Considering relocating to Cary from Florida & I have some questions. (Raleigh: universities, living)
Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, CaryThe Triangle Area
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My husband and I have been in Florida for most of our lives, though we were both born up north. We'd like to experience seasons again without being extremely far from Florida in case we want to drive back to visit family. After a lot of Google searches, we think Cary might be the right area for us. We made a quick visit just to check it out but didn't get to explore much since our car broke down.
I have a few questions about the area, so I'm hoping someone who's living there can help me out.
Does the Cary area get all 4 seasons? Do a lot of the leaves change in the Fall? Can I expect the weather to get cool during the Fall there? Or will it be hot on Halloween, as it is here in FL? How is the weather in December?
How is the traffic in Raleigh? Would it be overwhelming for someone who's used to areas that have a smaller population (for example, right now I live in Daytona Beach, FL)? Does anyone know how it compares to Orlando's traffic? I'd like to stay mainly in Cary but I'm sure we'll have to go into Raleigh at some point if we move to the area.
Does the city spray for mosquitoes? Are there a lot of ticks in the area?
Location: Chapel Hill, NC, formerly NoVA and Phila
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Yes, we get four seasons. Yes, there will be a lot of leaf colors in the fall. It can be warm on Halloween, but probably not hot. It can also be chilly. It's sort of a transition time of year then.
I don't think traffic will be overwhelming, although I have never lived in Daytona.
Yes, there are ticks here, more likely if you go in the woods or hiking a lot. The mountains are about 3 hours away.
Can I expect the weather to get cool during the Fall there? SOMEWHAT COOLER. WE USED TO CALL IT "INDIAN SUMMER" WHEN WE WERE KIDS IN WESTERN NEW YORK. SUNNY AND PLEASANT.
Or will it be hot on Halloween, as it is here in FL? IT HAS BEEN HOTTER THAN NORMAL IN OCTOBER. USUALLY BY HALLOWEEN, YOU NEED A LIGHT JACKET OR SWEATER.
How is the weather in December? COLD. Google it. IT USUALLY SNOWS ONCE OR TWICE IN THE WINTER, and EVERYTHING CLOSES DOWN. SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T SNOW AT ALL. THIS YEAR IS PREDICTED TO BE AN UNUSUALLY COLD WINTER.
How is the traffic in Raleigh? MUCH WORSE THAN IT USED TO BE, ESPECIALLY AT RUSH HOUR.
Would it be overwhelming for someone who's used to areas that have a smaller population (for example, right now I live in Daytona Beach, FL)? IF RETIRED, STAY AWAY FROM RUSH HOUR TIME. I DON'T KNOW WHAT MIGHT OVERWHELM YOU BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW YOU. IT DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU ARE GOING AND WHEN YOU ARE GOING THERE.
I to stay mainly in Cary but I'm sure we'll have to go into Raleigh at some point if we move to the area. THEY ARE RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO EACH OTHER. THEY ARE PRACTICALLY THE SAME PLACE.
Does the city spray for mosquitoes? NO. I HOPE THEY NEVER DO. JUST SPRAY YOURSELF.
Are there a lot of ticks in the area? YES, I HAVE SEEN A FEW OVER THE YEARS AND MORE LATELY.
How far away is the closest mountain? BOONE, NC, IS 3 HOURS AWAY.
I just moved to Cary last month from Jacksonville, FL, although I was born and raised in NC. There are definitely four distinct seasons here in NC, and the leaves change color when they are supposed to in October, not in February like they did in NE Florida.
I remember sweating on Halloween taking the kids around in FL. Here it should be nice and crisp outside for Halloween. Winter here gets much colder than in Florida on average.
I've driven the I-95 to I-4 drive from Jacksonville to Orlando through Daytona at rush hour, and I don't think Raleigh is nearly as bad as Orlando traffic-wise. With that said there is a lot of rush hour traffic in Raleigh. Even though there are multiple ways to get where you need to go, chances are at some point in the commute you will see "red" if you look on Google maps. There are some directions of a commute though that I would never want to deal with on a daily basis, such as going west on I-440 or I-40 in the morning or east in the afternoon.
Local Cary traffic is not that bad, maybe like driving down International Speedway Blvd in the afternoon.
Does the Cary area get all 4 seasons? Yes but spring, fall and winter are somewhat abbreviated, however they do provide some great weather.
Do a lot of the leaves change in the Fall? Yes but I see that you said you are from "up north". I don't know where you're form specifically, but the changing of the leaves is nowhere as dramatic as you would see in the northeast (I'm from MA originally). It is pretty but not spectacular.
Can I expect the weather to get cool during the Fall there? Cool, not cold.
Or will it be hot on Halloween, as it is here in FL? October can be hit or miss. Last year I was sitting outside in shorts/t-shirt and was very comfortable.
How is the weather in December? Cool, not cold. Things get cold (relatively) in Jan/Feb. December can be hit or miss, one year we had snow flurries on Christmas day and other years it's quite warm.
How is the traffic in Raleigh? During rush hours it's no fun, but outside of 7-9, 4-6 it's a breeze. As much as I complain to friends about the traffic here it's still better than Boston or South Florida, other places I've lived. There is zero meaningful public transportation so all those people moving here will be on the road going to work.
Would it be overwhelming for someone who's used to areas that have a smaller population (for example, right now I live in Daytona Beach, FL)? No, it's pretty small town feel everywhere, including Raleigh.
I to stay mainly in Cary but I'm sure we'll have to go into Raleigh at some point if we move to the area. As stated above, they are right next to each other.
Does the city spray for mosquitoes? No, I really don't think there is a need. Outside of the issue with the hurricane leaving a ton of standing water, I don't think I've ever had a problem with mosquitoes.
Are there a lot of ticks in the area? Not sure what you consider "a lot". I have a pet and I put down tick killer on my grass - I haven't seen a tick on him in years.
How far away is the closest mountain? The mountains are 3 hours away.
Do a lot of the leaves change in the Fall? YES, generally late October to late November. Some areas are mostly pine (evergreen) but others are mostly hardwood.
Can I expect the weather to get cool during the Fall there? YES, first overnight freeze is usually within a week of Halloween.
Or will it be hot on Halloween, as it is here in FL? MAYBE, the weather in October can vary a lot from one week to next. But I would say "hot" is unlikely if you mean 90s.
How is the weather in December? VARIABLE, there have been snow flurries in December but there have also been days in the 80s.
How is the traffic in Raleigh? DEPENDS on where you go and the time of day. Orlando and Tampa are comparable. Not as bad as Ft Lauderdale/Miami, Atlanta, DC, NY, or Boston.
Are there a lot of ticks in the area? SOME not a lot.
I don't know about four seasons now. It's been pretty hot from April to October this year. I think we only had like two weeks of "Spring"
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