winter in Minneapolis (Ely: home, neighborhood, schools)

[seetheworld]

I'm considering a possible move to the Minneapolis area, since it's a place I've always loved visiting. The only big concern I've got is winter weather. Maybe you're all tired of answering this one, but I was wondering... what can I expect in the winter? How cold does it get? Is getting around a big problem? Is there anything I should know in advance about winter car maintenance? For the most part, I haven't dealt with a lot of snow/ice or winter driving, although I did live in Des Moines, IA for a while and didn't think it was too bad there.

Also, the last time I was up there, I ate in this fantastic Malaysian restaurant... it was on a street with a lot of other ethnic restaurants. I'd love to go back to that area and check out some of the other places, but I've completely forgotten where we were at the time. If anyone could help me out with that, you'd make my day

Thanks in advance for your responses!

[MnMomma]

Was it Peninsula Malaysian?

Winter is definitely cold. I moved here from Chicago and was surprised and delighted by two things: 1) the Twin Cities gets a lot of sun so even when it is cold it's usually sunny 2) the cold isn't usually 'biting' like it is in Chicago--our numbers are lower but it's usually OK to be outside.

I'm in Minneapolis so I can't speak for the suburbs; but even after a huge snowfall the streets are cleared rather quickly so getting around is rarely a problem (I do not have 4-wheel drive and do just fine). Minnesotans are outside year-round. The park by our home has people walking, skiing, boating, exercising, etc. year round (obviously, activities vary by season ). My children play outside daily unless it is below zero.

There is always a point in late February that I've had enough with winter but all-in-all it's not bad. I often think that Minnesotans play-up the winter weather myths to keep too many people from moving here.

-Barbara

[seetheworld]

Thanks, Barbara. I'd wondered if the weather situation was played up a little bit - otherwise I think Minneapolis would probably be much bigger than it is now. I lived in Seattle for quite a while and people around there did the same thing with the rain.

It's good to know the city is efficient about plowing. That was a big question I had. I've also heard there's a pretty good public transportation system in place as another alternative - true?

Peninsula is definitely the restaurant we went to - thanks so much for helping me find it again!

[youngurbanprofessional]

Originally Posted by BarbaraMN

Was it Peninsula Malaysian?

Winter is definitely cold. I moved here from Chicago and was surprised and delighted by two things: 1) the Twin Cities gets a lot of sun so even when it is cold it's usually sunny 2) the cold isn't usually 'biting' like it is in Chicago--our numbers are lower but it's usually OK to be outside.

I'm in Minneapolis so I can't speak for the suburbs; but even after a huge snowfall the streets are cleared rather quickly so getting around is rarely a problem (I do not have 4-wheel drive and do just fine). Minnesotans are outside year-round. The park by our home has people walking, skiing, boating, exercising, etc. year round (obviously, activities vary by season ). My children play outside daily unless it is below zero.

There is always a point in late February that I've had enough with winter but all-in-all it's not bad. I often think that Minnesotans play-up the winter weather myths to keep too many people from moving here.

-Barbara

I can't completely agree with this opinion as I too have lived in both areas, most of my time in the Twin Cities.

Minnesota is as bit as cold as they say it is if you are coming from southern states. If you're coming from Iowa, you may not think too much of the cold, or at least be a little bit prepared, but it still gets WAY colder. Minnesota is arguably the coldest temperature state in the U.S. The only way Chicago feels colder MAYBE is because of the wind. The sun shines no more or no less in Chicago than Minneapolis. Minnesota is colder, the temps are much lower and you will feel the difference between 30 to 10 to -10. At times it is unbearable.

Let's put it this way. Very often is school cancelled during the winter on days for being TOO COLD. That means it's so cold, it's not worth kids' health to stand at the bustop for 10 minutes. Think about that.

As for trying to scare people from Minnesota, that's untrue because Minnesotans are by far the kindest and giving people you will ever meet. Everyone is very friendly and respectful.

Besides, they don't need to scare anyone, one winter usually does it. I remember growing up and a new family would move to my neighborhood from the warm south. Me and my friends would take bets on how far into the winter they make it before they move back.

