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.
Among major cities, I'd say Winnipeg. Summers are pretty good and winters are quite cold (no chinooks) and have a decent amount of snow. A close second is Anchorage, pushed up due to its much nicer summers. I assume major city here means something with a population >250 000 or thereabouts. That's where a city becomes the hub of a region with moderate density, i.e. not Alaska or New Jersey, and that's also roughly the point where respectable skylines appear (Anchorage has one at c. 300 000, Fairbanks at 50 000 does not).
As for what four-season climates are, I'd include anything from the edge of the subarctic climate zone up to the cooler half of the subtropics in the general "four season" category. This is intended to be between when there starts to be a distinct period of bare trees in winter (at warmest) and the edge of the subarctic zone (at the coolest) where spring and summer start to become one combined season (plant-wise that is). For a true four season climate one needs a persistent snowpack in winter but there is a broader category of weaker four season climates.
If by best you mean "all seasons are distinct and well represented" I'd say "pick any Koppen Dfa-type climate" and nominate Chicago as the largest city with archetypal mid-latitude seasons ( one month solidly below freezing, one month spent almost in the 20sC, rainfall decent in all seasons and snowfall plentiful come winter ).
I'm not much of a fan of four-seasons climates, really, as I don't love what I'd call a "real" winter.
As for what four-season climates are, I'd include anything from the edge of the subarctic climate zone up to the cooler half of the subtropics in the general "four season" category. This is intended to be between when there starts to be a distinct period of bare trees in winter (at warmest) and the edge of the subarctic zone (at the coolest) where spring and summer start to become one combined season (plant-wise that is). For a true four season climate one needs a persistent snowpack in winter but there is a broader category of weaker four season climates.
For this definition I'd probably pick Savannah for myself, as it is near the southern end of deciduous forested area, or perhaps even Pensacola ( northern Florida's vegetation is a lot more like the other southern states than the Everglades ).
Mediterranean west-coast climates don't seem to apply, as they come with winter greenness and summer dry, sort of reversing the order I think of when I think of winter dormancy.
For this definition I'd probably pick Savannah for myself, as it is near the southern end of deciduous forested area, or perhaps even Pensacola ( northern Florida's vegetation is a lot more like the other southern states than the Everglades ).
The trees are never bare for a distinct period (2+ months of solid bareness) in Pensacola and I'm pretty sure about Savannah as well. Any place that averages around 50F or higher is out of the question for my criteria to apply, and Savannah averages near 50F or warmer all "winter". I think Macon is about the warmest place where the trees still are bare in wintertime.
The trees are never bare for a distinct period (2+ months of solid bareness) in Pensacola and I'm pretty sure about Savannah as well. Any place that averages around 50F or higher is out of the question for my criteria to apply, and Savannah averages near 50F or warmer all "winter". I think Macon is about the warmest place where the trees still are bare in wintertime.
So in Pensacola some plants lose their leaves and restart their leaf growth within a few weeks?
Do you know how long the winter dormancy period is in Macon?
I pick Montreal because despite it's cold winters it's close to mountains for skiing, which many of the cities with four very distinct seasons you listed are not.
I pick Montreal because despite it's cold winters it's close to mountains for skiing, which many of the cities with four very distinct seasons you listed are not.
Vancouver and Denver are much closer to good mountains for skiing.
Picked NYC, an ideal climate for me.
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.
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.
