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I know I am not Devin, and certainly I am sure he'll chime in too, but I am in Milwaukee, WI (about 60 miles east of Madison) and overall, one of the common complaints among others about the winters here in the upper Midwest indeed is in relation to the overall overcast, thick, gray cloudiness.
The kicker is that here, when the sun shines brightly in the winter (usually accompanied by High Pressure), unlike in the Southwest where even on colder days the strong sun warms greatly, here, the strong sun brings the exact opposite - the absolute coldest days.
So typically here, if you are rooting for warmer, you root for thick gray clouds, and if you are rooting for strong sun, you'll get sub-20 degree very cold weather. Kind of a pick your poison if you will!
That really happens in the heart of the winter because of how far the sun moves away from the upper latitudes of the Upper Midwest. As spring comes on, that changes again, and a sunny day brings more warmth with it again.
But overall, yes, the upper Midwest is very gray and cloudy in the winter...we average between only 30% and 50% of days in the winter months where the sun shines, which is quite low. In the summer, that can get up to more pleasant percentages in the 70s and low 80s.
Stowe, Vermont is in the cloudiest county in the USA, and, yes, the sun is low in the sky. But the light reflected off the snow even on cloudy days, made this more bearable than you might think.
Stowe, Vermont is in the cloudiest county in the USA, and, yes, the sun is low in the sky. But the light reflected off the snow even on cloudy days, made this more bearable than you might think.
Again, that is so opposite of what one would think, especially to someone who has always lived in the SW save for 6 months!!!
But overall, yes, the upper Midwest is very gray and cloudy in the winter...we average between only 30% and 50% of days in the winter months where the sun shines, which is quite low. In the summer, that can get up to more pleasant percentages in the 70s and low 80s.
Ya... but then you wish the sun *wasn't* shining...
I grew up in IL and the weather basically sucks like a lot of places. You really remember the *nice* days because there are so few of them...
In NM (I live near Ruidoso at 7300ft) it is *sunny* in the winter, plus it is 15 degrees warmer during the day than where I grew up. In a nutshell, it's *way* better! And in the summer (when it gets all the way up into the 80s) the air is clear and mostly dry except for random thunderclouds that roam around and dump rain for a few minutes... then move on. The wildflowers bloom and everything turns green. This is contrasted with CA (where I've also lived) were it doesn't rain for 8 months in the summer and everything turns brown. IMO the weather is damn good in NM. I much prefer having rain in the summer rather than the winter. If you want it on the cool and snowy side go up to high elevation and up north. If you like it cool (but not too cold or snowy) in the winter and warm (but not hot) in the summer, then look at high elevation in the southern part of the state. If you favor warmish (at times a bit hot on the summer) weather all year then look at the lower elevations in the southern part of the state.
That's my take on the climate in NM anyway. It's just invigorating enough without being annoying (for long at least) at any time of the year IMO. I could be happy with the climate anywhere in the state... but I prefer the way it is right where I am.
Well, take heart Cathy, I saw in Laredo a few days ago, it was 98 degrees at 3pm!! That is insanity. That is wicked hot even for the summer, much less in February! I would gladly take some 70s right about now!
Yeeeeesssss......just horrible. You'll find that three places in TX have the hottest temperatures over a year...Laredo, Presidio and tiny Wink!!
rruff: I'd say you summed up NM climate rather nicely.
Yes, I've noticed that Laredo has had the highest temperature in the country a lot lately. It isn't where you would want to be in summer, unless you just love hot weather. My opinion is that High Rolls and Timberon, NM have just about the ideal climate.
Santa Rosa New Mexico has got to be one of the Prettiest Little cities in N.M. and has lots of Activities and great Scenery. Its called the City of Natural Lakes and the Pecos River runs through it and two boating lakes close by. It soon to become a Great Tourist Attraction with their Beach Park Slides and other Additions being done to beautify the town dont forget Blue Hole and the Park Lake the biggest Swimming pool in the world. They have lots of Great Restauraunts in town. My favorite are the Red beef Enchiladas two eggs over medium at Johnnys Comet Drive Inn. el pintada kid
Back to the topic of winter. The nice thing about winter even in the relatively higher parts of New Mexico is that it is short and interrupted by days that are positively spring like. Here in the Pojoaque Valley (6,000 feet) today is sunny in the low 60s and people are out in shirtsleeves.
I don't remember many days like this in Vermont and Wisconsin at this time of year.
I know it is an OLD thread, but Ruidoso is not even mentionted in the poll! To each their own, but Ruidoso is my favorite.
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But the light reflected off the snow 
even on cloudy days, made this more bearable than you might think. 
Santa Rosa New Mexico
