[Northwoods]

If you've never lived through a winter I suggest you do it! After one winter you will really appreciate the warmth and sun of The Villages.
A snowfall is very pretty. You can sit by a fire and look out at the snow. OK... now that it has stopped snowing, what are you going to do? Cross country ski? Downhill ski? Go to the gym? (you can do that here and the pool here is outdoors in the sun). You can't play golf, bocce, tennis, pickleball, shuffleboard, etc. because there is snow on the ground (unless you do it indoors). Just remember when you do anything outdoors you have to bundle up. It can get cold. Really cold. I can remember going out to walk the dog in below 0 weather. I had on snow pants, ski jacket, ski mittens, boots, a scarf, a hat that covers my ears and a face mask (yes... because it's really cold and you don't want frostbite). It was windy... I didn't make it 10 minutes and it was so cold I had to come back inside. My eyes watered from the cold so I had "ice" on my eyelashes.
There is so much more... black ice, ruining my shoes because of the white line from road salt, having nothing to do...
I lived in a 4 season climate my entire life. Snow is pretty - I don't miss it. Autumn leaves are pretty - don't miss it a bit.
On Facebook, I see all the people from my hometown in March and April complain about winter and wonder when spring will come. There's a reason for that...

[Steve9930]

Originally Posted by Catwoman

I've lived my whole life in the South. I've only seen it snow on a handful of occasions and it melts quickly without any time to even build a snowman. It is apparent that many of the snowbirds flee to the South in the winter to escape the snow and cold. We are considering the villages but Florida is exactly the same weather I've lived in my entire life. I want to experience something different! I'd like to make snowballs, have a white Christmas, ride in a sleigh, build a snow fort and have to bundle up! I feel like I've missed out on a big part of being an Earthling! My husband did take me skiing once so I could see real snow but there was a heat wave and the snow wasn't falling! So, I want to know from any Northerners what it is that makes it so bad that no one wants to stay there for the winter. Give me some things to think about before we make the decision to move to the villages for good instead of heading up north to experience four seasons!

I think you should go North for a month in the height of snow season. A fresh snow is absolutely beautiful. Do those things you mentioned. You will have fun. Depending on where one lived up North the Snow is not the real problem. Its the lack of sun and the bleak grayish environment. NO green to be found just a brown and gray all around. Look at this for about 5 months and it will just depress the H out of you. I lived near the Great Lakes and the Lake effect was depressing. Gray sky, no sun for months at a time. As you get older the cold weather takes more energy to cope. The lack of moisture in the air dries out the skin. However when spring arrives its amazing to see life come back from the long sleep.

[Mama C]

My reason to move was because Indiana has a lot, I mean a lot of gray days where you may not see the sun for weeks on end...........depressing

[Tom52]

After 63 years living thru upper midwest winters I've had enough. Think about not seeing sunshine for weeks at a time. This is most depressing. Minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit quickly freezes your extremities and frostbite happens real quick to any exposed skin. Cars are difficult to start, if they start, and take a long time to warm up. Snow shoveling gets old real quick and lots of seniors die from heart attacks while shoveling snow. Driving on ice covered roads is scary and dangerous. God forbid sliding off an icy road an getting stranded in the middle of the night. When it gets really cold the water pipes in your home can freeze up and break. Ever hear of cabin fever? It is real. Our main exercise comes from our daily walks of 3.5 miles. Too cold in the winter to do that so we have to use a treadmill which I really dislike to walk on.

Oh, did I mention that I fell on the ice last winter and spent five days in the hospital?
I will gladly trade Florida winters for upper midwest winters every year.

[JoelJohnson]

Blizzard of 1978! I didn't get home for week and didn't get my car back for another week! Very long story, but it was an adventure.

[billethkid]

Born and raised in Erie, PA....'nuff said!! I remember my father saying if we had less than 50 inches of snow by Christmas it was a mild winter.

I can think of no reason to go anyplace where there are no palm trees.

[porger]

Mainly it's the ice and the real threat of slipping and falling.

[Brandigirl]

Grew up in NJ and lived in WI for 13 years. Also lived in WPB, FL and San Francisco area for many years. I have lived it all. When I was younger, I loved the snow, snow skiing, snowmobiling, playing with the dog in the snow etc. Now that I am older, I don't want to deal with it anymore. Go to the grocery store or Mall in winter and come back to a freezing car. Better have a mud room off the garage as in the winter, the floors get very dirty, especially if you have a dog. Shoveling the sidewalk and driveway. (If you can pay someone, then this may not be a problem and we have but they don't always come by when you need them too as they are busy plowing other people's homes). Also can get Ice jams at your gutters of your home that can over time cause problems. The salt destroyed the muffler on my car. Had to get a new muffler when I moved here. Traffic hazards when driving too. I am not fond of the summers here but I treat the summer here as I do the winters in WI, Stay indoors here except to run errands June-Aug and stay indoors in cold Dec-Feb. Best for you to rent somewhere in the winter first and see if you like it.

[twoplanekid]

People of all ages here seem to enjoy snow at all times of the year. Picture taken this last Saturday while on a visit in Homer to stay with good friends.

[stan the man]

Although I do not stay in the villages from June until October. I guess I am a snowbird but I do take one trip back in the middle of the summer just so that if the idea of ever spending a summer in the villages .................

[ColdNoMore]

Originally Posted by twoplanekid

People of all ages here seem to enjoy snow at all times of the year. Picture taken this last Saturday while on a visit in Homer to stay with good friends.

Nice pic, where was it taken?

[Henryk]

Originally Posted by JoelJohnson

Blizzard of 1978! I didn't get home for week and didn't get my car back for another week! Very long story, but it was an adventure.

THAT was a blizzard. We lived in Winthrop. You could pick up fresh fish in the street near the water. We WALKED through the tunnel to see a movie in Boston. Winthrop is a peninsula, so when the governor closed the roads it only took one cruiser at each of two entrances/exits.

I worked for First National Bank of Boston. The data center staff in Dorchester were trapped and raided the officers’ dining room to feed the staff. If I remember correctly, the bank was closed for FOUR DAYS.

[twoplanekid]

Originally Posted by ColdNoMore

Nice pic, where was it taken?

Explorer Glacier off of side road on the way to Homer from Anchorage

[Yung Dum]

If you have to clean snow and ice off your car in the morning before work, then drive on icy, treacherous roads to get there then do the same to get back home you may not see the same beauty you see now. It looks much nicer from here.

[ColdNoMore]

Originally Posted by twoplanekid

Explorer Glacier off of side road on the way to Homer from Anchorage