Anyone Retire In A "Snowbelt" Area?

ClassicRockr

ClassicRockr

Well-known Member
Even though there are those here (Jacksonville, FL) that think we are beyond crazy for wanting to leave Florida and go back to a "snowbelt", that is very likely possible. But, what definitely is going to happen is leaving Florida.

Anyway, if you retired in a "snowbelt" area, how are you handling the winters? They do get harder to handle when people become Seniors, although, when I worked for a Senior Healthcare company in Denver, Colorado, there were plenty of Seniors the company took care of.

Funny, but, we kept our Winter Parka's after we left Colorado........or more distinctly, Parker, CO.

We don't relish the fact that the kind of area we want to be in does have "Old Man Winter" each year, but, as the old saying goes, "got to take the good with the bad" of different things in life.
 

I had to google to learn if my state is in a "snowbelt". I am not; but thank you for this thread I just learned a great deal about "belts."
 
ProsperosDaughter said:
I had to google to learn if my state is in a "snowbelt". I am not; but thank you for this thread I just learned a great deal about "belts."
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You didn’t know that certain areas of some States or the entire State that gets substantial snow, is called a “snowbelt” area?

The area and state we live in is definitely not considered a “snowbelt”....that is Florida.
 

We get snow here on the coast of southern Massachusetts. Right at the coast we get much less than a few miles inland especially if the wind is off the ocean. I've lived here all of my life and have no wish to relocate. It's far too hot in most of Florida for a good part of the year but we did enjoy our years of 3 month winter stays in SW Florida.


We share a home (same home where I was born)with our daughter's family. We gave them the house and property back in 1995 and retained a life lease for ourselves. SIL and grandson take care of the snow and if we can't drive somewhere, for whatever the reason, one of them will drive us. A married grand-daughter lives 5 minute away and another married daughter 12 minutes. All of this is far more important, to us, than whether the weather's cold or hot.
 
ClassicRockr said:
Even though there are those here (Jacksonville, FL) that think we are beyond crazy for wanting to leave Florida and go back to a "snowbelt", that is very likely possible. But, what definitely is going to happen is leaving Florida.

Anyway, if you retired in a "snowbelt" area, how are you handling the winters? They do get harder to handle when people become Seniors, although, when I worked for a Senior Healthcare company in Denver, Colorado, there were plenty of Seniors the company took care of.

Funny, but, we kept our Winter Parka's after we left Colorado........or more distinctly, Parker, CO.

We don't relish the fact that the kind of area we want to be in does have "Old Man Winter" each year, but, as the old saying goes, "got to take the good with the bad" of different things in life.
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Living in a home is tougher than living in an apartment in a cold snowy area.

You are constantly cleaning snow from driveways, walkways, etc.

If you live in an apartment all that is done for you.

You can go out and enjoy winter.
 
DaveA said:
We get snow here on the coast of southern Massachusetts. Right at the coast we get much less than a few miles inland especially if the wind is off the ocean. I've lived here all of my life and have no wish to relocate. It's far too hot in most of Florida for a good part of the year but we did enjoy our years of 3 month winter stays in SW Florida.


We share a home (same home where I was born)with our daughter's family. We gave them the house and property back in 1995 and retained a life lease for ourselves. SIL and grandson take care of the snow and if we can't drive somewhere, for whatever the reason, one of them will drive us. A married grand-daughter lives 5 minute away and another married daughter 12 minutes. All of this is far more important, to us, than whether the weather's cold or hot.
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Yes, all of Florida is well known for it’s summer heat and added-on humidity. One of the reasons we want to leave.

Neither of us have kids anymore (from any previous marriage.
Wife does have relatives who live in So California, but we sure won’t move back there. Unfortunately, not all families get along.

We don’t really like winter, but to live in an area that we really like, and have lived before, we’d have to put up with it.
 
Camper6 said:
Living in a home is tougher than living in an apartment in a cold snowy area.

You are constantly cleaning snow from driveways, walkways, etc.

If you live in an apartment all that is done for you.

You can go out and enjoy winter.
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True. However, that is if a person does want to go out and enjoy winter. Not many Seniors want to do that.
 
