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If you absolutely HAD to live in a place with a true winter (and I realize some of you already do, just play along here), what would you prefer out of the following two options:
*Note that summer can be as hot as you want it to be, as humid or dry as you want it to be, with as much or as little rainfall as you want it to be, but winter is either:
A) Very short, but very cold. Highs regularly run below freezing, and often far below freezing. Lows can easily get to sub-zero temperatures, and once in a while even the highs are sub-zero. Plenty of snowfall, and rarely if ever a day above freezing. However, this is a very short winter. Two months in length tops, then right back to your summer weather!
OR
B) This is a much milder winter. Lows are still often below freezing, but highs tend to be usually above freezing. There is also much less chance of seeing sub-zero temperatures. Some years even single digits aren't seen at all. There is still plenty of snowfall, but it tends to melt away within days of falling, rather than lasting the entire winter. Some days rain is more common than snow, but it is cold rain! There are also plenty of sunny days in the mix. However, this milder version of winter lasts anywhere from four to five months on average. (On very rare occasion, a six month long winter is even seen before a return to the summer).
So basically, you have to compromise. You can have a very cold winter which rarely if ever gets above freezing, with most snowfall lasting pretty much the entire duration, but it is very short, or you can have a milder, warmer winter, but it lasts much longer. As I said above, summer can be whatever you want it to be, but you must choose at least one of these two winters.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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Since I can't think of any real life examples of the former - anywhere that gets below 0 farenheit must get pretty long winters - it's hypothetical but I'd still choose the latter. I've heard Eastern China's winters described as 'short but cold' and looking at stats this seems to bear it out. Somewhere like England would have long but not particularly cold winters. February tends to be the coldest month in much of the UK.
Since I can't think of any real life examples of the former - anywhere that gets below 0 farenheit must get pretty long winters - it's hypothetical but I'd still choose the latter. I've heard Eastern China's winters described as 'short but cold' and looking at stats this seems to bear it out. Somewhere like England would have long but not particularly cold winters. February tends to be the coldest month in much of the UK.
It was entirely hypothetical. I realize that there are probably no actual climates in existence that would feature an option A type of situation. It was just to see if whether or not someone who hates winter would compromise a milder winter for a very short colder one, or a long winter for a milder one, if they had to choose one or the other.
I'd choose option B for sure... the less snowfall the better even if the winter itself lasts longer.... as much as I love warmth and heat.. I hate cold and snow even more!
A, short and sharp. Either winter is too cold for what I want to grow, so I may as well get it over and done with.
6 months of winter would be too much.
Where I'm from winter is like "A" but lasts 3-4 solid months, instead of 2 months.
And summer where I'm from is usually Spring-like (by my standards) so I don't get my fill of heat either.
I have no interest in daytime temperatures below 65 F. (18 C)
Summers?
For me to get a proper compensation for EITHER winter A or B,
I would need to have no summer mornings below 65 F (18 C),
no summer days below 80 F (27 C),
3-in-4 summer mornings starting at 68+ F (20+ C),
3-in-4 summer afternoons exceed 88 F (31 C)
I can't see how anywhere with a "proper" winter could provide an adequate summer, unless we are speaking fictionally.
Likely, my ideal summer has an average monthly high of 93-94 F (33-34 C) and monthly low of 69-72 F (20-22 C).
If you absolutely HAD to live in a place with a true winter (and I realize some of you already do, just play along here), what would you prefer out of the following two options:
*Note that summer can be as hot as you want it to be, as humid or dry as you want it to be, with as much or as little rainfall as you want it to be, but winter is either:
A) Very short, but very cold. Highs regularly run below freezing, and often far below freezing. Lows can easily get to sub-zero temperatures, and once in a while even the highs are sub-zero. Plenty of snowfall, and rarely if ever a day above freezing. However, this is a very short winter. Two months in length tops, then right back to your summer weather!
OR
B) This is a much milder winter. Lows are still often below freezing, but highs tend to be usually above freezing. There is also much less chance of seeing sub-zero temperatures. Some years even single digits aren't seen at all. There is still plenty of snowfall, but it tends to melt away within days of falling, rather than lasting the entire winter. Some days rain is more common than snow, but it is cold rain! There are also plenty of sunny days in the mix. However, this milder version of winter lasts anywhere from four to five months on average. (On very rare occasion, a six month long winter is even seen before a return to the summer).
So basically, you have to compromise. You can have a very cold winter which rarely if ever gets above freezing, with most snowfall lasting pretty much the entire duration, but it is very short, or you can have a milder, warmer winter, but it lasts much longer. As I said above, summer can be whatever you want it to be, but you must choose at least one of these two winters.
Which one do you pick?
Based on your info for temps/snowfall...I would vote for B. This is kind of the winter than we have in the Middle Atlantic states.
I can deal with sub freezing lows, but sub-zero lows often would make life tough in the winter. Also, anywhere that has more than about 30 days with snowcover would be too much. Rainfall in winter is also ok as well, since it has no impact on driving. Also, sunshine in winter is important, since anywhere north of 30 latitude N/S would have lower sun angles for a few months.
Quick and short. Winters in Seattle are so dreary, and long...grey, rainy...I would prefer cold, sunny, and over quickly. Snow on and off...but not the unending cold rain. Forget it.
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