How harsh are winters in Madison?

[felix9]

Coming from a relatively mild part of Scandinavia, I don't mind winters (I enjoy snowboarding and cross country skiing) but I'm also not used to that much colder than freezing. How cold and long are winters?

[Ross_Kahn]

I think it depends what your standards are. I've lived close to NYC (doesn't typically get much colder than 20ºF / -7ºC, rarely more than a few inches / 8cm snow). I've also lived in Rochester, NY which is consistently ranked in the top-10 snowiest cities in the U.S.

Bad news:
Madison gets cold, but not as snowy as I've dealt with. We've had a few "polar vortices" in the last couple years, where the temperatures can dip to -40ºF/ºC (although they only last a few days before temperatures return to normal). It's not unusual for the temperatures to be in the 10's-ºF / -9ºC for a few months. There's also a decent amount of snowfall, and it's not unusual to have a few storms that can drop half a foot (15cm) up to 1.5 feet (45cm) in one day. Winters are pretty long... expect chilly weather starting in late September / mid October. Expect cold weather and snow from November to May (there will be a few nice days before May, but don't let it fool you).

Good news:
When my parents and friends express horror at those numbers, I like to tell them that it's not as bad as it sounds. Once the temperature gets below about 20ºF/-6ºC, you're bundled up so warmly that you can barely even notice the difference between that and -40º unless you're strolling around outside (which I advise strongly against). Plus, the winters here are much less depressing than the ones in, say, Rochester. The sun shines in the winter, even when the temperatures are low. That makes a huge difference to peoples' moods, and makes the countryside gorgeous. Many, many residences and employers in the area provide indoor parking, so you barely ever need to be outside (unless you take the bus, or work outside, or have another reason to be out there). The snow isn't too bad, because the city has a fleet of plows and salt trucks to maintain the roads even in the heaviest of snowfalls. It's a bigger problem if you have to shovel your own driveway, though. There are good snowboarding / cross country skiing opportunities in the area. The summers are gorgeous if you can survive the winter.

In summary, if you don't mind the winter too much as it is, it won't be that bad. Learn to layer (e.g. wear a few lighter layers instead of a single heavy coat). Make indoor/underground parking a priority when you look for a place to live and work. Make sure your car isn't bad in the snow, and alternatively buy good snow tires before the winter hits. Do those things, and you'll be just fine

[Wesley_A]

Winter is harsh, but the rest of the year it is one of the best places to be. Expect to wear full winter gear from November thru late March sometimes early April. The winter atmosphere is nice until after New Year, that's when the light fluffy snow doesn't become fun anymore. In all reality January and February are miserable. Short days and Temps around 20F. There's a reason UW Madison was a leading researcher in Vit D tablets. There are vast opportunities for winter sports, but most of the days from mid Jan thru mid Feb are too cold to spend long amounts of time outside. This lasts until mid March sometimes. Then there's a magical day in March where it reaches 40F-50F, this is a national day of celebration. You may even wear shorts and a tshirt in celebration. After that day the temp drops back down and up again until mid april. Somedays you will think winter is over only to get a snow storm on April 7th. It is something to consider. You will spend a good 4 months inside, but like anything you get used to it. We have amazing Springs, summers, and Falls. Along with great food, beer, and numerous winter activities to keep you occupied. We are consistently ranked as one of the best places for quality of life in the USA for good reason. But yes, winters are rough and cold, and sometimes depressing, even for me who has spent lived here for all 26 years of my life.

[Daniel_Loebl]

Felix, Madison Wisconsin is a lovely town nestled between two lakes. You can skate on them in winter, and coming from Scandinavia, I am sure you know how to get some fun out of winter. However, Madison's winters can be harsh, with biting wind and very low temperatures, particularly due to air domes from the arctic hovering over that part of the world. When weather like that strikes, it can be dangerous to be outside. Winters start in earnest in late December and go through Mid April (sometimes). The weather is bound to change a bit, what with global warming and such, but Madison will not become "the new Riviera" any time soon. Focusing on winter, however, isn't the way to approach it. The summers are warm and glorious, the spring inviting and the fall quite lovely. If you are physically active, bike or run or swim, you will find it a great city to live in. Winters may resemble those of Tromso in Norway, but they are not as long, and the thing that will keep you warm is the city spirit that people share during that time. You may be cold, but you will not feel lonely. Hope this helps.

[Brad_Johnson]

As a non native to Madison (5 years here, grew up in Seattle) I'd say they can be harsh. You can expect several days/weeks of below 0 degrees weather (Fahrenheit). Wisconsin natives will say it's not bad, but if you didn't grow up in this climate it will be an adjustment. Invest in a really warm down Jacket, gloves, boots and a hat. If you drive, covered parking is really nice. Also find ways to stay active throughout the winter. There are a couple ski hills nearby, but they are quite small. Lots of the parks have xcountry trails. Ice fishing or snowmobiling are fun winter activities too. And there is always beer.

What brings you to Madison? UW? Epic?

[Amanda_Carriveau]

It can vary quite a bit, but generally speaking it sounds like Madison winters are a bit colder than what you are used to. The average daily high temps in Dec, Jan, Feb are 30 F, 26 F, 31 F respectively. But that can be a bit deceiving as it is not uncommon to have stretches of much colder weather and you are almost guaranteed to have a few days near 0 F. Not to scare you, but we have had a record low temp of -37 F, but that was an all time record and definitely not typical. But we do usually get some nice snowfall, so we have great opportunities for cross country skiing, snowshoeing, etc. And of course ice fishing on our five lakes.

[Alicia3]

Madison's wikipedia entry is fairy accurate, IMO:

Madison, along with the rest of the state, has a humid continental climate (Köppen: Dfb/Dfa), characterized by variable weather patterns and a large seasonal temperature variance: winter temperatures can be well below freezing, with moderate to occasionally heavy snowfall and temperatures reaching 0 °F (−18 °C) on 17 nights annually; high temperatures in summer average in the lower 80s °F (27–28 °C), reaching 90 °F (32 °C) on an average 12 days per year,[14] often accompanied by high humidity levels. Summer accounts for a greater proportion of annual rainfall, but winter still sees significant precipitation.

I consider Madison to be in full swing winter mode December through March, though snow can start falling and sticking around in November. The number of days below zero vary wildly by year (I remember extremely cold stretches in the 80s, which has been rarer an occurrence the last decade or so.)

[Par_Winzell]

You got some great replies here. I'll only add my perspective as a Swede who emigrated to the U.S. and later spent 14 years in Madison.

As you've gathered from above, it's a lot colder than southern Sweden. You'd have to go up to the middle of inland Norrland for similar weather. It's reliably below freezing for just about all of January and February, and it frequently dips to -25 and further. There are evenings where you have to be genuinely careful when taking walks, especially since at times it gets quite windy.

That said, it's further south and thus not nearly as dark. The typical winter day is cold, sunny, arid, and absolutely beautiful. Coming from a winter-aware culture, you should be fine.