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For those of us who live in the Southwest we know that summers can be intensely hot but still somewhat tolerable. Whenever I am in Palm Springs or even Fresno during summer I know that going outside during the afternoon is going to be unpleasant but not deadly. A person stays in the shade as much as possible and wears very light clothing [flipflops, shorts, t-shirt] but once the sun sets it is less intense and swimming at night is even comfortable. In other words a person in Phoenix can go outside and actually enjoy it before sunrise and after sunset. That's when people come outside, drink beer, do a little bbq and go swimming. In-fact for much of the Southwest that is a typical day\ evening during summer.
But in Chicago during winter it is not comfortable to be outside for any extended period of time and when one does go outside it means dressing in layers of clothes and never being able to stay for more than a few minutes. Chicago means being restricted indoors for months on end; not a very appealing situation.
How do you know? You have never been to Chicago in your life. Chicago winters are unpredictable, New Years Eve, it was in the 50's, about as warm as it was in LA. The blackhawks just had a hockey game at wrigley and it was packed with people. Just because people out west are too soft to handle the cold does not mean people in Chicago are. It was 25 degrees this morning and I saw high school kids walking around in sweatshirts. Something people in the south west do when it gets under 70 degrees, lol.
And people stay out for more than a few minutes, all you do is layer up. It is no different than when people out west go to the mountains to play in the snow all day long. The temperatures are about the same. That is why a Chicago winter is easier to handle. As long as one is layered up, they can do anything. I was at Busse Forest Preserve yesterday, people were jogging, walking, running, biking, and blading, like any other day. What stops everything is the snow, not the cold.
In the southwest, there is no escape. You could strip and be naked, and you will still fry in the sun.
And if one does not stay on top of their water in take, they can get hurt.
I like the point you made about enjoying the day after the sun goes down. I was in the south west and I can tell you, when it is 120 during the day, it only goes down to about 85-90 at night. And that is not enjoyable. Nevermind the fact that most people before sunrise and after sun set are sleeping because they have to get up and go to work.
Is winter in Chicago hard, sure, but it is not really deadly like the summer in AZ.
Last edited by LakeShoreSoxGo; 01-04-2011 at 09:06 AM..
The cold is much more difficult to bear with than the heat imho.
But summer heat can be difficult when it is ongoing for several months, that's the way it is in Phoenix during most of the summer.
What I find most unbearable about the summer heat in Phoenix is the power bills, the costs can be well into the hundreds every month in order to keep comfortable.
phoenix summer heat is easier to deal with imo, its dry heat anyway
That is what I used to think when I moved there some time ago.
After a few years I came to the realization that heat can be hard to deal with when it is ongoing for several months with really no break until maybe October, doesn't matter if the heat is dry or humid.
Phoenix has a summertime monsoon season in July and August anyway so the heat isn't always dry.
But in Chicago during winter it is not comfortable to be outside for any extended period of time and when one does go outside it means dressing in layers of clothes and never being able to stay for more than a few minutes. Chicago means being restricted indoors for months on end; not a very appealing situation.
I have to wonder how much time you've spent in the city during winter based on that statement. As if Chicago is at 10 degrees for months on end or something. There are certainly days that are like that, and certainly it adds up to a few weeks each winter - but it's hardly MONTHS.
I mean it was almost 60 degrees this past weekend. It is a roller coaster here during the winter.
The whole "can't stay outside for more than a few minutes" thing is totally overblown. You can normally count on one hand how many times a year that happens. For people who have been here any length of time, they'll tell you that anything above 20 degrees and when it's not extremely windy are normally just fine for being outside. That's a pretty fair share of the winter months. This morning was an extremely "average" morning for winter. It was 25 degrees out when I walked/trained to work, and I saw thousands of commters wandering downtown doing perfectly fine. No one was all bundled up freaking out and running to work. Coat and a hat and you're fine.
People remember the 33% of the time it's really cold/windy/snowy because it's abnormal and an event. They don't remember the normal every day periods where they just go about their business, throw a coat on and do just fine. I think mid-late December through late February are the really rough periods where it can get super cold. That's only 2-3 months. Sure it can get cold anytime from Thanksgiving to St. Patty's day - but a majority of the year cold is not that huge of an issue in Chicago.
I have to wonder how much time you've spent in the city during winter based on that statement. As if Chicago is at 10 degrees for months on end or something. There are certainly days that are like that, and certainly it adds up to a few weeks each winter - but it's hardly MONTHS.
I mean it was almost 60 degrees this past weekend. It is a roller coaster here during the winter.
The whole "can't stay outside for more than a few minutes" thing is totally overblown. You can normally count on one hand how many times a year that happens. For people who have been here any length of time, they'll tell you that anything above 20 degrees and when it's not extremely windy are normally just fine for being outside. That's a pretty fair share of the winter months. This morning was an extremely "average" morning for winter. It was 25 degrees out when I walked/trained to work, and I saw thousands of commters wandering downtown doing perfectly fine. No one was all bundled up freaking out and running to work. Coat and a hat and you're fine.
People remember the 33% of the time it's really cold/windy/snowy because it's abnormal and an event. They don't remember the normal every day periods where they just go about their business, throw a coat on and do just fine. I think mid-late December through late February are the really rough periods where it can get super cold. That's only 2-3 months. Sure it can get cold anytime from Thanksgiving to St. Patty's day - but a majority of the year cold is not that huge of an issue in Chicago.
I have found a lot of people from California do not understand that humans are capable of adapting to various situations. Perhaps that is why their state is in such disarray.
lmao @ only a few minutes outside. I go on a jog for an hour every morning.
