Florida residents, How do you cope this time of year?

[billymach4]

Love Florida. Love to vacation and visit.

Have many friends and relatives living in south Florida.
As for a retirement destination? Relocation destination? Long term living.
I have to always stop and think? Every time Hurricane season comes around I say never would
I live there.

Personally we are thinking about the Southwest for a permanent retirement spot.

Please tell me how to cope with Florida as a year round living choice?

 

[Luanne]

Well, I know my bff's daughter told me once that if it wasn't for her job no way would she be living in Florida. She works at Kennedy Space Center in Safety.

And I should have added that they are currently evacuated. I don't know how many times this makes for them.

 

[WinniWoman]

I personally don’t get the appeal of Florida. If I liked hot weather, I would probably pick a state like Nevada or Arizona, etc. with dry heat. Though I don’t like desert.

I was just telling my husband I don’t think I could cope with the constant threats of hurricanes, the reptiles, the bugs, the heat and humidity, no seasons. There also seems to be a decadence to constantly living in warm weather that does not sit with me. I love the ocean as much as anyone but I don’t see myself going to a beach every day either. I can see myself swimming in a pool a lot, though. That would be one big plus for me.

That said, we have had some nice vacations there, though I have no desire to go there anymore, and I have many relatives and friends and acquaintances who love it and live there full time.

My brother and his wife are snowbirds. They have a house down there and right now they are here in NY and their house was not buttoned when they left it last spring and they, of course, are very worried right now.

No- we might be nuts but we are retiring north. People are always surprised to hear that from us.

Of course, every state has pluses and negatives and not just with weather.

To each his own. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[Luanne]

I personally don’t get the appeal of Florida. If I liked hot weather, I would probably pick a state like Nevada or Arizona, etc. with dry heat. Though I don’t like desert.

I'm not a big fan of Florida either. I can't take the humidity.

And just to let you know, not all of Nevada, Arizona, or New Mexico is actually desert. In Santa Fe we are at 7000 feet and are surrounded by forest land, mountains, and sky resorts.

I grew up in California and I know many people say they couldn't live somewhere where there are earthquakes, but I got used to them.

Santa Fe National Forest:

 

[billymach4]

Speaking of Humidity.... I have noticed that in the inter mountain states of the Rockies the level of humidity is much lower than the east coast. Yes it can get hot. However I can tolerate the heat with lower humidity.

 

[Luanne]

Speaking of Humidity.... I have noticed that in the inter mountain states of the Rockies the level of humidity is much lower than the east coast. Yes it can get hot. However I can tolerate the heat with lower humidity.

Uh yeah. The West, Southwest and most of the Rockies have a LOT less humidity than the East coast and South. Growing up in California, where there is low humidity makes it very hard for me to tolerate humidity anywhere. Well, except Hawaii, and if the tradewinds aren't blowing and it gets above 90 it can be unpleasant there.

 

[Passepartout]

Shhhhh- Don't tell anybody: IDAHO! No hurricanes in 5,000,000 years! No tornados in a million years! Darn little humidity. Nobody flying into skyscrapers (no skyscrapers). No tsunamis (no ocean). So OK we have forest fires- nature's way of cleaning-up. And a volcano every 50,000 years or so. Noplace is perfect. But this is pretty close. Don't tell.

If you're coming, you better hurry. We've been discovered. Here: https://visitidaho.org/ Take a look around.

Jim

 

[PigsDad]

Shhhhh- Don't tell anybody: IDAHO! No hurricanes in 5,000,000 years! No tornados in a million years! Darn little humidity. Nobody flying into skyscrapers (no skyscrapers). No tsunamis (no ocean). So OK we have forest fires- nature's way of cleaning-up. And a volcano every 50,000 years or so. Noplace is perfect. But this is pretty close. Don't tell.

But if you're coming, you better hurry. We've been discovered.

Yeah, but when the Yellowstone supervolcano blows its top again (and it's overdue), you're toast. But then again, if it does blow, I'm not sure if I would want to be one of the "lucky" ones who survived initially. In Colorado, I think we have a 50/50 chance.

Kurt

 

[Luanne]

Yeah, but when the Yellowstone supervolcano blows its top again (and it's overdue), you're toast. But then again, if it does blow, I'm not sure if I would want to be one of the "lucky" ones who survived initially. In Colorado, I think we have a 50/50 chance.

