Chiles can grow in a northern climate as long as they get plenty of sun. We have a south facing garden bed that should make them really happy. You have to start them around March or April though, so that they are nice and big by the time the ground is warm enough to support them.
This is our first little guy! He is a Nu-Mex 6-4, from the Chile Pepper Institute in New Mexico. They have an extensive breeding program for chiles that is focused on flavor more than heat. I really hope we get a good crop this year, because I've been surviving on jars of chiles for a while and the fresh ones taste so much better!