Southerner moving North -- advice needed :)

[cteddiesgirl]

Diet now because philly cheesesteaks are wonderful!!!!!!!

Erie is actually quite a ways away from Philly. They're on opposite sides of the state.



I have nothing to add to what others have said. I think they've pretty much covered it all.

 

[MsDisney23]

A well stocked panty and freezer with all the staples.

 

[cteddiesgirl]

Here is a little tidbit you might not want to know, but should. According to wikipedia:

As of 2007, Erie is 13th on the list of snowiest places in the United States, averaging 88 inches (220 cm). For the winter of 2008–2009, Erie received 145.8 inches (370 cm) of snow with the first accumulation of the season falling on October 29. The total for that year's seasonal snowfall is the second highest, falling short of the record by 3.3 inches (8.4 cm) set during the winter of 2000–2001. The adverse winter conditions have been known to cause whiteouts

 

[bunny]

If it makes you feel any better, Lake Erie is beautiful in the summer and a wonderful place to live if you are into fishing and boating.

Which university will you be teaching for? Since you are not used to driving on snow or ice, could you find a place to rent within walking distance of the university? There are usually a lot of rentals rather close. That way you could walk if you needed to and you would have a little extra time to save up for a new 4 wheel or AWD vehicle (a must for winter driving).

 

[hereyago]

Dang, I am getting cold just thinking about you moving up there. It takes me FOREVER to thaw out if I get cold. I live in the South Eastern part of Va and nearly had a cow when we had snow this year.

But good luck on the new job!!!!!!!!!

 

[arctic_bunny]

As somebody who lives about 300 miles north of the arctic circle, I find this all so fascinating!

 

[mrodgers]

I'm about halfway between Erie and Pittsburgh.

Snow and clothing - I was seen 2 years ago out in the driveway in a pair of shorts shoveling 18 inches of snow in my driveway. After the snowfall the previous night, it had warmed up quite nicely to about 34 degrees. After a long run of temps in the teens, it was too warm at 34 to be bundled up and working. I just wanted to clear around the cars and was in a pair of shorts, so I just ran out to clear around the cars in shorts and a t-shirt.

You do NOT need snow tires or 4WD to drive in the snow. What you do need is to know HOW to drive in the snow. Sure, snow tires and/or 4WD are a big plus, but doesn't do you any good if you are like 95% of the rest of those on the roads and don't know how to drive.

That said, snow tires on a car is far better than crappy tires on 4WD. My little Honda Civic I got in November and came with snow tires on it. I had never had snow tires before. I couldn't believe the difference it made in snow compared to both my experience driving on normal "all-seasons" and in 4WD "mall runner" vehicles. My Honda with snow tires goes much better in snow than my wife's AWD Mazda Tribute (same thing as a Ford Escape.)

True 4WD rather than the AWD crap, with good tires is the ultimate in snow. I have always had Toyota trucks with good off-road tires because I 4wheeled. I never needed 4WD in the snow, but it was there just in case.

There are a lot of accidents in the snow during winter. Why are there so many accidents? Because 95% of the people don't know how to drive. They panic. If you learn how to drive, all should be well. I've never come close to having an accident in winter because of snow. In fact, even if you see me coming down the road sideways, I will gaurantee that I am more in control of my vehicle than everyone else around you who is creaping along at 20 mph because of the snow. No, I don't drive around sideways in the winter, but on some of the back roads around my place out in the middle of nowhere, when the snow starts to fly, it's my time to enjoy driving and have some fun.

I agree with the one who said go to a parking lot and practice. I've been wanting to teach my wife how to "drive" since we got married. By "drive", I don't mean how to turn the wheel and step on the little pedals. That is the 95% of the people on the road. To "drive" you need to understand vehicle dynamics and precisely what to expect your vehicle to do in every situation and with every change in the controls in relationship to the environment. I would say in 99% of car crashes, people don't "lose control" of their vehicle. They just don't know how to drive and never had control to begin with.

Heat - let it be known that if you don't live in town, quite often you have propane or oil heat. Not many that I know have electric heat. With a poorly insulated house, oil heat is EXPENSIVE! I highlighted that on purpose. In 2007 when the oil prices went up, our heating bill was $800 a month. Yes, I said per MONTH! Our house had hardly any insulation in it. I've rectified the situation that summer by reinsulating the entire house. It has actually taken me 3 years because we also stripped the paint off the cedar siding to finish it naturally. I'm working right now on the final section. Now my 275 gallon oil tank that lasted me a month previous lasts about 3 months.

Sheets on the bed? We don't do anything different. Our furnace is set at 65 to 67. I sleep with a fan all the time, summer and winter. My wife bundles up, but I'm in a pair of shorts only with a fan running.

Humidity. Everything I read about climate in Florida on this board talked about the high humidity to go along with the heat in Disneyworld. We went 2 weeks ago during the 100 degree heat. It wasn't humid at all. In Pennsylvania it gets humid. Our normal hot of 88-90 here with the humidity is much more uncomfortable than it was in Florida at 100 degrees, not saying that Florida felt wonderful or anything with those temps. But the humidity in summer, especially in August can be stifling.

