Where to Retire With Dramatic Awesome Weather?

[ConvergenceZone]

Hi all, I'm still a few years away from retirement, but I currently live in the northern california central valley that has the most boring weather
year around.... Anyway, I just wanted to see if anyone had some suggestions on a good place in the good USA to retire to that has a good amount of thunderstorms each year.... I use to live in Colorado Springs, and I do miss the off and on afternoon thunderstorms...

I know we live in a very tough economy, but just wanted some ideas on decent(doesn't have to be really good) cities to look to retire to that have interesting and dramatic weather...

I'm a weather enthusiast, and this boring northern california weather is killing me

Thanks in advance!


No replies? I thought I'd get lots of replies on this one....I'll guess I'll be moving to either Miami or Tampa then...I'm going with Tampa

[gsytch]

Yes, Tampa Bay! Our weather can get wild in a flash. We get tornadoes year round (although luckily never BIG), severe storms year round, extreme rare cold fronts...lightning that hurts your ears, and the occasional hurricane/tstorm! All year. Those winter cold fronts can be more wicked here than our summer storms. Then the sun comes out and it is nice again......

[WeatherLovingDoc]

Siesta Beach near Tampa is world known for it's loveliness. I lived near Tampa for two years working at a migrant center and can verify the wide fluctuations of wind, rain, lightening. Exciting and chilling at the same time. Now I live in the mid-Atlantic and miss the daily ocean draw. May you have a great retirement, which ever ocean area you choose.
-WLD

[ConvergenceZone]

Thanks you two for the kind suggestions, I appreciate it

[gsytch]

If you look toward Sarasota and Manatee counties, the quality of life is good and the scenery beautiful. Inland areas receive more storms in summer hence more lightning. I live just N of Clearwater and Tarpon in Pasco county. Stay away from this county. Its a mess with this economy! Good luck.

[dixiebreeze]

Lake Chapala/Ajijic, Mexico. About 35 miles from Guadalajara. Biggest most beautiful lake in Mexico. Mostly Americans/Europeans settled there. All amenities. Gardener for $15 month, maid about the same. Weather almost perfect with some monsoon rains in summer months. Low humidity. Crime very minimal to almost nada. My youngest daughter has home there and loves it. There home would have cost about $500,000 in U.S. -- 1/4 that in Lake Chapala. Still retain U.S. citizenship.

[RobWESTPACWX]

Aparri PI or Palau, both of these areas have great tropical wx, plus typhoons yearly that dwarf most of the stuff in the Atlantic.

Expecially Palua, really great spot. I would retire there if I had unlimited funds.

[somethingfunny]

You can't beat the Interstate 44 corridor (St. Louis to Oklahoma City) for dramatic heat, cold, hail, tornadoes, lightning, blizzards, ice storms, and everything else that makes a bulk canned food or hardware supplier smile.

[WeatherLovingDoc]

Lake Chapala/Ajijic, Mexico. About 35 miles from Guadalajara. Biggest most beautiful lake in Mexico. Mostly Americans/Europeans settled there. All amenities. Gardener for $15 month, maid about the same. Weather almost perfect with some monsoon rains in summer months. Low humidity. Crime very minimal to almost nada. My youngest daughter has home there and loves it. There home would have cost about $500,000 in U.S. -- 1/4 that in Lake Chapala. Still retain U.S. citizenship.

Many are stearing clear from Mexico now. Curious you mention what sounds like a lovely spot. How does your daughter deal with the current and constant threats wiithin Mexico?

[mpic]

lol I'm looking for somewhere to retire with NO weather. How cold do the winters get there?

[dixiebreeze]

Lake Chapala/Ajijic, Mexico. About 35 miles from Guadalajara. Biggest most beautiful lake in Mexico. Mostly Americans/Europeans settled there. All amenities. Gardener for $15 month, maid about the same. Weather almost perfect with some monsoon rains in summer months. Low humidity. Crime very minimal to almost nada. My youngest daughter has home there and loves it. There home would have cost about $500,000 in U.S. -- 1/4 that in Lake Chapala. Still retain U.S. citizenship.

Many are stearing clear from Mexico now. Curious you mention what sounds like a lovely spot. How does your daughter deal with the current and constant threats wiithin Mexico?

Crime in the Lake Chapala area is nearly nada. Even Guadalajara about 35 to 40 miles away is a pretty safe city with excellent medical facilities. Most of the media crime you hear about is primarily in Mex/US border cities. Lake Chapala/Ajijic is mostly occupied by American/European expats with dual citizenships. There is great civic theater, art community, churches, restaurants, even a super walmart, good roads and marvelous weather year 'round. Google Lake Chapala and/or Ajijic

[richtrav]

Lake Chapala/Ajijic, Mexico. About 35 miles from Guadalajara. Biggest most beautiful lake in Mexico. Mostly Americans/Europeans settled there. All amenities. Gardener for $15 month, maid about the same. Weather almost perfect with some monsoon rains in summer months. Low humidity. Crime very minimal to almost nada. My youngest daughter has home there and loves it. There home would have cost about $500,000 in U.S. -- 1/4 that in Lake Chapala. Still retain U.S. citizenship.

Mmm, if he thinks the weather in central California is boring then the climate at Lake Chapala would induce a coma, it makes the weather in San Diego seem severe! If you want day after day after day after day of picture perfect weather then that's the place to be for sure, nothing in the US outside of Hawaii comes remotely close. Sometimes the summer thunderstorms can get a little gusty but that's about it, when I was there two summers ago it would gently rain at night and the days were just perfect as usual.

Violence does not yet seem to be an issue in that part of Mexico but given the overall decline of security in the country I couldn't guarantee it staying that way, especially if the cartels figure out that there's money to be made by shaking down relatively wealthy expats (and you'll have to leave the bubble from time to time, which in fairness is still fairly safe around Guadalajara compared to many areas. Southern Baja is probably the safest place in the country long term given its isolation). Medical care is also another issue for someone approaching retirement age, for minor things the better hospitals down there will be OK but if it's something very serious you would need to be able to get back to the US immediately.