Kurt

Nope, no chance in Colorado either.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/scie...o-map-damage-supervolcano-usa-caldera-map-ash

 

[PigsDad]

Nope, no chance in Colorado either.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/scie...o-map-damage-supervolcano-usa-caldera-map-ash

Nah, we most likely wouldn't be done in by the initial blast here (only around 100mm of ash, according to the map you reference). But I really wouldn't want to be around after. I'd take the quick way out, if I had a choice.

Kurt

 

[Passepartout]

Yeah, but when the Yellowstone supervolcano blows its top again (and it's overdue), you're toast. But then again, if it does blow, I'm not sure if I would want to be one of the "lucky" ones who survived initially. In Colorado, I think we have a 50/50 chance.

Kurt

If it blows in my lifetime, I'm going out in a 'blinding flash and a deafening report' The world, as we know it, is effectively toast after that happens. I'd as soon be close. I'm not too worried that it is going to happen on a 'human' time scale. A geologic one is more likely. The 'Yellowstone hot-spot' continues to move East at about the rate fingernails grow, so by now is under more central Wyoming now. The 'hot spot' (thin place in Earth's crust) is more-or-less stable while the crust 'floats' over Earth's molten core.

I find that stuff fascinating, but don't sweat it- as it regards my life choices.

Jim

 

[DazedandConfused]

This hurricane thing is a little blow out of proportion. When you consider that other than Andrew, no major hurricane has hit Miami, Ft Laud, WPB in a long time and even that was concentrated to a relatively small area, but yes, it seems the past 10 years, they are more frequent or stronger.

Thus, you have hurricane window protection, impact glass or shutters, and get hurricane insurance coverage.

How does 80% of Americans deal with the SNOW as people in Florida really don'y understand how you live in that cold weather.

 

[Bucky]

We’ve lived in NC for about 30 yrs now after moving from Southern CA where we had lived for a total of 12 yrs. Talk about a shock! While we miss the low humidity of CA, we don’t miss earthquakes, traffic and crazy housing costs. Idaho looks wonderful but in NC our average annual snow fall is only 7” and many years we get none.

We’ve had I think one tornado in the 30 yrs and it didn’t do any damage to us locally. Now we do get hurricanes! But, it’s not like they come out of nowhere like earthquakes. One has plenty of time to prepare. Our humidity is terrible. We complain and move on. It’s life.

I would imagine the people in FL feel the same way we do, it’s life. Be prepared. Pay attention to warnings.

 

[WinniWoman]

This hurricane thing is a little blow out of proportion. When you consider that other than Andrew, no major hurricane has hit Miami, Ft Laud, WPB in a long time and even that was concentrated to a relatively small area, but yes, it seems the past 10 years, they are more frequent or stronger.

Thus, you have hurricane window protection, impact glass or shutters, and get hurricane insurance coverage.

How does 80% of Americans deal with the SNOW as people in Florida really don'y understand how you live in that cold weather.

Well- we wear coats and hats and boots when we go outside! LOL!

Snow is different. For the most part it does not destroy the landscape and take down houses, though mounds of it on a roof can collapse it. But- yes a blizzard can be deadly and cause a lot of havoc in terms of downed trees and power outages.

Ice is worse. And people certainly have to be careful not to slip on it.

The worse thing about snow is driving in it. People hate shoveling it. Especially if you have to get out right away, like go to work. But other times it can be kind of nice being outside and shoveling the snow.

I love the quiet outside during or right after a snow storm.

But there is something to be said for sitting by a warm fire as the snow comes down. it is very pretty. Going snow shoeing, skiing, ice skating, ice fishing, dog sledding, etc. appeals to a lot of people.

 

[WinniWoman]

Shhhhh- Don't tell anybody: IDAHO! No hurricanes in 5,000,000 years! No tornados in a million years! Darn little humidity. Nobody flying into skyscrapers (no skyscrapers). No tsunamis (no ocean). So OK we have forest fires- nature's way of cleaning-up. And a volcano every 50,000 years or so. Noplace is perfect. But this is pretty close. Don't tell.

If you're coming, you better hurry. We've been discovered. Here: https://visitidaho.org/ Take a look around.

Jim

Idaho is awesome! But not a "hot" state (temperature wise). We considered moving there if we couldn't find the right place in the northeast. Colorado also appealed to us. We really like the West.

Have not been to Oregon or Washington. Hubby loved the idea of Wyoming also.

