Is winter in Rochester really that bad? (Buffalo, Syracuse: apartment, how much)
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Hi,
I grew up in Rochester (Greece/Pittsord) but left once I turned 18 and since then have only returned for summers and short visits in winter. I have lived in florida since then. I'm now in my early thirties with three young children and strongly considering a move back to the Roch, for all the good reasons listed on this discussion board. I'm not thrilled with the public schools in florida, which are a top priority for us, and the summer heat is unbearable here. But I am concerned about how my florida-boy husband will handle the cold and wonder if I'm being crazy here to downplay the weather.
So, now that a long winter is just over my question is- how much does the winter impact daily life? Are most people miserable and depressed half the year or do all the other great quality of life factors (and the beautiful summers) in Rochester outweigh the frigid temps?
For those of us who stay on, the weather difficulties are tolerable and outweighed by other benefits. I think that, more than the snow and the cold, the lack of sunshine between November and March is the most oppressive weather feature of the Great Lakes region and will certainly be a major shock. You can always dress for the cold, but there is nothing you can really do to compensate for the gray. I find the best way to deal with the wintry stuff (cold and snow) is to get out and enjoy it! There are numerous easy outlets for cross country skiing and snowshoeing, and access to downhill skiing as well. I hike with my dogs year round in the plentiful wooded parks and find that helps beat the blahs and get some vitamin D over the winter-- keeps my spirits up. Having said all that, there is no greater weather high, than the spring when it finally hits! We are having eden-esque weather right now and it is like a powerful euphoria drug.
I know some people use natural light spectrum lamps to help with the "winter blahs". Shoveling or paying for someone to plow your driveway is really the only thing that affects the day-to-day. Snow removal in the area is very effective, so travel is not usually impacted (save the occasional significant storm -- think a foot or so). By the end of February, most people are ready for summer.
I agree...February and March can be rough because it just seems like there is no end in sight...but low and behold....we've had near perfect weather for the past 3 weeks and spring is here and in full swing (it topped 86 degrees on Saturday, and is a beautiful 77 out with sunshine right now). Also, as you mentioned. summers here just can't be beat..and fall, though often cool to chilly, is beautiful. Florida is the last place on earth (or atleast the USA) that I would want to live. Having lived in NC for almost 13 years and dealing with the oppresive summers (As well as many of the same school issues you mentioned in Florida) I'm very happy to be back in good ole Rochacha.
So, now that a long winter is just over my question is- how much does the winter impact daily life? Are most people miserable and depressed half the year ...
I've also been living in the unbearable (Summer) Florida weather, and I'm asking myself the same question about the UNY winter (i.e., snow, cold). But then I analyze how I deal with the FL summer heat, and I realize that I spend most of my time indoors anyway with A/C (my office, my school, my apartment), and then when I go out, I'm mostly in my car (again, with A/C), or inside a restaurant or other facility (also with A/C), so really, the only times when I do have to deal with sweat running down my arms and dripping from the tip of my fingers is when I walk to and from my car.
So, I imagine that living in cold weather would be similar: you feel the wind and cold when you walk from and to your car, but the rest of the time, you will be inside a building (office, school, restaurant, cafe, etc.) with good heating. So the only differences with FL weather would be the snow and what to do with it: the city will take care of the snow on the streets, you'll take care of the snow on your driveway and, if you use a garage, carport, or portable car shed (they have a specific name, I forget), you may not even have to scrape the ice off your windshield in the mornings. Regarding the permanent gray skies, how much outdoors activities will you engage in? If you have a fulfilling indoors life (e.g., enough entertainment at home, indoors sports, etc.), then the actual impact of that weather would be lessened, I think (this said by someone who hasn't lived in that type of weather, but is already thinking ahead on how to adapt)
There is a fair bit of text, so you may just want to scroll through and look at the figures.
In all fairness, these statistics are only good if you live within a couple miles of the airport near any of these cities. Syracuse's airport receives considerably more snow than the city itself or even some of the western suburbs for instance. Same for cloud cover. North of the city (where the airport is located) the winter is cloudier than other parts of the Syracuse area to the east, west or south. Why? The lake effect snow band generally hovers from the Thruway to Watertown during much of the winter. This means south of the Thruway there is.... generally speaking.... less snow and less cloud cover in the winter.