The only issue is right after a snow or when it is snowing...
It's called *dressing appropriately*
As Lakeshore said it was just 58 degrees on New Years Eve.
I say this as a Florida native, and my gf is a California native.
CA really doesn't have 4 seasons whatsoever, so I can see that somebody there might not be used to it, it is mediterranean climate there so its really a dry sunny season where everything is gold/brown except some trees, and a colder damp season where things are green.
They just had some guys from CA come here on Christmas Eve on the news, they were all wearing vans and what looked like wind breakers or light jackets. DUH yes you are going to be cold wearing that.'
On the other hand people in CA will go to Tahoe and brag that it is so close, the classic surf and go to the mountains in the same day line..., and in the same sentence slam winter environments... Wait a minute...? Went there last December and it was 15 during the day which is quite a bit colder than a normal Chicago winter day. Chicago is NOT Alaska, or even Canada. Go up to Edmonton, Winnipeg, Calgary then tell me Chicago winters are cold...Go over to Michigan or Western New York then tell me Chicago gets a ton of snow...
The last time I was in Vegas I got in around midnight and the temp was still 100 degrees in the summer.
The low temps you see are generally from like 2-6AM when yes it IS pretty damn cold if an arctic front comes through but who is out at that time?
Of course CA has better weather, but you guys act like living anywhere up North is like living in Siberia.
believe me 115 degrees is easier. If you don't like the heat, crank that AC or jump in a pool.
Beats windchills down in the single digits and 3ft of snow on the ground, and black ice.
I've never seen 3 feet of snow in Chicago, I've never even seen 2. I've never seen 1 foot. The most I've seen is like 8 inches of snow ONCE in about 5 years. I rarely drive so black ice is a non issue. We have this thing called subways and rail that covers the entire metro, a lot of people park and ride even in far out suburbs. How is that public transportation in Phoenix waiting for your car to cool down or the leather to burn your skin? Does everybody there own a pool or something? I know in FL that is definitely not the case...I think Chicago has only had over 15 inches of snow around 5 times since they started keeping records back in the 1800s...
23.0 inches Jan 26-27, 1967
21.6 inches Jan 1-3, 1999
19.2 inches Mar 25-26, 1930
18.8 inches Jan 13-14, 1979
16.2 inches Mar 7-8, 1931
only snowfalls EVER since 1886 over 15 inches.
Again, Chicago is not Alaska, it is not even Canada or Upper Michigan, New York State or New England.
Those are only TOTAL snowstorms i.e all lasting several days of accumulation.
Chicago has only seen over a foot of snow 6 times in a day, ever.
January 2, 1999 18.6 inches
January 13, 1979 16.5 inches
January 26, 1967 16.4 inches
January 30, 1939 14.9 inches
January 6, 1918 14.4 inches
March 25, 1930 13.6 inches
How many times was there even 1 foot of snow all last decade???
January 30-31, 2002 12.0 inches
that's it and that is over multiple days storm.
How about the last 30 years, which would be over my entire life over 10 inches?
January 21-23, 2005 11.2 inches January 30-31, 2002 12.0 inches February 18, 2000 11.1 inches January 1-3, 1999 21.6 inches February 10-11, 1981 11.2 inches
thats it.
Most times a snowstorm only drops around 3 inches in Chicago.
How about the excruciating cold? How many times did the temp fall below 0 last winter? oh, twice! Oh no!!! and they were back to back days.
How many times was a daytime high under 10, never! How many times was a daytime high under 20? A whopping 6 days and all in January!
I've never seen 3 feet of snow in Chicago, I've never even seen 2. The most I've seen is like 8 inches of snow ONCE in about 5 years. I rarely drive so black ice is a non issue. We have this thing called subways and rail that covers the entire metro, a lot of people park and ride even in far out suburbs. How is that public transportation in Phoenix waiting for your car to cool down or the leather to burn your skin? Does everybody there own a pool or something? I know in FL that is definitely not the case...I think Chicago has only had over 15 inches of snow around 5 times since they started keeping records back in the 1800s...
23.0 inches Jan 26-27, 1967
21.6 inches Jan 1-3, 1999
19.2 inches Mar 25-26, 1930
18.8 inches Jan 13-14, 1979
16.2 inches Mar 7-8, 1931
only snowfalls EVER since 1886 over 15 inches.
Again, Chicago is not Alaska, it is not even Canada or Upper Michigan, New York State or New England.
Those are only TOTAL snowstorms i.e all lasting several days of accumulation.
Chicago has only seen over a foot of snow 6 times in a day, ever.
January 2, 1999 18.6 inches
11.3 inches
January 13, 1979 16.5 inches
11.1 inches
January 26, 1967 16.4 inches
11.0 inches
January 30, 1939 14.9 inches
11.0 inches
January 6, 1918 14.4 inches
10.9 inches
March 25, 1930 13.6 inches
How many times was there even 1 foot of snow all last decade???
January 30-31, 2002 12.0 inches
that's it and that is over multiple days storm.
How about the last 30 years, which would be over my entire life over 10 inches?
January 21-23, 2005 11.2 inches January 30-31, 2002 12.0 inches February 18, 2000 11.1 inches January 1-3, 1999 21.6 inches February 10-11, 1981 11.2 inches
thats it.
Most times a snowstorm only drops around 3 inches in Chicago.
Smart folk turn they car on with AC full blast. *Thank you auto-start* And yeah a heck of alot of people in the Valley of the Sun own a pool. Sorry that 3ft. was way to high of a guess on my part of Chicago's snow fall. But I know for certain I'd hate to fall on black ice while that 20mph wind blows single digit temps to my bone.
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