Is the winter really THAT bad? (Minneapolis, Kent: living, cost of living, vs.)

[casualsurfer]

I grew up in SoCal (LA & OC) and moved to Indianapolis 3 years ago for work and the more reasonable Midwest cost of living. I'm going to be relocating to MSP shortly and I've read a few posts where people are complaining about the 6-months long winter. In Indianpolis, the winter starts around November and ends around mid March - it was snowing here yesterday. My wife's biggest concern is the winter in MSP, and I was wondering if people can sort of help me understand how "bad" the winters are in MSP vs. Indianapolis?

Thank you.

[Kebinminn]

It runs about the same amount of time, it's just cold. I've found the older I get the more I hate it. In my 20s I didn't mind, in my early 30s I noticed it more and got tired of it, now that I'm close to 40 I hate it with a passion, each year it gets harder. I'm not into skiing or snowmobiling or the winter things people I enjoy so there's not much for me to appreciate. It's not the snow as much as the bitter cold temperatures, I find it exhausting.

[silverjet]

If you can deal with the winter in Indiana, you certainly will be able to deal with it here. It will be colder, but nothing that you wouldn't be able to adjust to over time.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by casualsurfer

I grew up in SoCal (LA & OC) and moved to Indianapolis 3 years ago for work and the more reasonable Midwest cost of living. I'm going to be relocating to MSP shortly and I've read a few posts where people are complaining about the 6-months long winter. In Indianpolis, the winter starts around November and ends around mid March - it was snowing here yesterday. My wife's biggest concern is the winter in MSP, and I was wondering if people can sort of help me understand how "bad" the winters are in MSP vs. Indianapolis?

Thank you.

Indianapolis has shorter winters than Minneapolis and they tend to be warmer, but you will still have snow and cold temperatures. Minneapolis just gets colder and stays colder long. Other than that, snow and below freezing temperatures will be the norm for both.

[MplsTodd]

My wife grew up in Ohio and she prefers a few things about Mn Winters over those in the lower midwest--we get a lot more sunshine and we don't have as much sleet and freezing rain.

Otherwise, winters are colder here. I think people are complaining more about winter this year because it seems a lot colder than winters we've had in the past 10 years.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by MplsTodd

My wife grew up in Ohio and she prefers a few things about Mn Winters over those in the lower midwest--we get a lot more sunshine and we don't have as much sleet and freezing rain.
Otherwise, winters are colder here. I think people are complaining more about winter this year because it seems a lot colder than winters we've had in the past 10 years.

That is one thing to compliment a cold winter day, the sunshine to match with snow already on the ground.

[casualsurfer]

yes i was down in Kentucky for an interview in late January, and it was that day when the ice came, boy was the slush BAD. indy gets messy here too, but seriously, 17 degrees F vs. 0 degrees F with sun is not that different, right? it comes down to wind chill factor and i can tell you Indianapolis being so flat it's a wind farmer's wet dream.

[Clifford63]

Originally Posted by casualsurfer

yes i was down in Kentucky for an interview in late January, and it was that day when the ice came, boy was the slush BAD. indy gets messy here too, but seriously, 17 degrees F vs. 0 degrees F with sun is not that different, right? it comes down to wind chill factor and i can tell you Indianapolis being so flat it's a wind farmer's wet dream.

I guess I look at it like this. Winter is Winter. MSP will get colder faster and warm up slower than Indy. That is going to be the big difference. You will mow your yard here for the first time in mid to late april instead of early April. Snow might get here in early November, but it could be close to Christmas too.

Regarding wind - we get the clippers here and they can blow pretty hard, dump snoww and make conditions brutal. They tend to move through fast, so it is not like we have 20 MPH wind with -10 temps for sustained periods.

I would say true winter conditions are mid December to Mid March. October and November have some nice days where you need a light jacket, but you can get out and enjoy the outdoors. Snow is almost always gone by end of March. April can be wet and rainy and that leaks into May some.

Mid May to Mid September are near awesome. Early spring and late fall are not bad at all. The long summer days are to die for. Close to 18 hours of light near the solstace.

One thing you will probably notice. The long winters really make people value the nice weather a great deal. As a whole, Minnesota is a place where people enjoy the outdoors a great deal. Not everyone is big on outdoor winter activities, but we do have enough snow to allow skiing, snowmobiling, ice fishing etc.

[Sir Punk]

I will just tell you one thing. Yesterday, March 1st the temperature in the late morning was around 0.
today is in the low 10s, and we are in freakin march

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by Sir Punk

I will just tell you one thing. Yesterday, March 1st the temperature in the late morning was around 0.
today is in the low 10s, and we are in freakin march

It makes for good ice skating weather.