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Do you think that pretty much everywhere in the US gets the same amount of pleasant weather? There is of course the exception of places such as So Cal and Hawaii, but these places are way too expensive to live in.
The Northeast and Midwest are nice in the spring, summer, and early fall. The South is miserable in the summer, but stays nice later in the fall and earlier in the spring. A lot of people are unsatisfied with their climate and want to move somewhere else, but if your preference is for sunny weather and pleasantly warm temperatures, it seems like most of the country has a nice part of the year and a miserable part of the year. I have often considered moving to a place that has better weather, but it seems like most places have about the same amount of nice weather.
Definitions of "pleasant weather" are very subjective and depend on personal tastes. Some people find a sunny winter day with a high of 45F pleasant. Some people like hot summer days.
Ditto. I'd find Miami to be pleasant year round bar a few cold days in winter, while that's probably the only days when Patricius Maximus would feel comfortable
I can confirm Dhdh's statement about my comfort . Although that is only about getting a break from the heat; however since it's winter nice weather to me would mean deep powder and temperatures in the singles and tens Fahrenheit, which Miami can never provide bar an intense glacial period approaching (but not meeting) Snowball Earth levels.
It seems that what you're looking for are plenty of 70 and 80 degree days with sunshine, i.e. the conventional approach to nice weather. If you're comparing the spectrum of the Eastern U.S., the amount of sunny/warm days is roughly the same - the main difference is whether it occurs in summer or winter. Given that choice you'd be better off staying in "the North" (Philly is not much of a northern climate but it's enough for you) because the sunny/warm days occur in summer, when day length is longer, and in winter you can put on warm clothing. Those advantages are inverted in the south, where there's no cure for miserable heat and your pleasant warmth occurs in the darkest time of year.
However there are other solutions for you, besides the obvious West Coast and Hawaii locations, which are out of the question for you. Parts of the higher-altitude Southwest have plenty of sun and warmth on a more year-round basis. There's a pretty good variety of snow to choose from in this region, ranging from 100 inches per year to almost nothing depending on where you go. These climates have little variation year-round but many still exhibit enough to qualify as four-season climates.
Cloudcroft, New Mexico is one example, perhaps a bit colder than what you might like. Sierra Vista, Arizona is another example that's sunnier and warmer in winter, but is hotter in the summer. Still you might like it.
All of the climates in this region feature low humidity, which you may or may not take as a bonus, but since you don't like Southern summers it may be a help. Generally speaking, if you want moderately warm, dry climates look for locations near the Mexican border and at high altitude.
You haven't told what are your limits or preferences for winter, but if you are fine with some snow and like 40's and 50's with sunshine to be common in winter, the Front Range may be a good choice (Denver is pretty representative). Taos, New Mexico is also in this general vein.
As with so many of my climate recommendations, I recommend you look west. The Western United States seems to host climates suitable for so many people, it's surprising more people aren't moving there or are more familiar with the climates of that region. It does offer a lot of diversity. The Yellowstone Plateau (another western spot) features a climate I really like, and you and I are quite far apart when it comes to weather preferences.
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You can probably do a calculate if you really wanted to. If most people agree that 'nice' outdoor weather is say, between 15-25C (60-77F), one could add up the number of months where the mean is within this range. I suspect somewhere like Omaha, Nebraska has average weather within this range for a shorter amount of time than say, pretty much anywhere in the South.
Conventional "nice temperatures" are based on daily highs, not daily means. A daily high of 60-77 is the prototypical "nice" day, whereas a daily mean of 77 would include a day with a high of 87 and a low of 67, which is quite a ways off from the conventional pleasant weather and off from what the OP wanted (he indicated he liked California and Hawaii).
The conditions that match conventional notions of a nice day, let's day 65, 70, or 75 Fahrenheit for the high, usually are accompanied by lows 15-25 degrees colder, which would yield lows anywhere from 40 to 60. Daily means would range from 53 to 67 Fahrenheit.
