[Sleeved]

Originally Posted by Coop63

For any of you who have lived through a few Florida summers, and northern winters (e.g. Michigan), how does it compare? Is it as grueling, do you get use to it, or make every attempt to escape north during the summer month?

This is my biggest concern moving to the TV. I have owned 2 properties in the past and not something I really want to do at this point in my life. I don't mind the snow, just the gray and lack of sun.

You don’t have to shovel heat.

[paulajr]

We have lived here full time for over 10 years. Every day we say that we can’t WAIT until summer. Less traffic, less people, more time to “play”. We golf almost every afternoon (less crowded and less expensive), spend time in our pool..and enjoy..
The Florida heat is not “murder”!

Originally Posted by Aces4

But the value is corrupted. We have friends who live full-time in Florida and they all say the summer heat in murder. At least when it is cold, people can go out during the daytime and don't have to stay housebound. I'm only suggesting the OP consider the downside of full-time Florida living when he could alter his schedule to have it all.

[Villagesgal]

We moved here 23 years ago full time and still love it here. Summers are less humid than many areas up north and quite nice in the shade with a bit of a breeze. It took us living thru 3 summers to be acclimated and now we honestly love our summers with the snowbirds gone the pools, the nights on the squares, the restaurants and shops are pleasantly uncrowded. We hardly ever use our car in the summers, preferring the golf cart with the windshield down.
Trust me, after a few summers here you will love it. I'll take the beautiful summers here over freezing cold winters with snow shoveling, snow driving and high heat bills anyday.
By the way, we now keep our ac at 78 in the summers and are cool with low electric bills, just let your body acclimate to the weather here and you'll love summers here too. Or don't and just complain about it. I prefer to love it here. We would never move back up north, visit yes, live there again, no.

[TeresaE]

Originally Posted by Coop63

For any of you who have lived through a few Florida summers, and northern winters (e.g. Michigan), how does it compare? Is it as grueling, do you get use to it, or make every attempt to escape north during the summer month?

This is my biggest concern moving to the TV. I have owned 2 properties in the past and not something I really want to do at this point in my life. I don't mind the snow, just the gray and lack of sun.

I have never been trapped in our house because of heat. Just wear a hat when you’re in the sun, stay hydrated and hug the shade. And don’t do any too strenuous. Outside work or walks should be done in the early mornings.

To escape the heat just go up into the Georgia/Tennessee mountains. It’s a beautiful part of the world you don’t want to miss.

[ChicagoNative]

This is going to be our fourth full summer here. Yes, it’s hot and humid; It’s freakin’ Florida! However, after last year, we were almost ready to become snowbirds again.

El Niño made last year the absolute most uncomfortable summer we’ve ever experienced. It seemed like it went into the mid-upper 90s in March and stayed that way until Halloween. Even the nights and early mornings were miserably hot. Summers in Chicago have periods of heat and humidity, but you get a break every few days.

All that said, I’ve never once had to shovel heat or have ice dams break off the building gutter and crash through a wooden porch! I no longer have to wade through many unshoveled sidewalks, yellow snow, or endure multiple days of gray, sunless skies, and cabin fever is a thing of the past. Just like everything else, to each their own.

[billethkid]

I keep it simple;
If there are no palm trees then I am too far North.

[paulajr]

The Villages will never flood..the drainage systems are built to prevent that.
We have been through many hurricane warnings , watches and actual hurricanes here in almost 11 years. We have NEVER lost power, been flooded or had any damage. No…very few people leave..but many come from other areas to the relative safety of TV.

Originally Posted by Aces4

Are our friends lying when they tell us they are leaving TV when a hurricane warning is up? They stayed for one and they won’t do that again.

There may not be a direct hit but there can be flooding, loss of electricity and wind damage closing the rec centers, golf courses, restaurants and businesses.

[nn0wheremann]

Originally Posted by Coop63

For any of you who have lived through a few Florida summers, and northern winters (e.g. Michigan), how does it compare? Is it as grueling, do you get use to it, or make every attempt to escape north during the summer month?

This is my biggest concern moving to the TV. I have owned 2 properties in the past and not something I really want to do at this point in my life. I don't mind the snow, just the gray and lack of sun.

July and August in the Villages is like January and February in Chicago. You go out when you have to, or if you really want to. It does not cool off much at night, unlike on hot days in the Midwest. The humidity is very high, with dew points often in the middle 70s or higher. Get used to it. On the other hand, you will not slip and fall on the sunshine, and you never need to shovel the rain.

[Shipping up to Boston]

Originally Posted by AMB444

Not to derail this thread too much but I agree 100%.

Was in Phoenix (never been until then) in July '23 for son's baseball tournie. Concrete stadium heated up by 10am like a tandoori oven. Just radiated heat from below your feet. Many parents had to get back into their cars to turn the AC on. We were pouring water all over ourselves... looks less ridiculous than passing out.

Close second for killer heat would be Atlanta. Also July bball tournie. We had kids passing out in the dugout... kids from the south.

