don't move to wisconsin (Milwaukee, Madison: swimming, area, hot water)

[MaseMan]

Originally Posted by Drover

I love it when people try to paint Wisconsin summers as the equivalent of being in the Mississippi Delta.

I think the harsh summer we had last year has really colored a lot of people's perceptions.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by MaseMan

I think the harsh summer we had last year has really colored a lot of people's perceptions.

And they should be grateful they only had to endure 2 or 3 days above 100 degrees instead of the 30+ days that cities in the southern Midwest and South had to deal with.

[northbound74]

I've heard people talk about last summer as if it were unusually hot for Wisconsin. This is my 3rd summer here, so I'll take their word for it.
If any place in the south had the temps we had here in Wisconsin from May-September last year, it would have easily been the coolest on record for down there. Nevermind the southern heat can easily begin as early as March and not go anywhere until October. Late May through early September being the worst of it. I have used the A/C around Thanksgiving on occasion due to the oppressive humidity.

Honestly, I think Wisconsin probably has just as many days of "ideal" weather over the course of a year as most places east of the Rockies. Ideal for most people seems to be highs in the mid-60's to mid-80's with reasonably low humidity and some sunshine. The difference otherwise is if an individual person deals better with the cold or heat.
For me, I can take cold just fine. Other folks like the heat and that's cool.
A recent trip down south was a blunt reminder of southern summers and their soul-sucking heat and humidity. It's every bit as relentless and unforgiving as a Wisconsin winter.

I've noticed that people around Milwaukee think about the weather a lot and tend to complain about it.
For their encouragement, I'll offer up this observation:
Wisconsin winters are no worse than southern summers.
Wisconsin summers are far better than southern winters.
Wisconsin springs are kind of like southern winters, (moist, cool, and overcast) but at least there generally are fewer hail storms and tornadoes.
Fall is a toss-up, and the cloud-cover difference over the course of a year isn't enough to make hay about.
Lastly, no place in the southeastern U.S. is going to be confused with the desert southwest on that one.
Advantage Wisconsin.

And please don't compare us to San Diego because that's just wrong, dude.




Oh yeah, someone said Wisconsin has the worst weather in the country. Okay, it's an opinion, I can respect that, but I'd say the wacky extremes of the Great Plains from the Dakotas down to Texas is far, far worse.

[ranger17]

good points northbound. After 40+ yrs in Wi and 4+ now in SC, i think it boils down to being able to go out and do things in a given season and enjoy them. We never got into skiing, snowmobiling, or dang sure not ice fishing lol and loved summer activities. Just got tires of the short summer season there, and hibernating in winter. So for us the move south made sense, and the climate here allows us to go on the water year round, cruise top down anytime, and never worry about needing a winter jacket or shoveling snow (when it happens it's rare and it melts right away).

I'd never say it doesnt get downright hot here, those days where the index is in the 110's can be nasty. But once the sun sets, we're out cruising once again. On the flip side, there are locals here who complain about the heat, never go outside in that 6 month stretch, but then say winter is too cold as well (coldest avg temp for a high is in the 50's in Jan). Guess some people wont be happy, unless perhaps they live in San Diego where it seems to be sunny and 76 every day.

[Enders-1]

Originally Posted by MaseMan

This is complete and total hyperbole.

I'm not a fan of winter, but to pretend there are very few nice weather days here in Wisconsin is nonsense.

So you deny the extreme variations in Chicago to Minneapolis temperatures?

I've traveled all over the country and there's no question that stretch is the worst weather. Summers around Chicago and Milwaukee are ferociously humid, which helps crank up the violence rate. It's confining.

Northern Wisconsin and the U.P are better for summers, but it's still that super humid heat.

[Enders-1]

Originally Posted by Drover

And they should be grateful they only had to endure 2 or 3 days above 100 degrees instead of the 30+ days that cities in the southern Midwest and South had to deal with.

That's not a great barometer, though. In the Chicago/Milwaukee area, we get plenty of 90 degree days with a higher 'feels like". Throw in Ozone Warning Days. All the pesticide sprayed in the area (lawns and farms) and the particulate pollution and "on ground' temps across the endless strip malls, and it feels even worse.

And then, wait a few months and enjoy zero degrees.

Worst. Weather. In. The. Country.

[Enders-1]

Originally Posted by MaseMan

I think the harsh summer we had last year has really colored a lot of people's perceptions.

We had several 110 degree days. And then you look at the winter, where we get to -10. Toss in the consistent cloudy weather, and you're looking at a place far worse than Seattle weather-wise.

[CowsAndBeer]

Chicago and Milwaukee near the Lake are far more temperate/less extreme than the middle of the country from the Dakotas down through TX - I'm pretty sure that's what he was saying. I live blocks from Lake Michigan, and over the last few days it's been 10-15 degrees cooler than the western suburbs, not to mention further west. It's also warmer throughout winter, though certainly there's more snow near the Lake. You don't have to "deny variations" to point out places with far more variations and less "good weather" windows, as northbound clearly delineated. Everyone is different, however, and if you prefer horrid heat to horrid cold, well, there you go. I can function just fine from the 20s through the 80s. On either end of that, it's miserable for me.

[CowsAndBeer]

What are you talking about, the highest temperature ever in Milwaukee was 105.

[MaseMan]

Originally Posted by Enders-1

We had several 110 degree days. And then you look at the winter, where we get to -10. Toss in the consistent cloudy weather, and you're looking at a place far worse than Seattle weather-wise.

This is just false. I'm not going to debate with someone who is throwing around numbers not backed up by facts.