[danielj72]

Originally Posted by idw2s

When we were frustrated with trying to get a mortgage here, those clouds kept us coming back. As we traveled the northern part of the mitten, we would see these cloud fronts come in from each lake, collide, mingle, and at sunset, make these swirled, multi-layered paintings of orange, lavender, pink, white, blue.... Stunning. The fall sunsets here were breathtaking, and always beautiful sun breaks here and there.... I don't need the sun all day to enjoy it when it's here.

I could do without the mud, I wish there were a winter switch and all the ugly part of winter could just evaporate, but... I'll take the yuck, because the beautiful has it beat by a mile.

I enjoy the weather we have here, even the cloudy weather. I enjoy the snow in winter, and the fall is by far my favorite. The only time of year I do not like is now (March and April) Mud, slush and rain, nothing to like about early spring. Other than those two months our weather is interesting and enjoyable at least for me.

[ironlady]

Thanks for all the hearty welcomes! I will say this about Michiganders: you are some tough people. These winters will kick your behind now and take names later. Remember, I'm from Texas, you know, with guns and rattlesnakes and longhorns and cattle and land still wild with tusked hogs the size of cows. I spent 10 years in Los Angeles and more than once ventured in neighborhoods that I had no business being in, all poverty and graffitti and a smattering of Crips and Bloods. Police helicopters flying overhead every night. So I like to think I know what "tough" means. And you people are it.

[313Weather]

Originally Posted by ironlady

Hey all, my family and I moved to the Holland area in June of last year. Before our move, I'd seen MI once, the month before our move. I grew up in Texas, spent 10 years in L.A., and 1 year in Denver before we made the move here. So my question is, where is the sun? When can I hope to see her? I REALLY need some Vitamin D!

Sorry, you moved to the wrong place if you're looking for sunshine.

Michigan is the cloudiest state in the coutry outside of the Pacific NW, and Detroit is the cloudiest city outside Seattle.

If it's not lake stratus in the winter, it's convective debris in the summer.

[michmoldman]

Originally Posted by 313Weather

Sorry, you moved to the wrong place if you're looking for sunshine.

Michigan is the cloudiest state in the coutry outside of the Pacific NW, and Detroit is the cloudiest city outside Seattle.

If it's not lake stratus in the winter, it's convective debris in the summer.

But...most of our spring, almost all of summer and fall are filled with sun. Its when you get close to winter and over winter that its most cloudy. At least its nice when it counts!

[canudigit]

Okay, I'm no meteorologist, but if the reason for Michigan's gray, cloudy weather is our proximity to, and actually being surrounded by, the Great Lakes, then why is Florida not cloudy as well, since it is also a peninsula surrounded by water on three sides? Is it because it has a tropical climate, or because salt water forms clouds differently than fresh water, or what?

No tomatoes or "duh" comments, please! Like I said, I'm no meteorologist, just a curious Michigander who would like to know why one peninsular state is referred to as "The Sunshine State" while ours is known for its gloomy skies!

[michigan83]

A lot of times in the fall, it will be sunny and then lake-effect clouds will roll in around 1:00 p.m, like clockwork.

So true! A lot of the cloudy days start out sunny if you are up early in the morning. Then... the wind picks up from the west... and the clouds roll in... it has actually gotten predictable at this point in my life. I've learned to enjoy those sunny early mornings before they go away.

[idw2s]

Originally Posted by ironlady

Thanks for all the hearty welcomes! I will say this about Michiganders: you are some tough people. These winters will kick your behind now and take names later. Remember, I'm from Texas, you know, with guns and rattlesnakes and longhorns and cattle and land still wild with tusked hogs the size of cows. I spent 10 years in Los Angeles and more than once ventured in neighborhoods that I had no business being in, all poverty and graffitti and a smattering of Crips and Bloods. Police helicopters flying overhead every night. So I like to think I know what "tough" means. And you people are it.

LOL, Ironlady, we watched a tornado decimate the hospital and wal-mart near our house under construction just east of Dallas. That summer we had a record heat wave. We moved into our house with corn stalks littering the back yard when the nearest corn field was 6 miles away. Less than a year later we were in Seattle. Texas was too much for me.

I grew up in many of those neighborhoods you speak of (though the rep is slightly exaggerated since the bad news gets publicized and the good news rarely does). It was home, not where I wanted to raise my kids, but... there was a lot of good for all the bad. But certainly not a walk in the park.

Michigan seems like heaven to me compared to the other places, but I can't do heat. I suspect like plants, we humans are hardy in select environments.

Where I would wilt, you would thrive, and vice versa....

[313Weather]

Originally Posted by canudigit

Okay, I'm no meteorologist, but if the reason for Michigan's gray, cloudy weather is our proximity to, and actually being surrounded by, the Great Lakes, then why is Florida not cloudy as well, since it is also a peninsula surrounded by water on three sides? Is it because it has a tropical climate, or because salt water forms clouds differently than fresh water, or what?

No tomatoes or "duh" comments, please! Like I said, I'm no meteorologist, just a curious Michigander who would like to know why one peninsular state is referred to as "The Sunshine State" while ours is known for its gloomy skies!

You pretty much have it right with respect to the tropical climate in Florida. The warm air is constant, so you usually don't have inversion issues.

It's really basic weather 101. When warm air rises into cold air it forms clouds and eventually precipitation. That's what happens with the lakes. After the hot summer airmass exits the cold winter airmass rushes in. However, water takes a long time to adjust to an airmass, so they're still warm despite the colder air rushing in aloft. So when the warmer air in the lakes forces its water particles into the atmosphere, it intersects with the colder air aloft and forms clouds, thus lake stratus.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by ironlady

Hey all, my family and I moved to the Holland area in June of last year. Before our move, I'd seen MI once, the month before our move. I grew up in Texas, spent 10 years in L.A., and 1 year in Denver before we made the move here. So my question is, where is the sun? When can I hope to see her? I REALLY need some Vitamin D!

Lots of sun here in Texas. You went the wrong direction if you crave sun.

[Coldjensens]

Get outside, she is making an appearance today. (Hurry up though - weather in michigan changes by the minute).

By the way did anyone notice the incredible sunset in Metro Detroit earlier this week? It was one of those remember forever sunsets really spectacular. You do not get those out west for some reason at least not in So Cal. Maybe the weather guy can tell us why.