Why do so many people say NYC weather is bad? (New York: living, store)
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As a weather geek and a native of NYC (OK just north of it, but like almost literally on the border of the Bronx), I find the hype about NYC being "wintry" a joke.
In the sense that parts of most winter days are below freezing and there's never been a year without at least one "sticking" snowfall yes New York is a "winter" city, but relative to say Chicago or Detroit or Minneapolis, indeed relative to much of the Northeast, it is not. Consider these facts (you can look them up):
1) The average winter high temperature is around 40. Yes, 40 degrees! And this was true 50 years ago (I have an old World Almanac from 1969 that shows the 1931-60 NWS averages and the high was actually 1-deg WARMER than the current 1971-2000 average used) so it's not "global warming" or even "the urban heat island" (although that factor makes NY City's average low temperature higher than any in the region, indeed similar lows to DC).
2) Go just 100 miles inland and you have a climate more like Chicago. I lived for 5 years in the late 80s in the Albany area, just 150 miles to the north. They get 3x as much snow, their snow stays on the ground most of the winter (very very rare in NYC, especially in Manhattan) and their average temperature are 10 degrees colder! The nearest place with winter temperatures 10 degrees WARMER than NYC is down in the Carolinas.
3) Most people don't consider Washington DC to be a "winter" city (this year excepted, LOL!), but NY City's annual seasonal snowfall average total of 25" is much closer to DC's (just under 20") than place just 100 or so miles in any other direction from it (Hartford 50", Albany 70", Scranton 45").
4) I do grant that the "concrete canyons" of the skyscraper do produce a "wind tunnel" effect that makes Manhattan often "feel" colder in winter than it actually is.
I think NYC is a place that has nice even doses of all 4 seasons and the weather is just hyped but YMMV.
The worst thing in winter is, like I said, no place to PUT the snow (not to mention teh Yellow Snow!! ).
I also have to say it depends on where you are in the city. You walk through some blocks in Lower Manhattan, the channeled sea-breeze can rip the skin off your face, but only a mile north and you are walking along the tree-lined streets of the West Village. Same temp, but with substantially less rippage!
I think the one thing that is missing in some of the perennial sunny spots is just that. No change.
I loved the warm weather when I was out in Grad School at Stanford, but I started getting a little bored with it. Almost no rain, very few clouds, no variance (and the desert "drop" at night time... 85 daytime but bring your coat if you are staying out after dark!! ).
There are places that have truly horrible weather, or at the very least, challanging. Most people complaining about the weather are just justifying their own life choices.
Eh, I think people who say the winter is bad aren't the people comparing NYC's winter to those of even colder places up north. It's likely they're comparing the winters to places within the sunbelt (and are not arguing that NYC's winter being bad makes Chicago's, Boston's, Buffalo's etc. any better).
Yes are some folks who say they like the cold for whatever reason (they probably don't work outdoors),but when speaking in generalities, the average American considers good weather to be about from 60-84 with light humidity and sunny skies. NYC in all honesty does give you many of those days and when it does, usually rain will fall after too many days in a row of sun. Maybe April, maybe September and early October and thats it. Thats why when the weather actually is good, NYers will say "hey its nice out, we should do something today", as opposed to other parts of the U.S. where there are many nice days outside. NYC may not be as cold as say Upstate or a few other North East or other Norther States, but that doesnt make it good weather exactly. That's like saying the South Bronx is not that bad because Brownsville has more muggings. Anyone who says they prefer to bundle up with scarfs, 2 pair of socks, gloves, thermal underwear, ect... is just talking for the sake of talking.
Yes are some folks who say they like the cold for whatever reason (they probably don't work outdoors),but when speaking in generalities, the average American considers good weather to be about from 60-84 with light humidity and sunny skies. NYC in all honesty does give you many of those days and when it does, usually rain will fall after too many days in a row of sun. Maybe April, maybe September and early October and thats it. Thats why when the weather actually is good, NYers will say "hey its nice out, we should do something today", as opposed to other parts of the U.S. where there are many nice days outside. NYC may not be as cold as say Upstate or a few other North East or other Norther States, but that doesnt make it good weather exactly. That's like saying the South Bronx is not that bad because Brownsville has more muggings. Anyone who says they prefer to bundle up with scarfs, 2 pair of socks, gloves, thermal underwear, ect... is just talking for the sake of talking.
But in comparison to places in the U.S. that actually have all 4 seasons, which is most of the U.S., how does it compare?
If you can't handle the NYC winters than you can't handle the winters in hundreds of other places, where they are much worse.
As the previous poster said, all you need is a warm coat and gloves. The lowest temperature this winter was 14 degrees; it rarely goes below 10 degrees.
I'll take a NYC winter anyday over a Phoenix or Florida summer. Going from your air-conditioned home to your air-conditioned garage to your air-conditioned office back to your air-conditioned home for six months is not exactly my idea of fun.
i moved to NYC from the UK last Oct and was worried about the cold b'cuz so many ppl warned me about the cold winters here esp as I'm a bit of a heat freak. But I've been pleasantly surprised - it may just be a mild Winter this year but with the exception of a handful of freezing, bitterly cold days, it hasn't been too bad. Plus building heat means the apts always stay really warm. And at least the Sun comes out more often than not...
Well, folks I'll be coming to New York City in July so it will be a chance for me to experience its summer weather. I know it will most likely be hot and humid, but at least the humidity will make my skin feel better. I'm looking at my skin now and its kind of dry. How are summers in NYC? Are they really that oppressive? I've heard people say that July and August in NY is the worst part of the summer.
Gray skies on most Winter days. Summers are muggy buggy and sticky. New York gets more rain annually, than Washington State. I moved to AZ. We have mostly sunny days, and you don't have to shovel heat.
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