moving to chicago from san diego (Anna: hot, hurricanes)

[coolaqua]

Thanks JR, Linicx for your input.
from all the information provided here and from other discussion and weather data, i have reached conclusion that the winters are pretty much from 15 November to 15 March.

[grapico]

Originally Posted by coolaqua

Thanks JR, Linicx for your input.
from all the information provided here and from other discussion and weather data, i have reached conclusion that the winters are pretty much from 15 November to 15 March.

This year it was snowing until the last week of April, same thing a few years ago, and a few years before that. It can also be 80+ in April... April is schizo.

[glenninindy]

Boy; you're not kidding about April! Does anybody remember that big blizzard back in the 80's? I went in a restaurant, and came out a couple of hours later to over two feet of snow. Took me hours to get home, freezing cold, waiting for a bus. I remember another time in April buses were barely running because of a sudden blizzard!

Originally Posted by grapico

This year it was snowing until the last week of April, same thing a few years ago, and a few years before that. It can also be 80+ in April... April is schizo.

[linicx]

Illinois weather is fickle. I believe it was 1981 when it started to snow in late September and didn't stop until April. That year was deep snow plus a wind chill of -80F for a few days. It was so cold neither bus nor cab would start. There was no public transportation in town. A couple of years earlier an unexpected 22" snow fell overnight. It was promptly followed by an early Spring thaw and massive flooding. It was not Chicago, but it was Illinois.

If bad weather affects the middle of the state, Chicago is usually affected too, but it may, or may not, be to the same degree. IL weather is not as predictable as SoCal weather. Mid to late Spring, and early fall is very similar.

Depending upon the age of your children the drive around Lakes Michigan and Superior is a great school trip. I entered through Thunder Bay and exited at the locks at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. It is as educational as Door County, the Thumb of Wisconsin. Chicago is a great jumping off point for 3 day weekends in nearby IL and WI, towns away trom the typical tourist traps and still be within 4 hours of home.

IL does not have anything like the SD zoo, but we do have some very nice zoological parks in the state that are worth investigating. Lincoln Park Zoo is free. Grant Park's Buckingham Fountain has a light show at night with dancing waters set to music. Don't forget the chocolate factory tour, or to ride the Water Taxi to Chinatown at least once. When you need a change you can sleep to the wolf lullaby (complete safety). Most older kids love it because they can fish and take a driving tour through the compound, too.

When you move to Chicago you open a new door for curious children.

Originally Posted by coolaqua

Thanks JR, Linicx for your input.
from all the information provided here and from other discussion and weather data, i have reached conclusion that the winters are pretty much from 15 November to 15 March.

[Three20nine]

Originally Posted by coolaqua

we are planning to move to chicago from san diego. We think chicago is a great city and has lots and lots to offer like big city feel, diversity, job market, food/restuarants etc... but we are little apprehensive about the weather part. it seeems like it gets very cold in december, jan and feb but what about march and april? Can kids go out and play in backyard during daytime or its still cold and windy? we are planning to buy house in naperville.

It depends. Some years are warmer than others. The first year year will be a tad hard for you and your family to adjust to the weather. March can be kinda of mixed. Normally it starts to warm up in April. As far as playing in the backyard. Just make sure to bundle up well, limit the outing to an hour outside (long enough to make a snowman), an hour inside to warm back up(long enough for hot chocolate). Hat, scarf, gloves and boots. Don't forget thermal underware for everyone at least until your 2nd winter.
When I moved to Vegas, my first 3-5 mos was hard getting use to the hotter weather. I was sick for the first 3 months. Once I adjusted though I was fine. I did what the locals did and I was ok. As you will be too.

[linicx]

My kid lived in Chicago and SD; loved the beaches, but not the Chicago winters. I spent time in SD and LA. Chicago traffic is just as ratty but it moves better and quicker as it has more Interstate routes in, through, and around it, and more exits. I learned how to avoid I-5.as much as possible.

You won't find Grauman's Chinese Theater, but you can find a water taxi to Chinatown. You won't find hills, canyons or ocean, but you will find miles of beach and waterfront without houses. No SD Zoo, but the Chicago zoos have been around a while and you can always hop a train to St.Louis for its zoo and botanical gardens. There is no Hollywood but all the other stuff such as museums and food is comparable in price and quality to LA or SD. Chicago, the city, is probably a bit more liberal than SD. And like LA, distance is measured in time rather than miles on surface streets.

Welcome to Chicago. You'll do just fine.

[chet everett]

Surfers in San Diego pretty much have to wear a wet suit in the summer due to the circulation patterns of the Pacific and I doubt one could spend any significant time in the water on News Years, sure it won't have the ice floes of Lake Michigan but it is hardly some tropical paradise...

San Diego CA Ocean Water Temperature - Current Results

Westpac Marine | Hypothermia Chart

[linicx]

I was in SD on New Years Day one year. I had my kid's dogs on the beach as it was vacant of people. I can't think of the town, but it was not too far south of Oceanside, I wore a typical California light winter jacket. I was cool but not cold as I was moving around the beach. .

The beach in SD and LA is California cold, but it is not frigid like Lake Michigan on Jan 1. The surfers and skidoo's - maybe 30 in all - were out in the ocean like they do every year. Warning: The average beach air temperature on Jan 1 is probably not warm enough for seniors, the chronically ill, lung patients, or those who have had heart surgery. It is perfectly fine for the 20 somethings looking for the "big one" and their cohorts on water skis.

The biggest surprise I had in SoCal in the summer was in LA. I always thought the water was warm. HA! It was a hot day, I was a block from Venice Beach, and I thought I'd wade since I had never been in the ocean. I changed my mind once that cold water hit my feet. More interesting is the fact the air temperatures and water at the beaches in Florida in Jan don't feel nearly as frigid as SoCal. I went to FL for four months and never wore anything heavier than a vest or light golf type jacket

Originally Posted by chet everett

Surfers in San Diego pretty much have to wear a wet suit in the summer due to the circulation patterns of the Pacific and I doubt one could spend any significant time in the water on News Years, sure it won't have the ice floes of Lake Michigan but it is hardly some tropical paradise...

San Diego CA Ocean Water Temperature - Current Results

Westpac Marine | Hypothermia Chart

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by coolaqua

we are planning to move to chicago from san diego. We think chicago is a great city and has lots and lots to offer like big city feel, diversity, job market, food/restuarants etc... but we are little apprehensive about the weather part. it seeems like it gets very cold in december, jan and feb but what about march and april? Can kids go out and play in backyard during daytime or its still cold and windy? we are planning to buy house in naperville.

You kinda threw me when you mentioned all these things about Chicago but then announced you are planning to live in an extremely distant suburb that while very nice is nothing like Chicago in terms of most of the things you mentioned.

Might just be a communication thing, I know a lot of people that love Naperville and Chicago too.

It's a fair bit of a trek to get from Naperville to Chicago and with what sounds like younger kids and all of their activities thrown into the mix it's going to tough to get to see much of Chicago other than if you work downtown and then it's the typical long commute - work - long commute and not like you are able to go out after work and do tons of stuff.

Sorry, I just expected after reading the start of your post that you were going to move into the city somewhere.

Best of luck with your move.

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by chet everett

Surfers in San Diego pretty much have to wear a wet suit in the summer due to the circulation patterns of the Pacific and I doubt one could spend any significant time in the water on News Years, sure it won't have the ice floes of Lake Michigan but it is hardly some tropical paradise...

San Diego CA Ocean Water Temperature - Current Results

Westpac Marine | Hypothermia Chart

Yep. This is why they don't have the hurricane risk like Florida and the east coast does.