Didn't retire to a snowbelt, have always lived here and will more than likely die here.
I don't especially love the snow, but I do love four seasons. Anyplace there is no snow would be overwhelmingly hot in the summer.

I don't know that it is such a tribulation. I shovel the front porch and the back stoop. The driveway and walks I use the snowblower and the tractor to clear with.
We keep snow tires on all the vehicles, prepay propane delivery for the season, have a couple cords of wood for back up, keep the freezer full,and exercise the back up generator a few times a year.

We don't get out as much in the winter as summer, but that is by choice, not the lack of ability.
 
ClassicRockr said:
You didn’t know that certain areas of some States or the entire State that gets substantial snow, is called a “snowbelt” area?

The area and state we live in is definitely not considered a “snowbelt”....that is Florida.
Click to expand...

I am never embarrassed to admit when I learn something new; which in reverse means I did not know. I'm going out on a limb here but I'll guess there are things you do not know.:)

Additional, again using wiki as my source, “snowbelt” areas are those that receive snow as a result of weather patterns caused by the Great Lakes not just every state that receives a lot of snow.
 
Camper6 said:
Just visited my doctor. He said if you want to maintain your mental health you have to go out regardless of the weather.
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True, but for necessities, not so for play. But, if grandkids go out and play in snow, the grandparents could play some as well.......but, CAREFULLY.
 
I live in a snowbelt area of Ontario. Would not have it any other way. We get a chance to moan about the cold winters and on the hot hazy humid summer days we get a chance to wish for winter.
 
ProsperosDaughter said:
I am never embarrassed to admit when I learn something new; which in reverse means I did not know. I'm going out on a limb here but I'll guess there are things you do not know.:)

Additional, again using wiki as my source, “snowbelt” areas are those that receive snow as a result of weather patterns caused by the Great Lakes not just every state that receives a lot of snow.
Click to expand...

I totally apologize, you are are right. I used the wrong terminology.

My wife was born/raised in the “snowbelt” of southeastern Michigan and I was raised in northeastern Indiana.

I was thinking the word covered everywhere snow fell heavily and I was wrong.

Where we are looking at moving back to is The Front Range aka The Eastern Slope of Colorado.
 
We moved from the "rust belt" in 1972 and have never had a thought of returning.
We did get snow in Jacksonville in 1976. I missed it because I was down in Miami that day.
Our son called to tell us it was snowing in Tallahassee when he was at FSU.
 
I live in a snow area and it has less impact on me now that I'm retired than it did when I was working.

I live in an apartment with an attached parking garage so the snow removal is done by the apartment complex. I pick and choose when I venture out to run my errands and wait until the roads are clear enough for me to drive or I walk a few blocks to a strip mall. The thing that I like about my area of the country is that we don't have the severe weather and natural disasters that people in other areas have to deal with.
 
Manatee said:
We moved from the "rust belt" in 1972 and have never had a thought of returning.
We did get snow in Jacksonville in 1976. I missed it because I was down in Miami that day.
Our son called to tell us it was snowing in Tallahassee when he was at FSU.
Click to expand...

Snow was falling on Christmas Day 2010 at our apartment which is just north of the Avenues Mall. I got out the video camera, zoomed in on some trees, and sue enough, it was coming down pretty heavy. Ground to warm to stick, but it was snowing.
 
I'm born and raised in greater Chicago area, as is DW. Because we have quite a bit of family in this area, we're not going anywhere. As far as Florida, I'll take snow and cold over hurricanes, high heat and humidity, sinkholes, high crime rates in some areas, highest rate in nature for home foreclosures and second for underwater mortgages, one of the largest discrepancies of any state in income.

I can't comprehend what people see in moving to Florida.
 
ClassicRockr said:
Yes, all of Florida is well known for it’s summer heat and added-on humidity. One of the reasons we want to leave.

Neither of us have kids anymore (from any previous marriage.
Wife does have relatives who live in So California, but we sure won’t move back there. Unfortunately, not all families get along.

