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I'll try to keep this as short as possible. I've been raised my whole life in San Jose, California which has pristine weather.
I am a big fan of hot climates, and an avid hater (cannot tolerate) cold weather.
However, I am looking to move out of California all together in the next (3) years maximum.
The cost of living is not doable for me, and I realize I will have to make compromises, in moving to another place.
I've narrowed down the Southeast Region of the United States, as best suited for my career, climate preferences, and many other factors.
After extremely in-depth research, I've narrowed it down (2) regions:
-Raleigh North Carolina
-Atlanta Georgia
(Charlotte is not an option for personal reasons)
I am aware of many of the pros/cons of each (traffic in Atlanta for example, etc.) but I have yet to receive confirmation on one thing (which is actually the most important factor for me) because I plan to purchase a house. The question is, which area is more bearable in terms of the cold winters?
I am extremely sensitive to cold weather, and I absolutely know that moving from California, I am bound to have to get used to COLDER weather in either of these places, but I am seeking the one that has less harsh winters.
I have looked up the average temperatures year round, on Google, and other sites, and it definitely looks like Atlanta has warmer weather year round (slightly) but I actually got a chance to stay in Raleigh North Carolina (for about a month and a half) recently and definitely liked the area, and could see myself there.
The weather was great while I was there, but the concerning part, is that my internet research tells me otherwise.
I have found several reports on the Internet of people having to leave the Raleigh area, because it gets too cold in the winters. I have seen numerous reports of this, especially from Older people. I also have read reports of people moving from the Northeast (Boston, NYC etc.) to Raleigh, only to be surprised that the winters in Raleigh can be very cold as well. I've also read reports of many Raleigh locals fleeing and moving to California because of the cold weather in Raleigh.
If I could choose one, I would choose Raleigh, as the suburban areas really impressed me, but the reports of cold winters really put me off. Is this accurate what I am reading?
I cannot develop the correct impression based on Internet research on average temperatures. All I can say, is I've seen less reports of people fleeing Atlanta because it is 'too cold', than I read about Raleigh.
People expect to be cold in winter in places like Boston or Chicago but I'm not sure if they expect it to get cold in Raleigh or Atlanta. Do the same people go huh, it gets hot in Boston or Chicago too.
Usually the daily high gets above freezing in wintertime. Though at the beginning of the year there was period of about a week or so where it didn't.
If you like suburban Raleigh (i.e., 95% of it) and absolutely cannot countenance "cold"... have you considered Houston/Austin/Dallas? Or Tampa? Or Phoenix?
Both Raleigh and Atlanta get cold enough that frozen precipitation is possible at least once a year. Atlanta might be slightly warmer on average, but it's also at a higher elevation.
Also, if you've always lived in "the valley of heart's delight," are you sure that you're ready for a "so humid you can hardly breathe" Southern summer?
FWIW, heat kills more people than cold. My favorite thing about a climate that skews cooler: you can always add more clothing, but you can't always subtract clothing and keep a job. And it's nice to be able to exercise outdoors for more than half the year, without melting into a puddle. But to each their own, I guess.
I lived in Atlanta for 14 years before moving to Raleigh 32 years ago. "Atlanta" is ambiguous. If you mean the city of Atlanta, then yes, Raleigh tends to be slightly colder on average in winter. But if you mean metro Atlanta and your definition extends as far north as Cherokee, Forsyth, or Hall counties, there is no difference. Dawson County, Georgia in the mountains is almost certainly colder than Raleigh.
There is no climate in the US like coastal Cali. None.
If you want a moderate winter you must be near the ocean.
FWIW anything below 55* to my wife and I is cold. I grew up in the NE and she is from central Canada. We hate the cold.
Last winter here we went almost two weeks straight in a row where daytime highs never got above 32*.
We can have some warmer winter days but the "average" temps are quite deceiving. If one day is 70 and the next 20, the average is 45*. But you still had a very cold day.
