Karen,

When does the weather start to change, we were wondering if you need much of a winter wardrobe down in New Orleans, especially as far as the kids are concerned.

Thanks!
Kelly

By Karen~admin on Sunday, August 17, 2008 - 10:24 am:

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Never? ROFL

*IF* we are lucky, we will have good weather by the end of October - and by *good*, I mean *low's in the 50's/highs in the 60's/70's* weather.

We don't really have much winter. There *might* be a few weeks where you need to run the heater - and there might be a handful of nights - from 3 to 12 or so - that it gets down to freezing.

HOWEVER - it is very humid here, and when it's cold, it's a WET cold, and *I* feel it more than a dry cold.

So - yes to the winter coat, but you really don't need a heavy one. Layers work best. We can drop 40 degrees in a day in the *winter* if a cold front is passing through - you can start out in a Tshirt and jeans in the morning and be COLD by late afternoon.

And a lot depends on what kind of weather they are used to/comfortable in and how they tolerate weather.

By Mom2three1968 on Sunday, August 17, 2008 - 11:01 am:

I'll pass this info on to my dks. Are people in New Orleans worried about the hurricane that is supposed to make landfall on Tuesday? I have a friend and her family that moved to Boca Raton just recently having lived their whole lives in Pa, her dh got a job transfer, they will have to get used to the weather down there!

By Karen~admin on Sunday, August 17, 2008 - 11:16 am:

NO. It's hitting FL, not yet a hurricane...

It's been raining like the devil for days/weeks here anyway..............

By Dawnk777 on Sunday, August 17, 2008 - 12:38 pm:

It actually feels like summer today, here in WI. We haven't had many hot days at all.

Karen, the dewpoint is all the way up to 67! That's high, for this summer. Right now, on weather underground, your temp is the same as mine, but your dewpoint is 74. That's downright steamy. 67 feels steamy to me, today, because the last few days have had low dewpoints. (In the 50's.)

In central WI, where Pam lives, the dewpoint is a little lower than mine, but the temp is about the same.

By Karen~admin on Sunday, August 17, 2008 - 08:31 pm:

Our temps have been lower than normal due to the amount of rain we've had recently. Not complaining about the lower temps, but certainly starting to feel *mildewed*! LOL

By Mom2three1968 on Sunday, August 17, 2008 - 09:04 pm:

dil said lizards are getting in the house down there, with those old houses on base I'm sure that they are sealed that tight and that is what's happening. I told her it could be worse, like roaches or something, the lizards would actually eat other pests like bugs.

By Dawnk777 on Sunday, August 17, 2008 - 10:25 pm:

Ewww. I can deal with bats and mice, but lizards?

We are actually having a warm night. 76, with a dewpoint of 64. I'm glad we have AC.

By Annie2 on Monday, August 18, 2008 - 07:51 am:

As most of you know I live in P'Cola. About 3 hours from NO, same latitude, same weather.
I agree with Karen regarding layers. That's how we dress, also. And I keep sweatshirts in the car for everyone because going from the heat to a cool mall or restaraunt/movie is uncomfortable for us.
Most likely the lizards are geckos. Harmless but gross all the same. I guess calling a lizard a gecko makes it easier on the brain; like calling a roach a palmetto bug! lol
It's been raining here everyday, too. Unlike the northern states it doesn't cool off but makes everything more sticky!
Better than cold and ice, though

By Karen~admin on Monday, August 18, 2008 - 09:40 am:

Geckos and ladybugs and other creatures are common. SO ARE ROACHES. Unfortunately, that is a truth *down here*. The ones that freak me out the most are the big cockroaches that come in from outside, they can actually fly, but those are the *best* ones to have (easy to get rid of)........the smaller roaches are often hard to get rid of. The BEST thing I've ever found for that is plain boric acid. Place it in little shallow containers in the backs of lower cabinets, etc.

When I first moved into my house, they were clearing land and building new homes all around me, and we got roaches in the house. (You can get them from bags you bring home from the grocery store too.) I used to have a monthly exterminator and still had roaches, and I canNOT tolerate that. Having roaches is NOT always a sign of having a dirty house. Boric acid is the best thing in the world for ridding your house of roaches.

Face it, the kids are now living in the south, it's like Wild Kingdom down here - both for insects and other creatures. Most people who get roaches, spiders, etc. in their homes are NOT dirty people, so it's not a reflection on you or your housekeeping, it's just a hazard of living down here.

By Dawnk777 on Monday, August 18, 2008 - 10:55 am:

That's why I like living up north! LOL!

By Annie2 on Monday, August 18, 2008 - 11:46 am:

Dawn, do you have those big black crunchy carpenter ants? I hated those when I was a kid in MA.

By Mom2three1968 on Monday, August 18, 2008 - 05:07 pm:

Oh yeah they are in the wild kingdom for sure, the stories that they tell me are plentiful! I will pass on the information about the boric acid for roaches! They've seen the flying roaches, and also the ants I believe. I think they've also had an infestation of ladybugs too, that covered their living room window from the outside...

By Dawnk777 on Monday, August 18, 2008 - 05:24 pm:

We had some by our house, Annie. When we had new windows installed, the window guy found one and told us we should call an exterminator, which we did. He sprayed the attic and a nest out in the yard. I haven't seen any since.

By Momofmax on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 03:03 pm:

I live in the suburbs of New Orleans as well and I was laughing so hard at your description of "wild kingdom" Karen! It's all true! Everyone has a story about the flying roaches - they are HUGE. My grandmother used to chase them with her slipper but I prefer roach spray or boric acid.

By Karen~admin on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 03:31 pm:

The ladybugs are considered good luck around here. LOL I NEVER kill or remove them if I find them in my house. :-)

Jeanne - are you on the northshore?

By Dawnk777 on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 09:14 pm:

Karen, you would have if you lived in WI a few years ago. They were coming in the houses, in droves! My FIL's house is really old and not very tight. They had hundreds up in an old bedroom that no one uses. Ugh. They were just everywhere! They would come in the house and die. I had some in my house,but not as much as some.

By Karen~admin on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - 09:30 am:

Wow, that is a LOT of ladybugs! I never have more than 2 or 3 at a time............

By Dawnk777 on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - 12:26 pm:

They were just particularly bad a few years back. There was a reason, but I don't remember anymore.

By Momofmax on Monday, August 25, 2008 - 02:27 pm:

Karen, I'm in Belle Chasse. I found this site right after the hurricane and used to post. I got very busy but still checked it out once in a while. Now I have more time to post because I'm working only two days a week.

By Yjja123 on Monday, August 25, 2008 - 02:33 pm:

We have two huge iguana's living in our front palm trees. I love them! we have never had bugs in the house and I think it is because of the iguanas.
We do get lizards occasionaly. Sadly, it is the cats that bring them in and we have to rescue the lizards.
When I lived in the north I had to deal with mice and ants. We have had (knock on wood) less rodent/bug issues here.