Reviews & Comments
Rockford, IL
Arctic winter conditions -
1/21/2011If you are looking for a moderate climate, this is NOT the place for you. For example, the Rockford Public Schools are closed today (1-21-2011) due to "arctic conditions" - with air temps well below zero (I recorded -14 at 7:20 AM) and wind chills way below that. The first snow of the winter season usually arrives around Thanksgiving and we sometimes don't see clear ground again until late March or early April. If one could really get out and enjoy the snowy sports, you would have snow; however, you have to drive at least 2 hours away to find downhill skiiing and often air temps are too dangerously cold to intelligently participate in any outdoor activities at all. Spring is a short season, followed by humid summers that aren't too bad, followed by a short but lovely fall season. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the best climate, I would rate Rockford, Illinois, as a solid 3. Better bring your arctic down-filled Carhartts if you're going to live up here.