What's worse: Living in a place that has brutal summers or brutal winters? (homeowners association, quality of life) - General U.S. - Page 6 - City-Data Forum

aaron4040 · 02-14-2010, 07:15 AM

I'm one hairy SOB. I'm built for winter. I sweat waaaay too much whenever it gets over 80. I have a built in sweater I can't remove. So I guess, as a comfort thing, I prefer cold winters to hot summers. It's all relative - humid heat feels more extreme than the dry variety. In humidity, sweat doesn't evaporate, so I end up sticky and smelly, and no one likes that. My bodys natural cooling system is sabatoged by the weather. Plus I'd miss the snowball fights.

ckhthankgod · 02-14-2010, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skylar0201

Well, on the elderly, I would say the cold would be harsher ( one of the main reasons that the elderly usually move south to states like FL or AZ ), but in overall, I would say the heat would be worse. With the cold, you can always warm up--dress in layers, stay inside, have items delivered to you, etc, but with the brutal heat, you can only dress down so much, and its easier to suffer heat exhaustion than it is to develop hypothermia inside your own home.

Great points and why I agree that harsh summers are worse. I knew they were bad when I was at Basic Training in SC and they made soldiers roll up their pant legs and sleeves during the final stage of training because it was 100 degrees every day that week.

Here is Syracuse, you just add layers and you should be good. Winters aren't really as bad as people they are here too.

When I was stationed at Fort Drum NY near Watertown, there were times it would be -30 with the wind chill, but again, it is usually drier when it gets that cold and you have appropriate clothing to help you deal with it.

Thomas R. · 02-14-2010, 02:53 PM

It depends on the person and the body type.

In height terms I'm a dwarf. I don't precisely see myself as a dwarf, but I am three-foot-five. My frame is also relatively wide and my skin traditionally prone to heat rashes. So cold is better for me than hot. My Dad is built more tall and lanky so he does better in heat.

I don't know how to explain the African or Andaman pygmies in that, but as I recall their build is relatively slim even if they are short. Also I think they may have been one of those cultures that traditionally wore relatively little clothing. Anyway the ratio of surface area to volume does have something to do with heat loss as does clothing. The way I'm built heat just kind of sticks in me so I don't need much more of it from the outside. A Masai of Kenya has been built by evolution or whatever to allow heat to escape to avoid overheating so would likely do less well in the cold on average. (Although how you explain the Somalians emigrating to Minnesota I don't know. Still it's not like there's no such thing as coats or jackets)

Mr. Wizard talk aside I find cold invigorating, at least for short periods. Heat just enervates or gives me the blahs and I don't like that.

skylar0201 · 02-14-2010, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thomas R.

It depends on the person and the body type.

In height terms I'm a dwarf. I don't precisely see myself as a dwarf, but I am three-foot-five. My frame is also relatively wide and my skin traditionally prone to heat rashes. So cold is better for me than hot. My Dad is built more tall and lanky so he does better in heat.

I don't know how to explain the African or Andaman pygmies in that, but as I recall their build is relatively slim even if they are short. Also I think they may have been one of those cultures that traditionally wore relatively little clothing. Anyway the ratio of surface area to volume does have something to do with heat loss as does clothing. The way I'm built heat just kind of sticks in me so I don't need much more of it from the outside. A Masai of Kenya has been built by evolution or whatever to allow heat to escape to avoid overheating so would likely do less well in the cold on average. (Although how you explain the Somalians emigrating to Minnesota I don't know. Still it's not like there's no such thing as coats or jackets)

Mr. Wizard talk aside I find cold invigorating, at least for short periods. Heat just enervates or gives me the blahs and I don't like that.

I agree, and if someone is overweight, they are naturally going to sweat even more as their body will be working harder to cool itself down. The same applies to the cold too. Most who are overweight can deal with the cold easier as they have more meat around their bones to keep them warmer.

northstar22 · 02-14-2010, 05:42 PM

I'll take brutal cold over brutal heat. My body can't deal with extreme heat. I'd take -100 cold over 100 degree heat any day. It's one of the reasons I'm going to North Dakota.

skylar0201 · 02-14-2010, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyingwriter

I'll take brutal cold over brutal heat. My body can't deal with extreme heat. I'd take -100 cold over 100 degree heat any day. It's one of the reasons I'm going to North Dakota.

To Harvey, ND? is that anywhere near Fargo?

northstar22 · 02-14-2010, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skylar0201

To Harvey, ND? is that anywhere near Fargo?

Four hours away.

Infamous92 · 02-14-2010, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyingwriter

I'll take brutal cold over brutal heat. My body can't deal with extreme heat. I'd take -100 cold over 100 degree heat any day. It's one of the reasons I'm going to North Dakota.

That's a bit extreme there lol. I agree that body type plays a role, I handle heat very well, however I do very bad in the cold. I use to do better in the cold but now I need sweatpants under my jeans, a big coat, gloves, hat, etc. when its only in the 30's. I can't do shorts unless its in the upper-70's or higher.

I'd sooner take a 100 degree day over a 50 degree day.

northstar22 · 02-14-2010, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Infamous92

That's a bit extreme there lol. I agree that body type plays a role, I handle heat very well, however I do very bad in the cold. I use to do better in the cold but now I need sweatpants under my jeans, a big coat, gloves, hat, etc. when its only in the 30's. I can't do shorts unless its in the upper-70's or higher.
I'd sooner take a 100 degree day over a 50 degree day.

I'll wear shorts when it's in the 30s and sunny (with no wind). I'm also dead serious about the -100 thing. I HATE hot weather. Despise it. Cold doesn't bother me, I find it invigorating. I could live with it never getting above 50 degrees, as long as there is plenty of sunshine.

steel7 · 02-14-2010, 07:42 PM

I would love to own a beach front house in malibu,ca. The weather is near perfect yr round. Often in the summer its 95 or warmer here yet in malibu its a comfy 70 degrees. Summers in so.ca/inland are brutal. Winters are mild. Im NOT looking forward to summer 2010. In the 11 yrs i have been here in yucaipa i have always used my cooler in may/june. Last yr was the first time i didnt use it until the first week of july. Its ALWAYS hot/dry here on july.4th. It has never ever rained on independence day. When i lived in penna it has been cool & rained often during july. Summers in johnstown,pa were often wet unlike summers in ca. My first summer here was a total shock to me. I have never delt with such intense heat & no rain. I still hate it many yrs later but im used to it.