[brooklyndavs]

Thats funny. I wonder if the same coworker from Atlanta would make the same comment about a city like Chicago? I've spent years in both Chicago and Toronto in the past and it seems like the climate is almost identical. Toronto maybe being a touch colder in the winter, but not by much. Summer I remember was almost identical (hot and humid). Chicago also has that classic continental climate, as does most of the upper midwest.

Actually, I think the climate on the south side of Lake Ontario is a bit warmer and wetter (thus the lake effect snow). The cold air is moderated a bit as it crosses over the lakes, but it also picks up all that moisture. In fact, I think the windward side of all the Great Lakes are similar and might be in different climate zones vs the leeward side of the lakes. I know in Western Michigan for example there is a bit of a fruit belt because of this.

[cmrdporcupine]

The weather patterns here are predominantly with the prevailing winds of west to east. Most of the weather in this area comes over from Michigan. Most of the weather hitting upstate NY is not coming over from Lake Ontario and being moderated by the lake, but comes from the west. Yes, the lake effect snow is a thing more on the south side, but the plant growing zone for example is 1 level higher on the northwest corner of the lake than on the south bank.