And I lived in south FL for 4 years so I understand heat index.

Right, every area you just mentioned is notorious for that type of weather and thus, people are captive to their AC all day. In other parts of the country, the north east specifically, those days are variable and few in duration. If the former is what some refer to as quality of life, enjoy it.

[birdawg]

Blonds Brunette’s Redheads and now Grey heads everyone likes something different

[Switter]

Originally Posted by Coop63

For any of you who have lived through a few Florida summers, and northern winters (e.g. Michigan), how does it compare? Is it as grueling, do you get use to it, or make every attempt to escape north during the summer month?

This is my biggest concern moving to the TV. I have owned 2 properties in the past and not something I really want to do at this point in my life. I don't mind the snow, just the gray and lack of sun.

I am from Minnesota and move down here last August. I don't have the luxury of owning two properties so I live here full-time. I also lived in Houston for a couple years, which is just as hot and humid during the summer as this area of florida.

Have you thought of coming down here in July for a week or two to give it a test run, just so you can experience how hot it actually is? You will probably acclimate to it somewhat but if you're the type of person that dislikes heat and humidity then you might not like it no matter how much you acclimate to it. That's the way I felt about the cold and Minnesota, I absolutely hated it. I don't like oppressive heat and humidity either but I tolerate it much better than the cold.

The sun is very hot down here, even when it's in the upper 70s. If there's no breeze and you're in direct sun, the 70s feels like much warmer than the temperature belies.

I'm not sure anybody's gonna be able to answer your question adequately because each person has different tolerances to heat and cold. Maybe you could hang onto your property up north for a year or two and see how it goes?

[airstreamingypsy]

Originally Posted by Coop63

For any of you who have lived through a few Florida summers, and northern winters (e.g. Michigan), how does it compare? Is it as grueling, do you get use to it, or make every attempt to escape north during the summer month?

This is my biggest concern moving to the TV. I have owned 2 properties in the past and not something I really want to do at this point in my life. I don't mind the snow, just the gray and lack of sun.

The difference is.... Cold, bitter cold is actually painful. It's also dangerous if you have to shovel snow, or walk or drive on ice.

Summer in Florida is miserable, during the day, but it doesn't hurt. We live in an air conditioned word. Our homes, cars and places we go all have air conditioning. Yard work is restricted to after dinner...... summer in Florida is better than winter in the frozen north.

[stone8735]

Originally Posted by Coop63

For any of you who have lived through a few Florida summers, and northern winters (e.g. Michigan), how does it compare? Is it as grueling, do you get use to it, or make every attempt to escape north during the summer month?

This is my biggest concern moving to the TV. I have owned 2 properties in the past and not something I really want to do at this point in my life. I don't mind the snow, just the gray and lack of sun.

You don't have to shovel heat

[Justputt]

We'll snowbird this summer only because we're setting up our house in Upstate NY for sale. When I was younger, didn't have an iffy back, etc. I enjoyed a day on the slopes, but skiing is even more pricey, crowed with less good snow days, and my back won't take it. That leaves us with just stupidly cold days (even when no snow) and winter seems like it lasts 6 months now. Snowblowers, shoveling sidewalks, heating bills, and just getting around can be miserable. Spring (muddy season), Summer, Fall are pretty, and we do enjoy it. In the early 80s, I lived in Michigan on Lake Michigan, which brought a new definition of cold to me with the obscene double digit below zero windchill off the lake. While not having been on a Florida summer in decades, I did work for years in MS, where the heat and humidity were at least as oppressive as FL, with Golf Shores, AL as the nearest clean reasonable beach. We're going to do year-round in TV, the Gulf and the Atlantic are easy day trips to find sea water and breezes. We won't be there every day of summer, but as a hub to go visit kids around the country and generally travel, we're good with just having one place to keep up with. Being <1 hour to MCO makes traveling almost anywhere easy.

[Markus]

We have been in Florida for almost 4 years coming from Ohio.

IF you are wanting to do anything outside during the day from late May till October you must get used to sweating and most of the time ALOT. Any small task you will sweat. It doesn't matter if you feel the humidity it is there. Once you start doing anything you will sweat. A normal 90 degree day yes you experience it up north but it does not compare to 90 degrees here at all. The sun is more intense here and even if you don't feel the humidity when you step outside in 5 minutes you will feel it. It the peak of Summer you will feel the humidity instantly. You will run your car AC probably 350 days of the year. You learn to do activities early in the morning or after the sun goes down like biking or walking. It takes some getting used to and I get hot very easily. You learn to cope with it and do things around weather if it is all possible. When I mow the yard I try to pick a day when the temps are lower and if it is a cloudy day which helps. If you think at all it may not be for you you should plan a trip in July or August for a week in Florida and plan to be outdoors to see if you can handle it. AC IS your friend and most people are inside during the hot part of the day. However, you ARE in Florida so everyone tends to be more active here than up North.