ND is one state I have never visited, but a former associate pastor of the church I attend is now pastoring a small Baptist church in Fargo. He says it's unbelievably cold up there (he's from the deep south) but he loves the great ND people.
I grew up in the tidewater of MD and moved here some 30 years ago. He is right about the cold.
My first winter here was as a Grad Student. I heard all the horror stories about how the temperatures were going to hit -30 and stay there for months.
Frankly, I did not have the gear for that. I shared an office with an Army Captain working on Master's degrees in Engineering and Geology (yep, both--really bright and decent fellow) who told me to dress in layers and I'd be OK. He was right.
After two months of seemingly interminable cold, (just like they said!) all the locals were griping about what a bitter winter it was.
I had taken it in stride because I did not know any better!
It is the people who make the weather something you deal with, not the other way around. That is one of the reasons I decided to make my home here. (Now 12 grandkids, one great-grand, and counting.)
Thank you for your blessings!