We don’t really like winter, but to live in an area that we really like, and have lived before, we’d have to put up with it.
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That's why many retire to the Southwest like Arizona... it gets hot but there is little humidity.

I was born in far west Texas where the summer temperature is more like Arizona [hot but little humidity.]

It can get cold [but little snow] here in Dallas in winter and in summer it is hot and humid. I tolerate the humidity because I hate winter cold and snow.
 
I live an hour south of the Tug Hill area of Upstate NY. Moisture from Lake Ontario causes lake effect snow to fall in the area in feet rather than inches. That area averages 200 inches of snow per year, with the town of Redfield averaging 288 inches per year. We get only 60 inches per year in my town. Just finished snow blowing again after my son cleaned our driveway last night. I'm itching to cross-country ski, but it has been too cold this winter.

I'll try to spend a week every February in warmer regions. I go for walks whenever the temps rise above 30 degrees. Snow shoveling is good exercise in moderation. We read a lot, plan vacations, do indoor work, and watch a lot of shows. But the tradeoff is our nice summers with mild temps and plenty to do.
 
TonyK said:
I live an hour south of the Tug Hill area of Upstate NY. Moisture from Lake Ontario causes lake effect snow to fall in the area in feet rather than inches. That area averages 200 inches of snow per year, with the town of Redfield averaging 288 inches per year. We get only 60 inches per year in my town. Just finished snow blowing again after my son cleaned our driveway last night. I'm itching to cross-country ski, but it has been too cold this winter.

I'll try to spend a week every February in warmer regions. I go for walks whenever the temps rise above 30 degrees. Snow shoveling is good exercise in moderation. We read a lot, plan vacations, do indoor work, and watch a lot of shows. But the tradeoff is our nice summers with mild temps and plenty to do.
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That’s our “trade off” as well, moving back to Colorado or into Wyoming.....winter snow, but lots to do in the summer and fall.
 
I grew up in Ohio and when about 25 or so, I grew tired of cold and miserable weather that Ohio often presents. In Ohio if it is 80F the body starts sweating due to the humidity. I have lived where that does not happen till temp gets to the 100 to 110F. Mostly due to low humidity. Arizona, Phoenix and south from there. I have lived where it would hit 118F as a daily peak, but never have seen it so hot all day.

We moved back to Ohio to be near the kids as we grew older. For me it was a complete disaster. We were supposed to be 'snow birds' and leave each fall for milder places than Ohio and its hateful depressing climate and humidity driven fogs, overcast and cloudy sky's, rains or snows. I want to go back to the desert west again and if I want snow I can drive a few hours to a snow resort in the high country of Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, or California. Lived in or been involved with living in their climate. I should never have moved back to Ohio. I left for good reasons a and after 50 years elsewhere the reasons I left the first time still exist. The rust belt is still a wrong place to live for me. Desert life if very good for older folks. Outside and walking around each day is good for all of us, young or old.

So I am starting to look for appropriate house and location to move too. I lived in California for several years, never again. I lived in Colorado for several years but altitude in Denver is too high for my lungs, same in northern Arizona so Phoenix and south is fine. I have lived in Florida for 5 years with my two young kids. Really did not like humidity, bugs, ground crawling critters, but will consider it for winter stays.

Had some good desert living and wonder why I left.
 
Oh I love the snow....I miss it so much!

my oldest son sent me a video from his phone this morning. He and his family were out in it, feeding ducks off a bridge after a huge snowfall they had gotten where he lived. It was beautiful!!

I say go for the snow.
 
We left Colorado because I fell in the driveway at our house, after trying to get our truck up the driveway and into the garage after a blizzard had hit. The fall required rotator cuff surgery on my right shoulder. The rehab was not fun at all, but I got FROM back in the shoulder. Wife and I decided we needed to move "thinking" that we didn't want either of us to fall and become handicapped. Well, that "thinking" definitely didn't work, because I fell right here in the parking lot of our apartment complex in the middle of the summer. That fall required rotator cuff surgery/rehab in my left shoulder. Now, I have osteoarthritis in the left shoulder and regular arthritis in the right. I read online that high humidity and low elevations are not good for arthritis........we have both here.
 

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