We personally looked at coastal FL but unless you get up towards Melbourne on the east coast homes don't start getting reasonable in price. Miami / West Palm is insane with decent homes approaching CA level pricing without the dry air and cooler temps during the summer.
Atlanta will be warmer but also muggier. And it's a huge, sprawled out city.
Dallas might be a better option for a mix of not so cold and not so expensive plus lots of jobs. But, summers are pretty not. Not Phoenix hot but still really hot.
This is really not hard to research. You don't need anecdotes, you just need to wade through the facts. Go to www.wunderground.com and plug in Raleigh and then go to "history" or "calendar" (doesn't really matter which) and look at January 2018, then Jan 2017, 2016, 2015, etc, etc. I'd go back about 10 years so you can get a good feel for it. Do the same with Atlanta. BOTH cities can have quite cold snaps. You REALLY need to go to Florida or the Gulf Coast or the southern half of Texas, NM, AZ if you want to be almost guaranteed a warmish winter. Basically anywhere around I-10 or below is less likely to see as many nights below freezing. We have plenty of those in NC and in GA, too.
The other thing to consider is the heat and humidity if you're coming from San Jose. It gets really hot and humid here in the summer. It's a very different feel from San Jose.
As others say, the ONE topic that actually CAN be researched about a place with no subjectivity involved is WEATHER.
You didn't mention how of all the "warm" places in the country, only Raleigh and Atlanta made your short list? Both get snow and Raleigh gets ice storms on average 1-2 times per winter. In 2000, Raleigh got 20 (official, most would say more where they were) inches of snow in one 24-hour period. We ALSO get 6 weeks of chokingly hot humid weather in July/August. It's worse for someone who can't tolerate heat than someone who can't tolerate cold, though "cold" is more subjective, since around here, we would generally consider 35F "cold", while those in the Midwest would consider that downright balmy in the wintertime.
Like someone else said, look into Florida. Or farther up the Pacific coast, though you are in the place with literally the best weather by most standards, in the USA.
This is really not hard to research. You don't need anecdotes, you just need to wade through the facts. .
Yup.
There's no other way to quantify this for one particular person. Yes, it gets cold here....sometimes really cold. My mom is from NH and she laughs at people who think it's cold here in the winter. But the cold has never bothered her, she hates the heat (although she's adapted well to the southern summer). My dad is always cold but much happier here than he was in NY in the winter.
Coming from Cali, your perspective is likely to be much different. My parents are happy not to have to shovel snow, or find someone to do it for them, worry about falling on an icy sidewalk, clean their cars, etc. You've never had to do that, and now you may have to (in Raleigh OR Atlanta) as both places can get ice and/or snow.
It's all about frame of reference and personal preference as much as facts.
There's no other way to quantify this for one particular person. Yes, it gets cold here....sometimes really cold. My mom is from NH and she laughs at people who think it's cold here in the winter. But the cold has never bothered her, she hates the heat (although she's adapted well to the southern summer). My dad is always cold but much happier here than he was in NY in the winter.
Coming from Cali, your perspective is likely to be much different. My parents are happy not to have to shovel snow, or find someone to do it for them, worry about falling on an icy sidewalk, clean their cars, etc. You've never had to do that, and now you may have to (in Raleigh OR Atlanta) as both places can get ice and/or snow.
It’s all about frame of reference and personal preference as much as facts.
Couldn’t agree more. The OP is coming from possibly the most comfortable climate in the continental USA. Neither Raleigh nor Atlanta is likely to be a great fit. For us, the Raleigh weather is great. Summers are the same or slightly better than where we came from, and winters are shorter and milder. It’s perfect. It’s been amazing to take daily walks all of November here while STL has already had 7” of snow and daily highs in the 30s. There will be days in January where it’s in the 20s here, but the winters are overall milder and shorter. VS NorCal the weather here can’t compete.
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