I am originally from the west coast (Oregon) and have been in Troy, NY for the past few years. This year definitely had a bad winter, but I would say that although it is cold much of the year, that is not the worst part for me. I dislike the atmosphere and the people more than the climate. People on the east coast are quite different from people on the west coast.
It is true that when it snows, the streets are quickly cleared up. There are plenty of snow plows in the area. You are required to keep some streets clear for plowing or even weekly for street cleaning in some areas. This includes plenty of residential streets.
When it is not winter, the sky is blue and it is nice out as one would expect. It can get quite hot and humid in the summer.
