weather in the winter?

Hi. We are planning to move away from beautiful, balmy Napa for job reasons. Today, out of the blue, I received an offer from Dartmouth -- for jobs either in Concord or Hanover.

What is it like there in the winter? I have an 8yo daughter who has always lived in California sunshine. Do kids adapt? Or would it be unfair to her?

The job would be great. And there%26#39;s so much there culturally, much better than Napa. But the weather???

Please advise us!

Thanks much,

Celle

weather in the winter?

It may be easier for an 8 year old to adapt rather than making the move when she is 12 or 14. I have lived in the North East all of my life. My Mom lives in San Diego now, where the weather is perfect year round. I love to visit her, but I truly think I would miss the 4 seasons of New England. Weather is not boring here. If you pick up some winter sports, that helps quite a bit. My grandaughters (9 + 6) snowboard and ski. So we all look forward to the winter.

I live in Central Massachusetts, about 2 hours south of where you are considering moving to. Mid to late November begins to get quite cold (consistantly below freezing). Snow flurries can start in November but the heaviest snow falls mid December thru the end of February. There are usually only a few days that fall below zero. Some years more, some years not at all. Shovelling and driving in the snow can get tiresome. Then Spring and Fall are very nice. Fall colors can be incredible. Summers can be hot and humid.

Having never lived in California, I could not tell you how hard or easy it would be to adapt. Hope this was of some help.

weather in the winter?

Congratulations on your exciting offer! New Hampshire is a beautiful state, lots to offer in areas like Concord (only 2 hours from Boston), and amazing natural resources. The mountains, lakes and rivers are great!

Yes, children do adapt. Probably better than us oldsters. The most important thing for your daughter%26#39;s first winter is being comfortable in our beloved winter weather.

Shop for warm clothes early, those first frosty mornings can sneak up on you. Lots of layering works for the changing temps. She%26#39;ll need turtle necks, fleece pullovers, outer shell (wind/rain proof), warm socks, mittens and boots. Get an L.L. Bean catalog and browse, (LL%26#39;s has a great Factory Outlet in North Conway).

The autumn is lovely. Days can be warm (60s) and evenings cool (40s). Winter is tons of fun if you get into activities such as skiing, cross country skiing, etc. Spring is muddy (think boots) but fabulously green - all that melted snow. And Summer in great, sunny days, cool breeezes, lake swimming, etc.

A friend recently sent me an e-mail with a list (Jeff Foxworth ';You know you%26#39;re a redneck if...'; style) of ';you are from New England IF...';. And my favorite was: You have used both the heater and the A/C in your car on the same day.

We learn to keep a hat gloves, and boots in the car if we are not already wearing them.

Good Luck - could be a great adventure!

Just another quick though for you daughter. Check with the local school system. Chances are you can hook her up with a ';Learn to Ski'; program - lots of areas have them, usually pretty reasonably priced and a great chance for kids to have fun and meet new friends.

I%26#39;m born and raised in greater Boston and ski/vaca in ME/NH/VT all my life. I%26#39;ll never leave New England. Safest part of the country, as far as I%26#39;m concerned. No west coast major earthquakes/mudslides, central/southern tornadoes, or devastating gulf/Atlantic coast hurricanes (if they reach New ENgland, they are usually just a big rainstorm - major ones are few and far between). THe four true seasons rock!! We get all the heat you can want in the summer, Apple picking, pumpkin patches, Halloween and Thanksgiving are really enhanced in New England with the changing and falling of the leaves. Christmas, when there is snow on the ground, is too! Kids will thoroughly enjoy these events here in NE. Skiing/sledding/tubing/snowmen and snowball fights inwinter. A sunny morning after a decent snowstorm is truly a serene setting. After a cold winter, a 45 degree spring day feels like summer!! And the ocean and mountains are all within 2-3 hours of each other. Welcome to New England!!!!