I believe we have been in a general warming stage for 1000's of years. I don't think we are in one now. The earth has pretty much maintained temperatures over the last 15 years (hence why climate change reports have been having such a hard time still convincing people...because they have now had to come up with reasons for why this is happening)

I had to go clear 15 inches of snow in -15 degrees F wind chills today (Boston area). Took about 2 hours. My beard had icicles.

How do people live like that? I have lived in SoCal my whole life and have never been in snow. The coldest is like 25 degrees for a bit. It hits 40 degrees and I am wearing sweaters like crazy! And then you have to deal with 15 inches of snow and -15 degrees? Do you just get used to it?

Clearing the snow eventually gets you (relatively) warm to be honest, since it is pretty hard work. Regardless of that, you dress warm, and just deal with it. -15 wind chill is certianly annoying (I don't know that you get used to it so much as you just learn to deal with it sucking).

Doesn't this last for like 3 months too? I would love to visit Boston, NYC, Chicago, Toronto, etc. etc. but I don't think I could live in those cities because I could not handle the winter weather.

We are still warming at an alarming rate and it's accelerating.  It's just being absorbed by the oceans for the time being.  Only the earth's surface has maintained the same temperature over the last 15 years.

http://news.discovery.com/earth/oceans/deep-oceans-warming-at-alarming-rate-130711.htm

Depends on the year, and where you are. We've had large snowstorms as early as October (specifically a giant 30" statewide blizzard in 1992 on Halloween), and 20" blizzards as late as early May. Last year lasted from November into early May so about 6 months (but on average, I would say in MN expect Nov-Mar...5 months...to at least have snow...they all average over 7.5" per month).

Compare this to Southern California which goes on Hurricane notice with an inch of rain.

Oh trust me, I really have no issue with living where I do. It (generally) doesn't get as hot and humid as many other places in the country in the summer…minus when the corn starts releasing a lot of moisture…we generally don't get as bad of severe weather as many other areas of the country…and minus some cold outbreaks in winter, it really isn't THAT bad.

I'm in southern Ontario as well. Last night it went down to -21c before windchill. It has been colder though, the river behind my house is still flowing fine. It has to be -20c consistently before it freezes over, tomorrow it warms up to -3. Still -11c with windchill, but I'm taking the kids out tobogganing on the trails. It's beautiful with the sun out.

Last time the river froze over (briefly) was 2 years ago
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZybGVq-G0OA

The last good persistent freeze was in 2009, resulting in big blocks of ice on the trails when the thaw sets in.


Doubtful if that will happen. Although conditions might be right for a quick melt and flood followed by another flash freeze if the temperature continues swinging up and down like it has. That leads the best picture opportunities :)