Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Retirement
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 03-01-2015, 11:08 PM
Status: "Save the people of Gaza" (set 18 days ago)
 
Location: St. Louis Park, MN
7,726 posts, read 6,390,232 times
Reputation: 10387

Advertisements

In Virginia, it's way more tolerable than further south like Louisiana or Florida. The seasons do change and offer a relief from the heat, and you can have some snow in the winter, without it lasting as long as it does in New England. Texas' 3 other seasons help make the coming summer more bearable.

I actually like heat, just not when it overstays, and I don't think it lingers too long in Virginia, or even in north Texas, relative to Miami, where the weather drove me nuts! 80s in late November? Nuh-uh! Even Texas is cooler.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 03-02-2015, 12:48 AM
 
Location: SW Florida
5,586 posts, read 8,367,481 times
Reputation: 11210
Moderator cut: quote from deleted post



I totally agree that you cannot generalize this way about FL. First of all, it's a huge state and the weather can vary depending on what part of the state you're in. I spent my first summer here (Gulf coast of FL) and found it quite tolerable, even though many others were saying this past summer was a super-hot one. Every afternoon I was at the dog park, sitting in the shade, sometimes there for two hours with no problem. Granted, the park is on Anna Maria Island so it's cooler and breezier than some inland areas. But honestly, there was only one day I can recall where there wasn't a breeze. I've been through totally oppressive humidity up in PA, so thick you could cut it with a knife -- not all summer, but sometimes for long stretches of summer. Down here, the sun is way more intense but the humid air and breeze felt soothing, perhaps because it's so close to the coast. And I spent quite a few days at the beach, lazing around that warm peaceful turquoise Gulf water.

One thing I didn't enjoy about Southern CA, since some others have mentioned it, is that the nights were ALWAYS chilly, especially living by the beach. There was never a night where I could go out sleeveless. And I don't think I ever dared venture into the Pacific ocean -- that baby does NOT warm up. Not saying the weather isn't paradise out there, because it is, but I do enjoy the warmer nights and Gulf temps here.

Last edited by in_newengland; 03-02-2015 at 02:41 AM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-02-2015, 08:58 AM
 
Location: NYC
16,061 posts, read 26,674,586 times
Reputation: 24848
You never go outdoors. I am horrible with humidity!! It is very difficult to adjust to that along with the heat. However, right now while the North East is getting blasted by snow, I am enjoying just cooler weather!!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-02-2015, 03:01 PM
 
10,194 posts, read 6,257,929 times
Reputation: 11268
The windchill when I was in NY last week was in the Minus 10 degree range. I still went outside. Living in South Florida I RUN inside in the Spring, Summer, and Fall when the temps are in the 90s, not counting all the humidity and heat indexes.

I can always wear more clothes but how many can I take off?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-02-2015, 05:59 PM
 
Location: near bears but at least no snakes
26,648 posts, read 28,516,169 times
Reputation: 50473
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jo48 View Post
The windchill when I was in NY last week was in the Minus 10 degree range. I still went outside. Living in South Florida I RUN inside in the Spring, Summer, and Fall when the temps are in the 90s, not counting all the humidity and heat indexes.

I can always wear more clothes but how many can I take off?
That's what I always used to say on the hottest, most humid summer days in New England. I preferred winter. But dh and I are both past age 70 now and each of us fell on last winter's ice just trying to get to the car. We really shouldn't be shoveling (what was it this year? 108" so far?) of snow and it's painful to pay $65 all the time to get the driveway plowed out. Then there's the heating bill.

It's not that I want to leave or that I would prefer the long humid summers. It's a multitude of issues like finances, potential accidents, and not having family who live around here. His family is in England and my one sister is in Virginia Beach, working. She could never afford to move back to what has become a very expensive part of the country.

I wouldn't live in South Florida--ever. Been there in August and never again.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-02-2015, 06:22 PM
 
Location: Dayton OH
5,694 posts, read 11,255,431 times
Reputation: 13305
I lived in east central Alabama for a couple of years in the late 1990s. Sure, the summer (June to mid Sept) was hot and humid most of the time. I lived in a small brick house, and I had some good shade trees on the west side of house which helped a lot when the sun angle fell in the late afternoon. Sometimes even in summer, I did not run the AC at night, I just kept the ceiling fans turning with lots of windows open. I don't miss summers in the deep south.

