Are people delusional about Denver's climate? (HOA, neighborhood, schools)

[emm74]

Originally Posted by sailelsa

emm74 - yes, I think you hit it. Although for me - my idea of a mild winter (being from Philly) was a place like Virginia Beach. Now, with that said, I knew Denver would not be like Virginia Beach at all, but I also thought it wouldn't be like Flagstaff, AZ (which is also very sunny and the snow melts in the sun - but it is very cold at night and snows ALOT). I jumped from a burning boat (Phoenix) into the Arctic Ocean (Denver) - haha!! Anyway, please don't analyze that to closely - it is just what it feels like.

I think I thought it would be more like Prescott, AZ or Page, AZ... higher elevations, but still crazy sunny, warm and little snow. I know this sounds crazy, but I really believed people when they said that the snow is gone by afternoon (bc often in Philly it was - it didn't stick most of the time). And, that one rarely had to deal with it.

I truly thought I understood what a "real winter" was, but I think that term is relative too. People in North Carolina think they experience a "real winter" there too. Nonetheless, i think this thread is great because it discusses how where someone is from color how they perceive winter in Denver.

I went to college in Philly and while it was a little milder than NYC (where I grew up) and Boston, where I moved after that, I still prefer Denver to Philly. I agree that Denver gets more snow but my experience has been different in that I think the snow does mostly melt off very quickly here. Shadowed, north facing areas are the exception but having now lived through my 2nd winter here were I had to shovel, it was really nice to know I could ignore my south facing sidewalk for most storms. Not the ones where we had snow measured in feet rather than inches, of course! lol! But even then, getting down to almost pavement meant clean sidewalks the next day as all residual did melt off.

But for me, the bigger difference isn't the snow, it's that other than a small amount of stormy and overcast days, even in winter, the intense sun makes it far more tolerable to be out of doors. Not like the raw, east coast winters where that cold, damp wind cuts right through you. I never saw people walking around in the middle of winter in shorts back east. I still think they're nuts, of course! But I almost never wear my heaviest coats anymore. I don't have to spend a lot of time out of doors if it's really cold, and most of the time, a hoodie or sweater and fleece vest is perfectly fine.

[nick4242]

Originally Posted by Timmyy

To me it is mild here after I talk to people that came from Wisconsin or places similar to that.

Lmao. So you don't personally think it's mild, but you think it's mild because someone from an extremely Northern state said so?

There are probably over 200 million people in America who would never even consider moving to Colorado for weather alone, not to mention the other numerous reasons.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by emm74

I went to college in Philly and while it was a little milder than NYC (where I grew up) and Boston, where I moved after that, I still prefer Denver to Philly. I agree that Denver gets more snow but my experience has been different in that I think the snow does mostly melt off very quickly here. Shadowed, north facing areas are the exception but having now lived through my 2nd winter here were I had to shovel, it was really nice to know I could ignore my south facing sidewalk for most storms. Not the ones where we had snow measured in feet rather than inches, of course! lol! But even then, getting down to almost pavement meant clean sidewalks the next day as all residual did melt off.

But for me, the bigger difference isn't the snow, it's that other than a small amount of stormy and overcast days, even in winter, the intense sun makes it far more tolerable to be out of doors. Not like the raw, east coast winters where that cold, damp wind cuts right through you. I never saw people walking around in the middle of winter in shorts back east. I still think they're nuts, of course! But I almost never wear my heaviest coats anymore. I don't have to spend a lot of time out of doors if it's really cold, and most of the time, a hoodie or sweater and fleece vest is perfectly fine.

Me: Grew up in Pittsburgh, lived 7 years in Champaign, IL before I came here.

Bold #1: Yes, with a caveat. We have been fortunate to own two houses with south facing driveways and sidewalks. After a heavy snow, we shovel out the driveway, so a) we can get the cars out of the garage (sometimes only doing one side if no one has to go to work that day, as snow will be more manageable in a day); b) so the snow doesn't get compacted down and take longer to melt. This is not the case with say 6" or less of snow, then we just literally plow through it to get the cars out and the sun takes care of the rest. The sidewalks are another story. Louisville has an ordinance that sidewalks have to be cleared within 24 hrs of a snow, and many school kids walk down our street on their way to the bus. So we shovel at least a shovel-width wide path on the sidewalk.

