No, not the same. Not really even close. There is a 10F difference in Jan/Feb for the Avg. high. But that's a big difference. 23/28F Avg means no snows gonna melt. 35/39 means snows gonna melt. When it snow out there snows stays for the winter. Around here, it snows, snow melts away, it snows some more, etc. Huge difference not seeing the grass from Dec to Mar/Apr.
no
You forgot to add in the windchill. 5F. It's a lot windier out in the Great Plains than the Eastern Forests. All winter long.
Having grown up in IL (MN colder), the winters are much milder out here. The only thing really worse is you get bigger storms up here. Bigger snowfalls, but it doesn't stick around all winter. There are days (in a row) around here it doesn't break 32 for a high. There were days (in a row) in IL where it didn't break 0 for a high.
And then there is the wind. I've yet to see fences put up along the roads around here to keep the winds from drifting the roads closed (again after they'd already been plowed open days before).
In Quebec Prov--deep road side ditches are dug to accommodate the snow and run off. Some roads in winter feel like tunnels the blowers throw the snow up near telephone pole heights.
Calumet Mich in UP has marks on telephone poles at 22 feet indicating the depth of snow the previous year. Pure copper country, Calumet.
Ya'll gotta get around a bit.