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You know what is interesting to me? There's a reason why your area has the "infrastructure" to handle icy roads. There's a reason why many southern cities don't. Think about it.
It freezes in the inland south every year, though. Winter precipitation can be expected anywhere north of I-20 between late November and mid March. I am not expecting anything high tech but prepare a little better than full on panic.
I have seen more snowfalls in Texas than hurricanes in Florida. Obviously hurricanes are more destructive, and you should take them more seriously, but there's no excuse for how a lot of the South is so underprepared. Little Rock, AR does snow removal better than Dallas for example. Little Rock may be further north slightly but they don't have anywhere the amount of funding that Dallas has.
You can naturally like what you like and prefer what you prefer. If you love the cold, you have a significant advantage actually because you can live in lower cost of living areas than others.
I grew up and spent a long time in chilly climates, and even now it's not like the D.C. area is proper Sun Belt. We have reliably hot summers here, but it's not like November through April is swimming pool time. You typically get at least one big cold spell and/or snowstorm a winter. Last Christmas we had no power when it was 7 degrees outside. That was decidedly unpleasant.
But the truth is that even on a hot muggy day like today where it was 80 degrees at 8.30 in the morning and the air is heavy, i.e. the kind of conditions many people even from around here hate, I'm sitting here with the window open, enjoying it. Warm weather just lifts my spirits and will always do so.
Warm weather is enjoyable too. I don't wanna live like a penguin lol But I do love having proper winters.
Your neck of the woods isn't bad for those that crave 4 seasons but could do without the extremes.
In most of the North, snow and ice isn't an "ongoing event" in the winter. It is something that happens some days and we deal with it, and a lot of us embrace it.
Really the average winter day where I live is partly cloudy conditions without a single flurry. It also takes a decent amount of snow to really be disruptive.
I have lived up north for nearly a quarter of my life at this point, and the assumptions about what winter is like is greatly exaggerated.
It would be like thinking that Texans are constantly dealing with floods, fires and tornadoes.
Some places in the north it is pretty much an ongoing event, trust me.
It's a very simple equation for me. If I get cold, I can put on a jacket and be comfortable and go about my regular business. If it is too hot, there is nothing that can be done about it, except to huddle inside with air-conditioning. I am not a huddle inside person. If the hot weather place happens to be anywhere in the East, I don't enjoy dealing with humidity.
So, cold climate for me and I don't mind running the snow blower or owning yaktracks for my boots, Actually, my snow blower is a Polaris, so snow removal consists of riding around in comfort, but I do understand that not everyone does snow removal with a Polaris, so the point of that is that there is proper equipment to deal with snow. A walk-behind snow blower does the job with very little actual effort involved. Snow removal is not a hard job.
It’s different for everyone. I am cold-sensitive. Low-mid 60s I could wear a sweatshirt.
Anything in the 40s my Raynaud’s syndrome kicks in. Pain starts in the 30s unless I’m sedentary, when it can hit around 50.
Never having grown up in a snowy place, last year taught me that I have panic attacks driving below freezing, especially if it’s actively snowing. I don’t have good gear, and I have a better idea of what winter gear I need but not to recognize if it’s going to be good quality or adequate when it’s sitting on a store shelf.
I slipped and fell shoveling snow last winter, which I didn’t realize was a thing. The shoulder I hurt still hurts. Snow is a lot of extra work that’s just not necessary elsewhere.
This varies a bit but conifers aren’t super common here, so the landscape looks dead most of the winter. It resembles burned out forests I saw out west. If there’s snow as well, good lord that’s a forbidding, uninvitinf, and desolate visage.
The road salt y’all snowbelters use is a massive extra tax on yourselves…which you pay other taxes to enable. I’ve seen and sold parts for cars up here I’ve either never sold outside of the road salt areas, or have sold for cars 1/3 of the age I did previously. I don’t know how a better solution hasn’t been demanded AND devised. It’s not normal for cars to die so young, and it’s costing you a ton of money I don’t think you even realize.
Having to plow snow on roads means no Bott’s dots or reflectors, and lane markers can be hard to see when it’s wet, dark, and especially when there are also street lights. There are moments when all converge and I have little idea what lane I’m in.
I’m not representative of everybody as my medical condition sets me apart, but otherwise I do not see the appeal of winter, or why anybody tolerates it let alone enjoys it. I question the sanity of people who stay here. Winter is a giant set of no after no after no. I’m not up in the snowbelt voluntarily and it feels a bit cruel. Yes I hate it with the furious heat of 10,000, and yes I’d be in a brutal summer 10 times out of 10 given the choice. There is no positive I can really pull out of it since I do t have my skis. At least then I’d get a sliver of non-awful out of an awful season.
I have MS and cant tolerate any heat above 85 degrees. No humidity? Maybe 95. Cold is what I live for.
But i dont question the sanity of people dealing with heat. I know i cant, but others can. I work out all the time in cold weather or take my German shepherd out for runs. It is what it is.
Love that people can tolerate heat, im trying to learn on how to. I think humidity is the biggest ball buster.
It's a very simple equation for me. If I get cold, I can put on a jacket and be comfortable and go about my regular business. If it is too hot, there is nothing that can be done about it, except to huddle inside with air-conditioning. I am not a huddle inside person. If the hot weather place happens to be anywhere in the East, I don't enjoy dealing with humidity.
So, cold climate for me and I don't mind running the snow blower or owning yaktracks for my boots, Actually, my snow blower is a Polaris, so snow removal consists of riding around in comfort, but I do understand that not everyone does snow removal with a Polaris, so the point of that is that there is proper equipment to deal with snow. A walk-behind snow blower does the job with very little actual effort involved. Snow removal is not a hard job.
Biggest pain point for me is when the roads freeze over or when you have to clear your car of ice and snow. A garage alleviates the second issue
It’s very individual and I think it can change over a lifetime…I prefer my 4 season climate where part of the winter is brutal (but most is not) and part of the summer is brutal (but a lot is fine). I would not love to live in the south but I’m not sure I’d love to live in the brutal cold either. I’d pick the brutal cold over the brutal hot though…especially if it came with mountains for skiing
It’s 76 degrees here as I sit on my front porch, slight breeze and partly sunny. It will be light outside until after 9pm so I can enjoy it longer. This is a nice payback for a hard winter.
What does a brutal summer give in payback in winter? “It doesn’t snow” doesn’t always mean nice weather. Short, cloudy, rainy days most places.
It freezes in the inland south every year, though. Winter precipitation can be expected anywhere north of I-20 between late November and mid March. I am not expecting anything high tech but prepare a little better than full on panic.
I have seen more snowfalls in Texas than hurricanes in Florida. Obviously hurricanes are more destructive, and you should take them more seriously, but there's no excuse for how a lot of the South is so underprepared. Little Rock, AR does snow removal better than Dallas for example. Little Rock may be further north slightly but they don't have anywhere the amount of funding that Dallas has.
I'm not in charge of what Little Rock or Dallas does. However, I do know that the weather in Little Rock is colder than the weather in Dallas.
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