Meteorologists' Happy Places

January can be a cold, gray month. The holidays are over. Spring feels like it's still months away. Conditions are so dreary, you'd rather be inside than adventure outdoors.

Instead of wallowing in the bummer that is Winter, weather.com wants to take you to a happy place. That's why we asked The Weather Channel's meteorologists to tell us about their happiest places on earth. Over the next few pages, get an inside look at what makes these mets warm, even in the middle of Winter.

Meteorologist Chris Warren

"My happy place is any place I can relax and feel the sun's rays on my face, even if it's just a little downtime between live shots." This photo shows Chris getting one of those needed little breaks during winter weather coverage in Doylestown, PA in 2010.

Meteorologist Eric Fisher

Eric Fisher, along with his wife Liz, are both New England natives, so it's easy to understand why they love the region. "Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and Cape Cod - commonly called Cape and the Islands - is our happiest spot, " Eric says. "Our families both grew up spending summer breaks here. Great seafood. Amazing shoreline. And I have an obsession with lighthouses."

Weather Expert Dr. Greg Forbes

A little inside gossip on the Weather Channel's Severe Weather Expert Dr. Greg Forbes: It's impossible to get him to leave the building. (We're pretty sure he has a cot hidden somewhere in the office). So that's why we were excited when Dr. Forbes, a Pennsylvania native, said a Pittsburgh Penguins game during Christmas was a happy place for him.

Meteorologist Maria LaRosa

"My happy place would be skiing in the mountains out West," Maria shares. "The beauty of the scenery, the crispness of the mountain air, the quiet of the ride up to the top of a run on the lift, or feeling the flush in your cheeks from cutting up the mountain, it's close to heaven for me!" She says photos, like this one from Vail, Colorado take her to a happy time and a happy place.

Meteorologist Mike Bettes

Mike's normal workday starts around 3 a.m. So when he's looking for a happy place to rest and kick up his feet, he says never-ending sandy white beaches and cloudless skies are his destination. (And yes, these are Mike's real feet!)

Meteorologist Stephanie Abrams

Stephanie didn't hesitate when we asked her to name her favorite place. "The beach and my beloved Florida Gators - the football team that is," says the Sunshine State native. We're guessing this UF alum always stashes a football in her beach bag (well, except when she's hitting the beach to cover a hurricane.)

Meteorologist Kelly Cass

Kelly is originally from New York State, and her happiest place is one that's close to home. "Schroon Lake in Upstate New York isn't far from where I grew up," Kelly says. "Now the kids have great memories there. They love being with their cousins."

Meteorologist Mark Elliot

At first, Mark couldn't decide if his happiest times involved running, fishing, or eating. But when we forced him to make a decison, food won. "The more the better! Food makes me happy, because I love eating!" Mark admits. (In the end, we guess it's a good thing running was also on his list of happy activities.)

Meteorologist Jen Carfagno

Although Jen loves the beach, she loves celebrating Groundhog Day in her home state of Pennsylvania during the winter. "Spring, Summer and Fall are definitely my seasonal preferences, but the place to be during Winter is Punxsutawney," Jen says. Punxsutawney is the small town which hosts one of the country's largest Groundhog Day celebrations, when the famous groundhog Punxsutawney Phil makes an appearance to predict whether spring will arrive early. "The spirit of community will warm your soul, no matter how cold the temperature."

Meteorologist Crystal Egger

It may surprise you that a California girl like Crystal loves wintry weather, but it's true. Some of her happiest activities are skiing and being outdoors surrounded by gorgeous scenery, like this photo in Evergreen Lake, Colorado. Crystal says the easiest way to wipe away Winter blues is to "Embrace the season by trying something new, whether it's skiing, snowboarding, hiking, snowmobiling, or simply bundling up for a long walk."