 

[golfgal]

I had a friend who moved from NC to PA 15 years ago. Two of the things that he mention doing : Taking your shoes off when you enter other people's houses and when a big snow is forecast, raise your windshield wipers up like you are cleaning the windshield. Makes it much easier to remove the ice and snow that accumulate.

Or park in your garage

You people REALLY crack me up. I have lived in MN all my life (32 years) and have never done most of the things others are suggesting...and I can bet most people I know don't, either.
Snow tires???????? Never around here. I can see in the mountains, maybe. But for snow/ice in suburbia? Not a chance.

We carry 2 blankets in the car (the tie ones) and I leave my jacket in there all winter (I never ever ever ever wear a winter jacket. Even on the coldest days, mittens, a hat, and a hoodie are just fine). I haven't owned boots in at least 10 years.

We pay $143/month year round to Xcel on our budget. Pretty good, I think! We have a smaller house with not much insulation...so we are doing ok.

Power outages - not very often at all. If I was in an area that was prone to them, I would just make sure to have a case of water and some bread/peanut butter.

Our bedding is the same year round - a fitted sheet and a mid-weight comforter. I hate flannel! And, the house stays at a nice toasty 66 or so - there's no need to bundle up when the house is warm!

We have never worried about salt, etc. what it does to the car. Everytime there is a nice (meaning, close to 40') day, we do the car wash. And the line is always a mile long...b/c that's the only time people around here wash the car in the winter....when you know the doors aren't going to freeze shut b/c of it!

I think you will have fun with it! Winter is a totally different way to have fun...sledding, skiing, fort building, it's great! Well...it's great until about mid-Feb and you start wishing for green and temps above 20!

I was laughing too. Most areas that get a lot of snow on a regular basis are equipped to handle that snow so I wouldn't worry too much about a 4 wheel drive anything you MIGHT use once or twice/year. In our area it takes just a few hours to clear the roads after a major snowstorm and if the storm is so bad that they can't get the roads clear, your school will be closed. We have had one snow day in 4 years.

I don't like flannel sheets-too hard to move around on them. We just use regular sheets a cotton blanket and a down comforter. The down is nice because it is good for winter AND summer, yes summer.

From previous posts over the years about utility costs around the country it is a heck of a lot cheaper to heat a house in the winter then cool one in the summer (northern house compared to southern house). Our houses are better insulated up here and that makes a big difference. If you are renting, a lot of apartments complexes in our area include heat. Back when we were first married and renting an apartment our heat was electric and a "bad" month for everything was $70. Plan on about $300-400/month year round for gas, electric, sewer, water, etc. if you buy a 3000 sq ft house or so.

 

[Trish Bessette]

Welcome to the NorthEastI love winter - why would I live in Vermont if I didn't

Give it a few years of dealing with winters and you will do what we do here. Once it hits about 30 degrees it is an official heat wave!You will be driving around with your car windows down thinking about firing up the grill to barbecue something...

...I kid you not.

 

[Sorsha]

Welcome to the NorthEastI love winter - why would I live in Vermont if I didn't

Give it a few years of dealing with winters and you will do what we do here. Once it hits about 30 degrees it is an official heat wave!You will be driving around with your car windows down thinking about firing up the grill to barbecue something...

...I kid you not.

Oh yeah - we BBQ all year round - we keep a shovel on the deck right by the door just for the purpose of clearing a path to/around the grill so we can continue to grill once or twice a week even in the dead of winter. Consideration just must be given to "is the wind blowing so hard that it will blow the propane jets out?"

 

[Robinrs]

As a former NEaster girl who moved to HOTlanta... I'M JEALOUS!!!

 

[Buckalew11]

Erie is actually quite a ways away from Philly. They're on opposite sides of the state.

I have nothing to add to what others have said. I think they've pretty much covered it all.

True, but it is stil PA and I grew up on the coast of NJ and we ate philly cheese steaks there so the OP can too even though she's not in "Philly".

 

[snarlingcoyote]

1. Cotton sweaters will NOT cut it in winter. Start investing in some nice woolly things. I bought only cashmere as, over the life of the garment, it is cheaper to own cashmere - it gets softer and fuzzier as it is gently washed. Other wools must be dry cleaned, and are generally much scratchier.

2. A nice parka is a wise investment. (Well, it was in Northern MA.)

3. Gloves, boots, etc. should have thermolite or thinsulate and be as waterproof as possible.

4. Thick tights can take the place of long underwear, especially for those days the weather never gets above 0.

5. Dual control electric blankets, as PP have stated, are heavensent.

6. Have plenty of warm clothes to wear around the house, including house shoes.

7. A long handled snow scraper/brush is great - so you can get the snow off the top of your car.

8. Front wheel or all-wheel drive car.

That's all I can think of right now. . .it was the blizzard in April that drove us back to Louisiana.

 

[Sorsha]

7. A long handled snow scraper/brush is great - so you can get the snow off the top of your car.

This is quite important. If you don't get the crap off the TOP of your car as well, then one of two things will happen. As you drive the heat from the inside of your car gently warms the roof and loosens the crap and when you hit your brakes at the next stoplight all the crap comes sliding down over your windshield WHOOMP and suddenly you are covered in snow again and can't see. OR as you drive along the wind is blowing all the crap off your roof and depositing it in the face of the poor fellow driving behind you.