As the deadly polar vortex grips the midwest this week, a new list ranked Wyoming twelfth among the states with the worst winter weather.

"There is a case to make that Wyoming could be even higher up the list," writer Matt Lynch admitted in the understatement of the year.

Luckily, there are several states where winters are even more miserable.

Minnesota ranked first on the list, followed by Michigan, Alaska, North Dakota, and Maine. Several of Wyoming's neighbors also ranked among the worst states for winter weather, including South Dakota (6th), Idaho (8th), and Montana (9th).

A couple reasons why Wyoming only ranked 12th are outdoor recreation and incredible scenery.

"Even when it’s just dumping moose-sized buckets of snow everywhere, it’s so damn pretty to look at the Grand Tetons that you can’t possibly be miserable," the author noted.

Hawaii was ranked the best state for winter weather. Arizona, California, Florida, and  Colorado rounded out the five least miserable states in the wintertime.

 

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