Outlook for this year? Need some first time help....

Hey folks. I am going to try and keep it short. I want to grow outdoors this year for the first time. I have done one successful grow indoors before (thanks to all the help from you guys here on Rollitup; your advice is priceless and I value it dearly), so I have some experience growing (I did two strains) - obviously it will all come back to me, but I am a bit rusty.

Where I live now does not allow for indoor grows (cost of hydro, and the risk). So I am opting for an outdoor season.

I have 2 strains (Northern Lights and I think a Skunk - those were seeds from a big mystery plant I had from my indoor season...grew well, was resilient, thought why not save the seeds!).

Here are my questions:
a) I am in, well I don't want to give away location, but let's say close to Northern NY, but across the Border . Last year sucked for outdoor grows, and I am glad I didn't go out and plant. Does anyone know if this year will be a flop (anywhere they are predicting this, meteorologists etc). Any precautions I need to take in this kind of climate?

B) pertaining to the climate I am in, when should I start germinating the seeds/sprouting them (indoors), and when should I move them outdoors?

C) any precautions as to soil outdoors, location (sun exposure), etc?

D) last question: Lighting indoors was controlled by me. 18 hours a day at the beginning, then I reduced a bit to 16, then to 12. It worked well. However, outdoors, I do not have the control over lighting. So, will my plants be alright? (in reference to question C), when is the optimal time to take them outside? May/June?)

Thanks guys! If I can get answers to all the questions, that would be amazing.

Heck, even if someone has a link to a REALLY good outdoor growing guide, step-by-step, that would be great!

whats goin on bro u gave away your spot when u said hydro was to exspensive lol.. but i will see if i can help.. u never know how the year is gonna be buts its never a flop..if you gonna start your seed indoor which i dont think u are but you will start them sometime late march early aprill if your not the check out when your last frost is . im in ny and mine will be in late aprill so i will start my seeds the first of may . and next u will want to find the best spot that gets the most sun possible there are so many different soil recipes look around find one u can get easyiest and last forget all about 12 on 12 off thats only for indoors . outdoors they will start to flower when the days start getting shorter around late jully early Augest .. i posted a gurilla grow guide alittle whle back ill look back and post the link ..

Oh thanks bro! Yea I figured I gave enough hints to give away my area of the world lol. I was intending on getting them started indoor first. So, should I be starting the seeds AFTER the last frost? I know some people start (with other plants) a week before the last frost, keep them indoors for sprouting, and once they're bigger, throw them outside. Just so they have a fighting chance, right? And thanks for clearing up the light issue. They will basically control themselves right? Based on their genetics and figure out when to flower, once the days get shorter etc..

Alright, thanks!

PS as for watering, if it doesn't rain for a long time, once a week good enough? (with some nutrients, obviously changed according to veg/flowering)

And I will read your guerrilla guide, thanks!