I'm sure these statistics would look much different if Buffalo's Airport was located just south of Buffalo. Or if Rochester's airport was next to Lake Ontario.
Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse are much too close in the snowfall and cloud cover categories for anyone to move to one metro over the other based on these statistics alone.
Now lets look at how you measured temperatures. Even though Syracuse does have the lowest "extreme low" temperatures of the four cities listed, how often does that really happen? Maybe four or five mornings during a winter does Syracuse go below zero. Why not look at the average temperatures? That is what everyone is dealing with most of the time during the winter months. And if you look at the average highs and lows for each city, you'll see no major difference in temperatures.
Hi,
I grew up in Rochester (Greece/Pittsord) but left once I turned 18 and since then have only returned for summers and short visits in winter. I have lived in florida since then. I'm now in my early thirties with three young children and strongly considering a move back to the Roch, for all the good reasons listed on this discussion board. I'm not thrilled with the public schools in florida, which are a top priority for us, and the summer heat is unbearable here. But I am concerned about how my florida-boy husband will handle the cold and wonder if I'm being crazy here to downplay the weather.
So, now that a long winter is just over my question is- how much does the winter impact daily life? Are most people miserable and depressed half the year or do all the other great quality of life factors (and the beautiful summers) in Rochester outweigh the frigid temps?
thanks
Well, I can give you an interesting perspective. I grew up in Florida, moved to Rochester when I was 23, and just moved from Rochester to the Charlotte, NC area at age 62!
I was a bit surprised at the intensity of the Rochester winters when I first got there but was relieved to be out of the Florida heat and humidity. I always hated that. I acclimated pretty well (except for hating the gray winters) and went about the business of living for the next thirty or more years enjoying every spring, summer and fall. After I retired, I found myself going out less and less in the winters and ended up trying not to schedule activities in the winter especially at night. I did not like the feeling of hating the weather. After our sons left Rochester, we decided to follow one of them south and so relocated last summer. This winter was spectacular! I never once felt we should not go somewhere due to the weather. But, the little bit of summer we were here was HOT! Not as humid as I remember Florida to be, but HOT!
At the moment, I am thrilled with the weather and will take hot over the fear of driving in icy, cold weather.
At your ages, I am going to assume you will all do fine! Rochester has a lot to offer a young family and if and when you have had it with the winter, make a move!! Good luck!
Bella, I looked at average temperatures, but they did not vary enough between the four metros to make a statistically accurate claim that one metro had a lower/higher average temperature than another. In fact, if I recall correctly, the average temperatures only varied by a fraction of a degree--not too much. So you're absolutely right in that regard.
While I understand that you want to convey information as accurately as possible, the purpose of these statistics are to just give a general idea of the weather in the area--it's not meant to be a comprehensive report on every square mile of land in upstate NY. I don't think you have to worry about them deterring too many people from Syracuse just because I named it the upstate city with the worst winter. I think most people would agree--Syracuse does have the reputation for the most snowfall, and I think many of the residents (at least the ones I've met) are quite proud of that reputation.
Hi,
I grew up in Rochester and always felt OK about it. I never felt that I needed to get out of it. HOwever, my daughter lived in California for a few years. I visited her there one March. My husband and I sat on the beach at the Pacific Ocean and I thought "What the heck are we doing staying in Rochester!" To think that we could have great weather so much more often was a thrill to think about. SWell, my daughter moved back to Rochester and has said that she likes it here and doesn't plan to leave. I, however, got tired of looking for a teaching job (4 years) and moved to Las Vegas 6 months ago. So far, I love it. Great weather and sun shine every day. Man, the sun has been wonderful. This was the first winter in my life that I didn't get cabin fever, down in the dumps or feel like taking a nap every afternoon. I hear the summers are horrible but for two months I'll be able to come home to Rochester. I didn't miss the snow and cold at all this winter. My kids are all grown and we did have fun in the winter. Sledding, making snowmen, ice skating....that was really a fun time of my life and I'm glad I was able to share that with my kids.
Things change, people change. I don't think the job market is too good in Rochester right now. I know a few years ago, everyone (well, a LOT of people) were moving south. Good luck with your decision.
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