Ditto what Paul said. For real.

It took me two or three clicks to realize they didn't mean the warmest day *in the year* but rather of the winter. 

Also, the Bismarck picture makes me laugh. I always laugh at people who spend hundreds of dollars to freeze their asses off while they clear their driveways/sidewalks. Meanwhile, me and my family are out there getting warm in sweaters, even when it's 0 degrees out. (Oh, but we have to exercise, poor things that we are.) This is one invention that hardly seems like an improvement on quality of life.

I think this fails to take into account that Duluth winters generally start in October and end in late May.  Using that metric, Duluth would rank much higher.

I like Paul's calendar, but I think it's missing a season.  Since moving up here from St. Paul in 1999, I noticed there is something between say, the third week of March and the third week of May. It's not Winter, and not what I'd call Spring.  It's my least favorite season, but I don't know what to call it.

Bret,you're right.  That time of year in, e.g., Omaha where I grew up, is true spring; leaves a translucent green, beautiful scents in the air, a real feeling of growth and reawakening.  Up here, it's like...bitter and ugly and gray, no fantastic winter brightness, yet still so cold that Paul and Bev have to wear at least 2 layers, and just yucky.

So 5 seasons:  winter==Christmas parade through mid March; gross hell season==through late may, then 2 weeks of spring, three months of summer, brief glorious autumn.

Bret, I believe what you describe is known to the natives as Sprinter.

There are the divisions of time on a calendar- solstices and equinoxes, and then there is weather. We need to form a committee (preferably the same guys who were on the "super committee") that will define once and for all what is meant by season.

March 31 does not demarcate the end of spring in ANY calendar system, from what I can tell.  Balderdash, I say!

and I think even according to that list Duluth should be at least #8, colder average and coldest warmest day

Duluth Trading Company sells fleece lined ballroom jeans. They are wonderful!

Lousy Smarch weather.

Silly Paul...

Best laugh of my day: melting dogshit season
Spot on!

For someone that hates Wintah as much as me, I keep my house at 55-62f depending, and often sit about in shorts and/or short sleeves/tanks, but with wool socks :P (like now). Must be all that sun I absorb all summer. I just HATE to go outside once the colder temps start. (below 20f)

Lovin this autumn so far though, as it's been pretty mild. Makin up for the shit spring/early summer we had.

heh...melting dogshit.