Here in Southern Cal, I am about 16 miles inland from Laguna Beach. It is just close enough to the ocean to get by without running air conditioning in my apartment almost all summer long. Last summer / fall, I turned on my AC 3 or 4 afternoons total. I can also get by without needing hardly any heat. The last time I turned on my heater was about 2 months ago on January 2, but this has been a much warmer than usual winter. Low utility bills are the only cheap thing about living in Southern Cal.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-02-2015, 06:38 PM
 
Location: CT
3,440 posts, read 2,512,081 times
Reputation: 4639
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jo48 View Post
The windchill when I was in NY last week was in the Minus 10 degree range. I still went outside. Living in South Florida I RUN inside in the Spring, Summer, and Fall when the temps are in the 90s, not counting all the humidity and heat indexes.

I can always wear more clothes but how many can I take off?
I hear ya, I really don't mind the cold either, but I'm tired of dealing with ice and snow. I can always visit the snowbelt, then leave before I get sick of it.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-02-2015, 06:40 PM
 
Location: Subconscious Syncope, USA (Northeastern US)
2,365 posts, read 2,137,495 times
Reputation: 3814
Quote:
Originally Posted by in_newengland View Post
I'm considering a move to Virginia, specifically the Chesapeake area. This is southeastern VA near Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and Newport News. If I could find a place I would prefer the Williamsburg area to the north.

I have experienced the winters there and it's fine--I don't mind occasional snow or temperatures in the 40s and 50s--and a few pleasant days in the 70s.

But what about the summers? There was only one time that I was there at the end of August and due to the blasting heat and humidity, I barely made it from the a/c house to the a/c car. It just about knocked me out.
I have been told that it's like having several New England months of July--ugh. So how do you cope? Stay inside in a/c all day long? Or go from a/c to a/c to a/c?

Also, I read that they spray constantly for mosquitoes. This worries me--I have a dog and I don't want him walking in pesticides, also any edible plants that I would grow. Anyone in the southeast, how are the summers? Do they limit your activities? Do you get used to it?

I spent a lot of time just north of there in the Tidewater Area. I remember doing things outside at night alot in the Summer - parties, barbeques, even grocery and clothes shopping after the sun went down.
Even local minor league & high school baseball games were held early morning or late evening/night during the Summer for the most part. Fairs usually run at night, or dont really get going until the sun goes down.

I remember cutting the grass as early in the morning as possible. Suggest a wet towel or one of those bandanas you freeze around your neck. Suggest drinking water. Wide brim hat might suit ya. Sunglasses. Sunscreen. Maybe bug spray, and lots of citronella candles and torches. Screen everything.

Even taking the boat out fishing, I remember going out at daybreak and trying to get back to the dock by noon.

You can still go out during the day - car to store/mall etc (suggest having a sunscreen for your windshield or your seats might be hot by the time you get back to the car), but as you already know from your one experience, those days can be downright brutal.

Pluses are, although Fall can come early and it can get quite chilly by Halloween - I remember some years being able to swim right up until November. The air might be cool but the water was still warm enough.

The more wooded and rural the area the better for reducing temps. You can have a great garden maybe, grow awesome tomatoes in that sun.

Last edited by ConeyGirl52; 03-02-2015 at 07:06 PM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-03-2015, 03:56 AM
bUU
 
Location: Florida
12,077 posts, read 10,666,470 times
Reputation: 8793
Quote:
Originally Posted by in_newengland View Post
That's what I always used to say on the hottest, most humid summer days in New England. I preferred winter. But dh and I are both past age 70 now and each of us fell on last winter's ice just trying to get to the car.
Absolutely. This is the crux of the matter, for us. It gets cold here in north Georgia, but the ice is limited to a few days a year at most, so few that it is normal to just have jamma days when it is dangerous outside.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-03-2015, 07:02 AM
PDD
 
Location: The Sand Hills of NC
8,773 posts, read 18,326,362 times
Reputation: 12001
We all know about snowbirds traveling to the South for the Winter.

When was the last time you heard of a heat bird? Those moving from the South to the North in the Winter to avoid the heat.

Cold weather is highly overrated. Especially to those of us past 60.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:

Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Retirement
Similar Threads

All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:01 AM.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top