For most of my life I lived in an extremely difficult climate.
I grew up in the Midwest, where you experienced the worst of all worlds.
In the summer the air is just as hot and humid as in the deep south. The season is fairly short, but it is intense and requires a great deal of central cooling power to stay comfortable. In the winter, you are surrounded by ice cold frigid air every single day. The season lasts 6 to 8 months, and you have no choice but to operate your central heating system every one of those terrifically cold days. The thing is, I realized that the outdoor air temperature doesn’t feel comparable in the south, even when the temperature is reading the same number. For a while, I couldn’t figure out why 20 degrees in the North felt much colder than 20 degrees in the south. Not only was it more challenging outside, but your entire house actually feels much colder in the midwest than it does in the south. After years of pondering this observation, I finally realized what made all the difference in indoor air temperature regulation between the two climates. In the north, the coldest days are generally accompanied by a great deal of wind. Even if your house is expertly sealed and heated, the cold drafts from outside make a huge difference in the perceived temperature inside. Even the most tightly sealed and insulated house doesn’t stand a chance. I wasn’t mistaken when I imagined that it always felt colder up north… the air quality legitimately causes a colder environment and necessitates additional heating power. Now I know, it really is harder living in the Midwest.