 

[chapjim]

This hurricane thing is a little blow out of proportion. When you consider that other than Andrew, no major hurricane has hit Miami, Ft Laud, WPB in a long time and even that was concentrated to a relatively small area, but yes, it seems the past 10 years, they are more frequent or stronger.
<snip>

Color me dazed and confused, too! If there haven't been major hurricanes in a long time, how is it that they are more frequent or stronger?

 

[vacationhopeful]

I have lived 2.5 years in Florida. Had NO air conditioning anywheres. Live 10 miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean (west of Daytona Beach). Basicly had no TV either. Or any computer service. And telephones were the floor's intercom system. Yes, we did have some (poor) radio service. Definitely, no internet either. And the drinking age was 21.

First year, NO Walt Disney World.

Surprisingly, I lived just fine and had a good time. I left because there were no good paying jobs in my field.

 

[WVBaker]

Living in Florida most of the year with NO air conditioning is simply cruel and unusual punishment.

 

[Passepartout]

Idaho is awesome! But not a "hot" state (temperature wise). We considered moving there if we couldn't find the right place in the northeast.

Suit yourself. It will be 91 here every day this week until Friday when a more seasonal 85 kicks in. Granted, we get some cold and a little bit of snow in the valleys; much more in the mountains forr winter recreation. I'll admit, we escape and do much of our traveling in winter. I like the changing of the seasons- though less a fan of Winter as we age.

 

[Panina]

I love visiting Florida. Have even considered moving there permanently. I have friends and family who do. Ultimately decided no because I do not want to have to deal with leaving to safer places when the hurricane threat occurs. At my age now, it would be doable but thinking as I get older it can become an issue.

So South Carolina, inland, close to Charlotte NC has been the best alternative. Hurricanes do not impact us like the coast, tornados rare, winters mild and if the rare snow or ice occurs gone in a day or two at the most, housing affordable, real estate taxes low, conveniences galore, good medical choices, near major transportation, and for me midway beware NY and Fl both that I travel to often.

I go to Florida in the “winter” weeks but truthfully if I didn’t go it really isn’t that cold here. In the summer I go up to NY and the Jersey shore, Maine too as the summers here are hot and humid.

Being I have lived in snowy cold icy climates I prefer the hotter humid summers.

That said, my friends and family love living in Florida and consider the hotter weather and hurricane threats the inconvenience of living in a great area. They are staying.

 

[rapmarks]

I think you all answered your own question, you travel. Just like people up north go away during the winter, Floridians go away during hurricane season.
You make light of snow and ice, but after living in the north for sixty years and having to drive on treacherous roads, and falling and breaking bones, and hearing about heart attacks when shoveling snow, I am glad to be gone. There is hot and humid weather in many states during the summer, and most of those states have income tax.

 

[LMD]

I grew up in upstate NY and have lived in SW FL for almost 10 years now. Summer heat is no joke but everyplace you go is air conditioned. We tend to take our vacations during the summer and go to the NE or out West. Not having to shovel or deal with snow is a nice trade off. Winter traffic in Naples gets worse and worse each year. There are so many accidents here its crazy. As far as hurricanes go the good thing is there is a warning. You just have to be prepared. After Irma we learned a lot about what we need to do next time to be better prepared. I don't love living in FL, I think I would like to live out West however we have lots of family that are snowbirds and that is what is keeping us here right now.

 

[Glenn2]

I have lived in Florida for 45 years, which is most of my life! I have seen several storms over the years, most will pass you by without affect. During Irma in 2017 I lost power for a while, which wasn't fun. I have to say that I do try to limit out of state traveling during the active portion of the storm season (mid August - mid October) so that I can be on top of things here if something develops.

 

[geekette]

I also don't get the appeal of Florida, but I happen to like seasons. Gators scare me, high humidity wilts me. I like beaches but have mostly not gone to FL for them.

Every place has its up and down points. I am in tornado land, less warning than with hurricane, but fewer people enduring complete devastation. We can have snow, which I mostly enjoy, we can have very cold temps, which I don't have a problem with.

Everyone has their own wants and needs, and luckily, even just the US has ample diverse choices.

 

[rapmarks]

I haven’t noticed posts during blizzards and cold snaps asking why people live in northern states.
I have to admit my mother in law used to call from Arizona every time we had bad weather in Illinois and let us know that it was seventy degrees there. She also mentioned that we should move there and I could probably find a job as a waitress somewhere.