I suppose every climate has its drawbacks- in Portland, it's the rain. Winter/Spring is one long, dim, monotonous drizzle. It gets to be rather claustrophobic.
You do see the Northern lights? Wow, that sounds marvelous. I'd like to some day make several long trips all over up there, visit Alaska and several areas in Canada. A large part of my extended family used to live in Canada- I was born just after they moved south. Darn.