To Fort Collins from O.C., Calif (Denver, Longmont: transporting, mobile home) - Colorado (CO) - City-Data Forum

eynewman · 06-24-2007, 07:29 PM

I am ready to get the heck out of this overcrowded, traffic-congested, smoggy area. My husband is concerned about the weather in F.C., having been a southern Calif boy his entire life. He thinks from December through May we will be over our heads in snow. Has anyone moved to F.C. from so. Calif, or from similar area, and are the winters there on the front range all that bad? Thanks in advance for your posts!

Hey-Odd · 06-29-2007, 05:04 AM

When are you guys moving? We're moving to the area in August (not as far North as FC, but fairly close -- Longmont or Louisville, most likely) from Atlanta, but we're originally Southern Californians -- myself from OC and San Diego, my husband from El Segundo. We're looking forward to colder and more fun winters than here in Atl, where we get the occasional dusting of snow and an one or two inevitable ice storms, but that's about it. We visited in March, and it was pretty cold. But we LOVED it!

bproven · 06-29-2007, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eynewman

I am ready to get the heck out of this overcrowded, traffic-congested, smoggy area. My husband is concerned about the weather in F.C., having been a southern Calif boy his entire life. He thinks from December through May we will be over our heads in snow. Has anyone moved to F.C. from so. Calif, or from similar area, and are the winters there on the front range all that bad? Thanks in advance for your posts!

I live in Ft Collins. Granted I've only been here for a short while (little over a year), but I'll give my opinion. Maybe others can chime in too.

You wont be buried in snow for 6-8 months

It does snow, but in most situations it is gone in a few days. Usually snow is spaced out every week or 2 so you would be surprised that for the majority of the winter you will not have snow on the ground much at all. It'll fall but it doesnt stick around long. Now this excludes the past winter which was a bit abnormal - the blizzard we had early in the season left snow on the ground for over a month (close to 2 I think). And it was a LOT of shoveling.

But this only happens every 5-7 years. Personally, I'm from Louisiana and I'll take the snow over the neverending heat/humidity any day. I think you will enjoy the sunshine (hence why the snow melts quickly) as there are many sunny days in CO - probably the same as CA or close. Funny 'cause when you do get an overcast/cloudy day its kind of weird

eynewman · 06-30-2007, 06:59 PM

Hi folks! Thanks for answering. We are thinking of a move there next summer. We will be going there this Aug to scout things out. Lots of fun outdoor activities in FC and the surrounding areas. So. Calif traffic and crowds is too much for us lately...looking for a slower pace of ourselves and our two teenage boys. Thanks!

Lisa_from_Debary · 06-30-2007, 07:02 PM

My sister lives in Loveland...they had a pretty bad winter...several blizzards from what I heard and an avalanch up on one of the passes that pushed bus off the road and closed the pass.

You should be able to pull up the weather of the last year for any location.
My sister loves it there but I couldn't stand the weather, no way, no how.
I think the secret is that she is into winter sports like skiing and snow shoeing...I have no interest, give me the beach anyday.

Katarina Witt · 06-30-2007, 09:49 PM

bproven is correct. I have lived on the Front Range for 27 yrs. The weather is similar from Wyoming to s. of Denver. There have been two "bad" winters in the 27 we have been here. There have been some with very little snow. My kids rarely had a snow day.

Lisa_from_Debary · 06-30-2007, 09:53 PM

But you would admit your perception of a bad winter is going to be completely different then someone from Southern California...

AND I know from experience that places that are more prepared for winter do rarely call a snow day...that doesn't mean that someone from Southern California wouldn't be at a loose as how to cope with the amount of snow you might get.

Katarina Witt · 06-30-2007, 10:06 PM

"Bad" as defined as lengthly periods of snow cover. This year was close to 60 days; the record was in 1992-3, with 60, I believe. But that doesn't mean there was snow on the streets that whole time.

That said, many S. Californians never feel comfortable driving in snow, no matter how long they live here. But the original question was: "My husband is concerned about the weather in F.C., having been a southern Calif boy his entire life. He thinks from December through May we will be over our heads in snow. Has anyone moved to F.C. from so. Calif, or from similar area, and are the winters there on the front range all that bad?" The answer to that is "no".

The schools were more apt to call a snow day in Illinois, where we previously lived, than here. It just snows more in Ill, and it blows a lot and roads are blown shut. Here, that rarely happens. The schools do not want the responsibility of transporting children in snow; they will call a snow day if driving conditions are dangerous. Yes, it is true that cities that rarely get much snow tend to flip out and call a snow day for 1" of snow, but that is not what I am talking about here.

eyetech · 07-01-2007, 09:11 AM

I lived in the Phoenix-Tempe, AZ area for over 38 years and have lived in Fort Collins for nearly 9 years. I'll be moving out of state soon, but definitely not due to the weather. I thought the variety of weather here would be tough, but instead it's been a thrill (for me.) I don't participate in winter sports, just enjoy the occasional "real" snow--more than a dusting, but rarely a blizzard. As I mentioned in another thread, the air and water here are delicious. It is getting more and more crowded, but who can blame people for wanting what you yourself like? There are a lot of hopes, dreams and disillusionments described on this forum, but isn't it great that we can move about and try new places!
As mentioned, this past winter had several back-to-back snowstorms and it did get tiresome, but the only other tough "snow time" since I've been here was the blizzard in March '03, with some significant property damage.
The wind here can be annoying, but even that is not a given. Fall-winter-spring of '05-'06 was the worst for wind, in my opinion. I live in a mobile home and the wind just about drove me bonkers...but I won't elaborate. (You're welcome!)
I would recommend Fort Collins, or any of the front range cities to anyone who likes variety and change. Hint: the further you go toward the plains, away from the mountains, or north toward Wyoming, the more wind and extreme weather you can expect. But the key is that if you don't know Colorado's unofficial motto before you move here, it's probably one of the first things you will learn...and hear...over...and over...again! And that is, "If you don't like the weather, give it 5 minutes and it will change!" (Any variation on that theme is accepted as the same motto. We're quite flexible here!)
Hope you love it as much as I did!

eyetech · 07-01-2007, 09:16 AM

P.S. One of my sons lives in the L.A. area, and the other is still in the Phoenix area. I have to admit, it is SO difficult for me to go there to see them because of all the reasons you mentioned...and a few more! Thankfully, they don't mind coming here to visit.