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 wondered about that March 31 thing. Technically, March 31 is indeed Spring, although we tend to think of it as Winter in Duluth. But there doesn’t seem to be anywhere in the “article” that explains that.
I’ve been wondering when Duluth would adopt its own official seasons. I’d recommend:
Winter starts with the Christmas City of the North Parade — the Friday before Thanksgiving).
Spring starts with the Homegrown Music Festival — the first week of May.
Summer starts with Grandma’s Marathon — the third Saturday in June.
Fall starts with Fall Fest — the third Saturday of September.
That’s five months of Winter, two months of Spring, three months of Summer and two months of Fall. Seems about right to me.
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.
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.
Huh, I’ve lived in 5 of those cities (Laramie, Duluth, Minneapolis, Fort Collins, Iowa City). Apparently I am a glutton for punishment?
I have to say, the one winter I spent in Laramie was by far the toughest winter I have ever lived through. I grew up in Minneapolis and thought I was tough, but NOTHING compared to the constant 30-mph winds, the bone-dry lack of humidity, and the fact that it snowed every month of the year I lived there – even July and August.
I’m actually glad to see that it was rated so high on the Coldest City list. I feel somewhat justified in the fact that I curl into a ball and weep at the mere memory of that horrible, horrible winter.
Elly Vortex, I drive in winter all the time in Minnesota. No problem. In mid- Feb. 2006, I drove from Denver to Casper, Wyoming, to my aunt’s funeral. I held onto the steering wheel as tight as I could and cried in fear the entire time. The wind blew the snow everywhere, it was like driving through a tornado. Never again. Never again.
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 😛 (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.
I’m wearing three layers right now, and I’m indoors.
Ditto what Paul said. For real.
Thank god for polar fleece.
What’s scary is how much time I’ve spent in many of those cities. And that I was born in one (not Duluth).
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.
March 31 is not Winter. It’s ten days after Spring!
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 wondered about that March 31 thing. Technically, March 31 is indeed Spring, although we tend to think of it as Winter in Duluth. But there doesn’t seem to be anywhere in the “article” that explains that.
I’ve been wondering when Duluth would adopt its own official seasons. I’d recommend:
That’s five months of Winter, two months of Spring, three months of Summer and two months of Fall. Seems about right to me.
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–we call it the mud season.
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.
That said, it’s the only time of year we get to see that gorgeous, translucent blue as the lake ice blocks hit the shore.
Bret, I believe what you describe is known to the natives as Sprinter.
I have to agree Lundgren’s winter since I have seen snow at both the x-mas annoy-me-of-the-north parade and during Homegrown.
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.
Bret: that’s melting dogshit season.
March 31 does not demarcate the end of spring in ANY calendar system, from what I can tell. Balderdash, I say!
I’ve long thought there was two extra seasons, and referred to them as locking (between fall and winter) and unlocking (between winter and spring)
and I think even according to that list Duluth should be at least #8, colder average and coldest warmest day
Huh, I’ve lived in 5 of those cities (Laramie, Duluth, Minneapolis, Fort Collins, Iowa City). Apparently I am a glutton for punishment?
I have to say, the one winter I spent in Laramie was by far the toughest winter I have ever lived through. I grew up in Minneapolis and thought I was tough, but NOTHING compared to the constant 30-mph winds, the bone-dry lack of humidity, and the fact that it snowed every month of the year I lived there – even July and August.
I’m actually glad to see that it was rated so high on the Coldest City list. I feel somewhat justified in the fact that I curl into a ball and weep at the mere memory of that horrible, horrible winter.
Duluth Trading Company sells fleece lined ballroom jeans. They are wonderful!
I ditto what ericswan said:
Thank god for polar fleece.
What’s scary is how much time I’ve spent in many of those cities. And that I was born in one (not Duluth).
Lousy Smarch weather.
Elly Vortex, I drive in winter all the time in Minnesota. No problem. In mid- Feb. 2006, I drove from Denver to Casper, Wyoming, to my aunt’s funeral. I held onto the steering wheel as tight as I could and cried in fear the entire time. The wind blew the snow everywhere, it was like driving through a tornado. Never again. Never again.
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 😛 (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.