Coincidentally, if I'm not mistaken, northern locations (like northern New England) have means from 53 to 67 for 4 months or so around summer, and southern locations (like the Gulf Coast) have this for 4 months or so around winter.
Definition of what is "nice" weather, as previously mentioned,
is very subjective.
In the US, other than coastal California, higher elevation SW
IMO has the most "nice" weather.
Silver City, New Mexico IMO tops the list. It's chamber of commerce
catch phrase is "four gentle seasons". Average daytime highs range from
low 50's winter to high 80's summer (keep in mind, with low humidity, high 80's temps in the west feel much more comfortable than in the east,
and again unlike the east, it cools down nicely at night
Also good are...
Bisbee,AZ
Sierra Vista,AZ
Ruidoso,NM
Cloudcroft,NM
High Rolls-Mountain Park,NM
Alpine,TX
Fort Davis,TX
Santa Fe,NM
Also Albuquerque,NM ...foothills area, above 6000ft,
east of Tramway Blvd.
Prescott,AZ also has a good climate, but I personally didn't like
the town when I visited back in 1999 (maybe it's better now?)
I can confirm Dhdh's statement about my comfort . Although that is only about getting a break from the heat; however since it's winter nice weather to me would mean deep powder and temperatures in the singles and tens Fahrenheit, which Miami can never provide bar an intense glacial period approaching (but not meeting) Snowball Earth levels.
It seems that what you're looking for are plenty of 70 and 80 degree days with sunshine, i.e. the conventional approach to nice weather. If you're comparing the spectrum of the Eastern U.S., the amount of sunny/warm days is roughly the same - the main difference is whether it occurs in summer or winter. Given that choice you'd be better off staying in "the North" (Philly is not much of a northern climate but it's enough for you) because the sunny/warm days occur in summer, when day length is longer, and in winter you can put on warm clothing. Those advantages are inverted in the south, where there's no cure for miserable heat and your pleasant warmth occurs in the darkest time of year.
However there are other solutions for you, besides the obvious West Coast and Hawaii locations, which are out of the question for you. Parts of the higher-altitude Southwest have plenty of sun and warmth on a more year-round basis. There's a pretty good variety of snow to choose from in this region, ranging from 100 inches per year to almost nothing depending on where you go. These climates have little variation year-round but many still exhibit enough to qualify as four-season climates.
Cloudcroft, New Mexico is one example, perhaps a bit colder than what you might like. Sierra Vista, Arizona is another example that's sunnier and warmer in winter, but is hotter in the summer. Still you might like it.
All of the climates in this region feature low humidity, which you may or may not take as a bonus, but since you don't like Southern summers it may be a help. Generally speaking, if you want moderately warm, dry climates look for locations near the Mexican border and at high altitude.
You haven't told what are your limits or preferences for winter, but if you are fine with some snow and like 40's and 50's with sunshine to be common in winter, the Front Range may be a good choice (Denver is pretty representative). Taos, New Mexico is also in this general vein.
As with so many of my climate recommendations, I recommend you look west. The Western United States seems to host climates suitable for so many people, it's surprising more people aren't moving there or are more familiar with the climates of that region. It does offer a lot of diversity. The Yellowstone Plateau (another western spot) features a climate I really like, and you and I are quite far apart when it comes to weather preferences.
Thanks for the thoughts about western climates. I have always wondered if it was nicer out west, due to a lot more sunny days.
I think that most people would be happy living in an oceanic climate that shows little variation of temperature per year. Unfortunately, OP, most of the US has a continental climate which is why there's periods of miserable or good weather. I don't like the fact that most of the US is either too hot or too cold. That's why I like coastal Australia, because of their oceanic climate that keeps temperatures stabilized for the whole year
So much of this is that everyone has a different taste in weather. When I lived in Miami everyone would say to me - "do you get sick of 12 months of summer"? My answer was always the same - "never". I enjoyed the warm/hot weather and could care less if there was no seasons.
On the other hand, I don't think I could get used to a place where the cold season was the dominate portion of the weather year...but I know the many who like cold weather would have no problem.
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