's winters can be just as cold (and many times a lot colder) and snowy, and the snow season is longer than the Great Lakes.
I will say it varies year by year, but this was my second year in Denver and winter 2016-2017 didn't really exist. It maybe snowed 4x, each time it was gone within 3 days and only got bitterly cold for 2 days in the end of December.
January the average highs were around 50-60, February was consistently in the 60s and occasionally hit 80, March was consistently in the 70s and hit 80 a bunch of times as well. The last dumping of snow was the last week of April, but was gone within a day and barely stuck to the ground. There may have been a dusting in May, but if so I was out of town for work in California.
In the Great Lakes, I don't think it ever gets this mild until at least April.
No Thanks! As someone else mentioned the winter weather is an annoyance and and every day one for like 6 months of the year. I can't do it. The snow shoveling, warming the car up, boots, hats, coats, layers, nose running. And that's just to take it all off at the gym (which is 2 miles from the house) and put it back on afterwards. And hope not to catch pheumonia. Every day for months. Sorry but, the great lakes are not for most people.
Nope, I'll take my mild winters along with the hurricanes, and occasional tornado back in Raleigh,NC which is home or even the mild winters and very warm/hot summers and hail storms and more frequent tornado scare here in Dallas, TX.
I'm two hours south of the lakes. I have a snow blower that I bought three years ago and have only used once...and that was after a two inch snowfall just to make sure it worked. The snow melted within a few hours. It just sits there, looking new and unused. Through three winters, one use. Hardly an every day thing for months.
I don't wear coats in the winter. T-shirt and a hoodie, and a thicker pair of socks than in the winter time. I own a pair of boots that never get used, because I can wear my tennis shoes through the winter here with no problem. Haven't been sick during the winter in the past four years...I get a cold every spring and fall that lasts about a week.
I'm not sure where you get your ideas about winter, but most of us in the Midwest don't have the experience you're describing.
I will say it varies year by year, but this was my second year in Denver and winter 2016-2017 didn't really exist. It maybe snowed 4x, each time it was gone within 3 days and only got bitterly cold for 2 days in the end of December.
January the average highs were around 50-60, February was consistently in the 60s and occasionally hit 80, March was consistently in the 70s and hit 80 a bunch of times as well. The last dumping of snow was the last week of April, but was gone within a day and barely stuck to the ground. There may have been a dusting in May, but if so I was out of town for work in California.
In the Great Lakes, I don't think it ever gets this mild until at least April.
Chicago had February highs in the 20's and a couple in the 70's..and much in between. Chicago winters do not last until April...
I wouldn't live anywhere but the Great Lakes Region. Someone can have mold in their house in any part of the country. If you're trying to compare that to a hurricane, well...good luck.
That's great and I love the GL's region. It's where I grew up. The point wasn't to say a hurricane can compete with mold. The point was to say that with rough winters and frequently heavy rain, there can be more frequent weather challenges vs. the larger weather events that happen less frequently.
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