Bold #2: Yes! You really don't need these super-heavy coats except for a few really cold days; nor do you really need wool pants and the like.

[Timmyy]

Originally Posted by nick4242

Lmao. So you don't personally think it's mild, but you think it's mild because someone from an extremely Northern state said so?

There are probably over 200 million people in America who would never even consider moving to Colorado for weather alone, not to mention the other numerous reasons.

My sister in law is from Wisconsin and she moved backed to Colorado because of how harsh it is in Wisconsin during Winter. I personally think it is mild without my sister in law's opinion.

So now move along Nick and troll somewhere else.

[maciesmom]

Originally Posted by nick4242

Lmao. So you don't personally think it's mild, but you think it's mild because someone from an extremely Northern state said so?

There are probably over 200 million people in America who would never even consider moving to Colorado for weather alone, not to mention the other numerous reasons.

We get it:

"Waaaah! I didn't do adequate research and expected that living in the Mountain West would somehow be similar to the Mid-Atlantic or Coastal California weather and now I'm unhappy. My definition of mild weather is more valid than any other."

[SkyDog77]

Just back from 4 days in Raleigh, which another "it" city.

Love the city, HATE the climate.

Would much rather be in Denver. I couldn't be outside without sweating profusely and applying copious amounts of bug repellent. Even so, I still received more mosquito bites in the last 4 days than I have in the last 4 years. I look like I have chicken pox right now.

If that's the trade off for having lush greenery and mild winters, you can keep it.

[nick4242]

Originally Posted by SkyDog77

Just back from 4 days in Raleigh, which another "it" city.

Love the city, HATE the climate.

Would much rather be in Denver. I couldn't be outside without sweating profusely and applying copious amounts of bug repellent. Even so, I still received more mosquito bites in the last 4 days than I have in the last 4 years. I look like I have chicken pox right now.

If that's the trade off for having lush greenery and mild winters, you can keep it.

I was there is March, and it was incredible. Denver, not so great.

[Timmyy]

Originally Posted by nick4242

I was there is March, and it was incredible. Denver, not so great.

Then why do you still live here?

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by nick4242

I was there is March, and it was incredible. Denver, not so great.

Visit in July next time. Vegas is pretty nice in March too. I was in Vegas last week and it 112. I actually preferred that to 95 in Raleigh, not that I like either.

On a side note the person I stayed with mentioned that they called an exterminator when they moved there because they saw a cockroach in their kitchen. The guy laughed and said "you may as well call me for a house fly". I'll keep my dry climate, brown August, and snow storms.

[emm74]

Originally Posted by Katarina Witt

Me: Grew up in Pittsburgh, lived 7 years in Champaign, IL before I came here.

Bold #1: Yes, with a caveat. We have been fortunate to own two houses with south facing driveways and sidewalks. After a heavy snow, we shovel out the driveway, so a) we can get the cars out of the garage (sometimes only doing one side if no one has to go to work that day, as snow will be more manageable in a day); b) so the snow doesn't get compacted down and take longer to melt. This is not the case with say 6" or less of snow, then we just literally plow through it to get the cars out and the sun takes care of the rest. The sidewalks are another story. Louisville has an ordinance that sidewalks have to be cleared within 24 hrs of a snow, and many school kids walk down our street on their way to the bus. So we shovel at least a shovel-width wide path on the sidewalk.

Bold #2: Yes! You really don't need these super-heavy coats except for a few really cold days; nor do you really need wool pants and the like.

Yes, Denver has the same ordinance. But up to about 5 or 6 inches, as long as the sun is coming out, I can leave it and it will melt off. We sometimes go out and shovel anyway, just to help things along.

I'm more apt to do the driveway, even with that amount, because that's north facing in an alley and takes much longer to melt. No requirement to do it but I have a small electric snowblower so not that big a deal. The sidewalk area is also pretty small and since it would involve bringing the snowblower around the block from the garage (no access to the garage or even the side yard from the front of the house), that's easier to just shovel by hand.