Is the winter really THAT bad? (Afton, Cyrus: to buy, live in, military)

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by hankette

Adjust your dress you say? I've been following this conversation from Ireland and I must say I'm getting worried. Will my wool coat, jeans, tall boots, hat and gloves be enough? What will my children wear to school in the winter? Is there special outwear made for this region of the country? Ireland is very cool/cold and wet year round but never deathly cold!

You'll probably be fine for most activities. A lot depends on your own tolerance for cold, and on how long you plan on being outside.

I was relatively comfortable just wearing a tee shirt and denim jeans with a quilted flannel shirt (no coat at all) and sometimes gloves, but my tolerance for cold is rather high, and I always kept a spare wool hat, down jacket, and warm pair of Thinsulate gloves in my trunk in case I had to spend a lot more time in the cold than I had planned on.

Keep in mind that temps in the Twin Cities can reach -20 or (rarely) -25 C a few times a year during the coldest months (normally December and January).

For reference, though, I wear a tee shirt and shorts down here in Atlanta all year round, even though it sometimes gets down into the teens F (-10 C) in the wintertime at night. For 15-20 minutes, -10 C doesn't bother me.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

Too late. I want to be in the TC area because of the snow.

Most of the time the snow up there isn't like the snow we just got down here in Atlanta. The Atlanta snow was nice, wet, sticky snowball snow, while snow in the colder parts of the country tends to be powdery.

[AmoreLeo]

I grew up in Mpls, and I moved to Chicago after graduating from the U of M. I have since been to grad school at Purdue, just an hour north of Indianapolis--and it is SIGNIFICANTLY warmer in Indy/NW Indiana than it is in Chicago, and WORLDs warmer in Indy than it is in Mpls.

Seriously, the winter lasts forever up there. Years ago, when I was just finishing my undergrad at U of M, I had a job interview in Chicago. I will never forget this. It was April 11, and Mpls had just gotten 36 inches of snow the night before. Yes, 36 inches in APRIL!!!

Sadly, it IS as bad as you've heard. I moved to SoCal for a while in 2000, and lived in Hermosa Beach. When I was there, I randomly met about 8 people from my Minnesota high school who all had moved there, too. We just had to get out of the cold. I'm just sayin'.

[Winter Hater]

Anyone moving here, relocating here for work, or debating thinking about coming anywhere near here for vacation or reasons otherwise... I honestly feel sorry for you, and don't comprehend how living in a freezer seems reasonable to you.

I've come to this realization.

Living in minnesota, or any state that shares similar characteristics... is like throwing away half your life. Stay with me on this. Six months out of the year, I and everyone I know - is stuck indoors from october/november to march/april. Rarely going outside to shovel snow, scrape ice, and run to the store for whatever goods we may need. Other than that, you're trapped.

I'm stuck here because of the recession, family, friends, and numerous other reasons... but I can assure you, live here for more than a beautiful spring/summer/fall and you'll be ready to throw away your sweaters and jackets and relocate to somewhere that doesn't completely suck.

[kipkip12]

Minnesotas never seem to wonder why they are living here, it's just something I've noticed. you really have to try the Minnesota experience for yourself and take the story with you if you ever decide to venture. Winters are pretty cold here but in the cities like South Mpls in the Uptown area, it's not even half as cool as it seems.

[Minneapolitan]

I would think that INDY winters are significantly -but not drastically- warmer and shorter than in MPLS. That said, I agree with the others in saying that the many SUNNY days, the unpredictable suprise warm days, and, if you live near/in the core cities, the urban heat island effect make winters here bearable.

I must say one more thing about life here in MPLS...I've noticed that civic pride here borders on near-smug (I'm NOT saying that it is unwarranted). I think this has a lot to do with the winters, oddly enough. Simply put, I think the vast majority of people who decide to live and stay here are here because they LOVE the place so gosh-darned much that they put up with the cold. This is one of many things that I find intriguing and actually love about people here!

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by Minneapolitan

I would think that INDY winters are significantly -but not drastically- warmer and shorter than in MPLS. That said, I agree with the others in saying that the many SUNNY days, the unpredictable suprise warm days, and, if you live near/in the core cities, the urban heat island effect make winters here bearable.

I must say one more thing about life here in MPLS...I've noticed that civic pride here borders on near-smug (I'm NOT saying that it is unwarranted). I think this has a lot to do with the winters, oddly enough. Simply put, I think the vast majority of people who decide to live and stay here are here because they LOVE the place so gosh-darned much that they put up with the cold. This is one of many things that I find intriguing and actually love about people here!

What do you mean by saying that civic pride borders of near-smug and winter having something to do with it?

[Miley Cyrus]

If you'd have asked me a few years ago, I would've told you it was bearable. After these past 2 winters, however, I can tell you it's sucked the big one. Move to Vegas. Mandalay Bay is sweet. Not to mention MN doesn't have any 7-11's which means a HUGE lack of slurpees. Sorry I got off topic there, this state just depresses me so much sometimes.

[Conroy25]

I grew up in MN and whenever I fly back there, I throw up in my mouth when the plane lands. HHAHAH, jk, the winter sucks and the summer sucks whenever I'm there. It's usually 60 and raining. I left about 8 years and would never move back. Also, I wouldn't advise anyone to move there unless they are from somewhere colder, the climate shock will make outsiders very depressed.

[no_underline]

I am from Atlanta originally, and spent the last four years in rural minnesota, but I have spent a lot of time in the Twin Cities. From my perspective, it's not the cold that's bad. The temperatures got down below -20 (-29 C) but honestly to me everything below -10 feels the same. It can be tough, but it's exciting.

For the person in Ireland who asked about clothing... it depends on how good that wool coat is. I have a wool coat and a down coat, and the wool does not cut it after the end of November. It's not very warmly lined, it's more fashionable. I have a friend who has a wool coat that is some kind of military issue and I borrowed that once, and THAT coat was great. It was very different, it had a thick lining and an inner set of elastic cuffs to keep the cold out of the sleeves, and it had a hood.

This coat would not work: Larry Levine Women's Camel Hair Funnel-neck Coat from Overstock.com

something like this would probably be OK: The National Geographic Online Store - Royal Navy Wool Duffel Coat

I would suggest that you just show up in the states with a lot of layers. Have long underwear, long sleeve shirts, a sweater, a fleece jacket, etc. If the wool coat you have right now turns out not to be enough, it'll certainly be OK for a while with a bunch of layers under it, and you can buy a replacement once you know what your needs will be.

One thing I discovered is that it's good to have a functional scarf. I bought a scarf in GA before I moved here and I laugh at that poor miserable scrap of cloth now. What I bought was the kind of thing people in Atlanta wear in December so that their outfits will reflect the fact that it is winter even if the temperature is still 50-60 degrees outside.

In minnesota, you need a scarf to cover your face. You need something for your cheeks and nose. You need a real scarf.

However, I really doubt it will get cold enough for that again this winter, and if you're from Ireland you probably at least have a real scarf. For other people reading this thread: a scarf that has holes in it (crochet, lace looking) or is less than 6'' wide is not a scarf, it is a glorified necklace.