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I grew up in the South and yes humidity takes some getting used to. I know it will take me some time to get used to it again after living in AZ for 5 years but it's not ALWAYS sweltering! Plus, it beats 115 degrees OR shoveling snow. Even though the winters in NC are mild compared to the North, at least you get 4 distinct seasons. Personally, I can't wait to see leaves changing again!
Personally I've been a bit disappointed with how COLD it is here. With people always complaining about the heat and humidity, I thought it would be like that much earlier than it has been and last longer. I was HOPING that would be the case. I love hot weather (even humid) and despise cold weather (which in my book is anything under about 60). 40 degrees last week in the mornings?? Too cold!!
It's completely subjective and the statistics don't tell you how you will feel here. While I think it's short sleeve heaven, the news reports it as "chilly", and I know when they start going on about the weather being beautiful it's going to be sweltering to me.
Now if it takes you 'til 98 to feel the heat, you're going to have many more "pleasant" days here then someone that feels too hot on all the days that hit 83 and above. Give me 6 months of cloudy 65...now that's weather. I moved here for many reasons, the weather was NOT one of them!
Personally I never thought the triangle had only 3 months of good weather...just that it didn't really have nicer weather longer than the Northeast...just at different times. In Raleigh it's really nice from mid March to mid May, and then again from late September to mid November (usually). With it being USUALLY uncomfortably hot and humid between mid may to mid September...and while not as cold and snowy as the north from Novmber thru the beginning of March, not exactly pleasant and warm either. You need the heat on a lot more durring winter in NC than you need AC in the summer in the North (atleast where i'm from). Never thought the weather in NC was horrible, just not so amazingly "better" (which is totally subjective and a different thing for everyone) than the north.
You are right that it is a subjective thing. From my standpoint compared to when I lived 30 minutes from the Stafford Motor Speedway (the best short track ever) in CT, this is the difference.
Up North:
October through April = Very chilly to downright freezing. Rain and snow until you just start crying.
May = Iffy weather. Warms up a bit, but could be cold and rainy.
June & September = Spectacular weather.
July & August = Hot and humid, just like here in the summer
NC (this area):
October through May - Varying ranges of good to fantastic weather. Always comfortable to be outside, with maybe a handful of days were it is not nice.
June & September = Half gorgeous / Half humidity creeping up.
July & August = Better keep frosty the snowman away....he will melt. However mornings and evenings still very enjoyable.
So for me, the comparison is night and day. Much better weather here in NC than up north. It's not even close.
We're from NJ (here 2 years) and we LOVE LOVE LOVE the weather here. The thing for us is that the summer is NOT all that different from NJ. A bit more humid but not a huge difference with similar temps. BUT the winters are so much more mild (no more shoveling snow for house..yay). And Spring and Fall are most definately elongated here, compared to NJ. The weather has been nutty (back/forth) but that's something that happens all over.
I live in both Miami Beach and Raleigh. Here's my opinion....
Miami's weather is generally terrific from November through April while Raleigh's is better than Miami's from May thru October. April is a draw to me. Both have terrific weather in April but Raleigh has the flowers (but it also has the nasty pollen). To me, it's 6 months of one and then 6 months of the other.
Some specific thumbs up and thumbs down:
Air quality (cleanliness) is always better in Miami since it's on the coast and pollution doesn't ever sit in the air. Thumbs Up Miami!
Warm days in the Winter in Raleigh are more common than cool days (non-existent) in Miami in the Summer. Thumbs Up Raleigh!
Summer daytime temps NEVER reach 100 in Miami. Thumbs up Miami!
Nighttime temps in Raleigh usually dip to 70 or under in the Summer. In Miami, it will be more humid and still HOT at midnight with overnight lows around 80 or higher. Thumbs Up Raleigh!
Summer thunderstorms cool off hot days in both cities in the Summer. Thumbs up Raleigh and Miami.
Spring flowers and Fall leaves grace two seasons a year in Raleigh. Thumbs up Raleigh!
It's NEVER brown and leaf-less in Miami. Thumbs Up Miami!
I hope you people understand that the last few winters here in the Raleigh area have been way above normal.
On average, there are more COLD and cool days than mild (winter). The average high in Jan is in the high 40's...lows in the 20's. If you are from up north...sure that is not bad...but I call that cold. lol
I have seen days down here when the high did not get out of the teens with full sun...that is rare, but it does happen. Last year was not normal.
We have also had lows well below zero!
I remember having so many snow days that we had to go on the weekends for several straight weeks...and lose our spring break!
I hope you people understand that the last few winters here in the Raleigh area have been way above normal.
On average, there are more COLD and cool days than mild (winter). The average high in Jan is in the high 40's...lows in the 20's. If you are from up north...sure that is not bad...but I call that cold. lol
I have seen days down here when the high did not get out of the teens with full sun...that is rare, but it does happen. Last year was not normal.
We have also had lows well below zero!
I remember having so many snow days that we had to go on the weekends for several straight weeks...and lose our spring break!
Don't sell your shovels just yet.....
I have used them many times in the past
Average high in January = 49 degrees, just BARELY in the 40's, usually in the 50's.
THIS part of NC does not have lows well below zero. That would be further west towards the mountains.
Average high in January = 49 degrees, just BARELY in the 40's, usually in the 50's.
THIS part of NC does not have lows well below zero. That would be further west towards the mountains.
Growing up and through college in Raleigh, I can remember a few days when the low temps got below zero but that is VERY unusual. The last big freeze I recall is the Winter of 2000 when Raleigh got 20 inches of snow overnight followed by a few weeks of below Freezing highs. I think the highs during that period were in the 20's with the lows sometimes in the single digits.
I hope you people understand that the last few winters here in the Raleigh area have been way above normal.
On average, there are more COLD and cool days than mild (winter). The average high in Jan is in the high 40's...lows in the 20's. If you are from up north...sure that is not bad...but I call that cold. lol
I find that the weather here fluctuates like everywhere else. Cooler one year, mild the next, etc. A look at the Farmer's Almanac for the Raleigh area indicates the same for the past 20 years here tho' they use a mean temp along with the highest and lowest reported temp.
Accuweather also shows the normal temps (avg, high and low) for each month in this area.
Accuweather for Raleigh area (http://www.accuweather.com/forecast-normals.asp?partner=accuweather&traveler=0&zipChg= 1&zipcode=27623 - broken link)
Honestly, for us the weather has been a dream here. One of the issues for us was weather extremes and shoveling snow for 6 hours just to get out of the driveway. We've been through 3 February's and so far haven't regretted leaving our shovel behind. There may or may not be a need for it in the future but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.
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Give me 6 months of cloudy 65...now that's weather. I moved here for many reasons, the weather was NOT one of them!
Much Better Weather Here In NC Than Up North