Minneapolis is a great place, but there's no mistake about it, it's DAMN COLD in the winter. Summers are nice though, humid, but nice.

[Prple]

Can you tell me more about the summers in Minneapolis? How hot does it get? Are the summers typically nice, or too hot?

[talktobrent]

Summers get really hot as well. I've never spent considerable time down south during the summer so I couldn't compare it to that. Every winter there are probably 3-10 days that it gets super cold (-10 or so, plus windchills), and every summer there are probably 3-10 days that get super hot (95+ and tons of humidity). Daytime hovers between ~70-95 all june july aug. humidity is a big factor as well.

[Lillietta]

The cold days that shut down schools are very rare, contrary to the previous poster, and I have lived here more than 35 years. Summers can be hot and humid. We have hardly a spring and a short fall. Winters are long - but that doesn't mean severely cold, though we had an unusual week of sub-zero weather last week which we have not had in years, and we have a good share of snow. They did not close schools in this sub-zero weather and haven't for years. This past weekend the weather has spanned 23 degrees to 32 today with snow today but we haven't had snow in 2 weeks, though it's still on the ground.

I personally like winter. Minnesotans are a cozy breed. Check out any restaurant or sports/bar in winter and you'll see what I mean.

[talktobrent]

winter car maintence isn't really an issue with modern cars. make sure you got all season tires (you probably do anyway). you might have to fill up your wiper fluid and check your tire pressure more often. Driving on ice and snow is just somehting you kind of feel out, just like walking on ice and snow. There are procedures you're supposed to do if you start slipping but you don't really have time to sit there and remember when it happens anyway. it's not hard.

[moving123456]

Originally Posted by Lillietta

The cold days that shut down schools are very rare, contrary to the previous poster, and I have lived here more than 35 years.

My school was only closed because of cold weather once or twice that I can remember during my 12 years of school in the Twin Cities metro area (1985-1997). I remember them closing because of cold weather sometime during the winter of '95 or '96, but most winter days without school previous to that were because of heavy snowfall. Snow closures were more common than cold weather closures and the snow closures only happened maybe once or twice per year at most, some years had none.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by youngurbanprofessional

I can't completely agree with this opinion as I too have lived in both areas, most of my time in the Twin Cities.

Minnesota is as bit as cold as they say it is if you are coming from southern states. If you're coming from Iowa, you may not think too much of the cold, or at least be a little bit prepared, but it still gets WAY colder. Minnesota is arguably the coldest temperature state in the U.S. The only way Chicago feels colder MAYBE is because of the wind. The sun shines no more or no less in Chicago than Minneapolis. Minnesota is colder, the temps are much lower and you will feel the difference between 30 to 10 to -10. At times it is unbearable.

Let's put it this way. Very often is school cancelled during the winter on days for being TOO COLD. That means it's so cold, it's not worth kids' health to stand at the bustop for 10 minutes. Think about that.

As for trying to scare people from Minnesota, that's untrue because Minnesotans are by far the kindest and giving people you will ever meet. Everyone is very friendly and respectful.

Besides, they don't need to scare anyone, one winter usually does it. I remember growing up and a new family would move to my neighborhood from the warm south. Me and my friends would take bets on how far into the winter they make it before they move back.

Minneapolis is a great place, but there's no mistake about it, it's DAMN COLD in the winter. Summers are nice though, humid, but nice.

Not that this is an exaggeration or anything but RARELY do schools close because of the cold. Some of the rural areas where kids have to stand at a bus stop on a county road will delay the start of the day but I can only remember ONCE in all my years here that schools have been closed because of the cold.

Yes, it gets cold but it isn't unbearable other then a day or two here and there, unlike the south in the summer where it is so blazing hot and humid that you don't want to go out for weeks on end or at least that is the story we here up here.

It is 30° here right now, cold to some, balmy winter weather for us. Honestly, you do get used to the cold.

Summers can be hot and humid but again, there are only a few days in the summer where it is too hot to do much but even then it isn't too bad.