Winter 2013/2014 (Portland, Bend, Dallas: cities, location, places)

[Coniferian]

Near 70 here in Redmond yesterday. Flew the kite but it was so windy the pictures were mostly blurry from camera swing. Dusting of snow this morning, but the sun will take care of that shortly. Still much better than what we would have had in Conifer, Colorado.

[Greener_Pastures]

I looked at the 10 day forecast for Bend last night, and it looked amazing. This time of year is the toughest for me in Seattle as it feels the rain and clouds never ends. I can't even barely walk in my own yard as the rain over the winter has water-logged it so bad. There are a lot of trees flowering and the crocuses and daffodils are up, so spring is on it's way for sure.

What's signs of spring does Bend currently have? Has anything started to flower, or is it still too cold at night and need a couple more weeks?

[delta07]

Originally Posted by Greener_Pastures

I looked at the 10 day forecast for Bend last night, and it looked amazing. This time of year is the toughest for me in Seattle as it feels the rain and clouds never ends. I can't even barely walk in my own yard as the rain over the winter has water-logged it so bad. There are a lot of trees flowering and the crocuses and daffodils are up, so spring is on it's way for sure.

What's signs of spring does Bend currently have? Has anything started to flower, or is it still too cold at night and need a couple more weeks?

The crocuses are starting to pop up and buds are forming on the trees. My chives and chamomile have emerged. I image we will start seeing daffodils shortly.

[kapetrich]

Originally Posted by delta07

The crocuses are starting to pop up and buds are forming on the trees. My chives and chamomile have emerged. I image we will start seeing daffodils shortly.

Even my grass is starting to green up.....wish I could tell it to wait a few....

[Dry Side]

The lower Phil's trails are in great shape. Nice ride on my single speed up/back to road 300. Wind not an issue in the ponderosa forest.

[BendLocal]

Originally Posted by delta07

Dare I say winter might be through with us, at least here in town?

If so it will be the first time in 10 years that it's happened! I'm all for it.

[Dry Side]

Made it up to a little over 5,000' on Mrazek trail today. Beautiful riding weather.

[BendLocal]

Originally Posted by Dry Side

Made it up to a little over 5,000' on Mrazek trail today. Beautiful riding weather.

Awesome. I hope to get out and take advantage of this great weather over the weekend.

[BendLocal]

For an interesting perspective on Bend's weather patterns read the comments section of this article -

5 Incredible Places to Live. That You Can Afford.

[Cascade4567]

I have to add... I have lived here off and on for about 15 years now, with some spells in Northern New Mexico(Santa Fe), Southern Colorado(Durango), Dallas(home), and Austin. This was on average the warmest Winter I have ever experienced here. I would also like to add that people(I guess who are looking to relocate) need to actually research and check the averages on weather. This is very simple now days and its funny to me to listen to people who really "exagerate" the weather where ever it is they come from. Mainly because weather is a factual science that can be looked up and seen on any given date in recorded history.

Back to Bend, I will not go on and on about my personal opinion. I love the weather here, its exactly the same as the weather, give or take a few here and there as the weather back in Santa Fe and Durango! I love the colder high desert locations and the low precipitation it provides. I will say that Bend definitely does not get near the amount of sun and cloudless days the other two recieve but for the Northwest I will say its definitely sunny!

The best way for me to describe Bend's weather to someone who is asking is that although it is sunny and dry a large part of the year it can be cold. We have one of the shortest growing seasons in the continental US and average almost 200 nights a year below freezing. Snow is low I guess compared to other "Ski Towns" at about 33 inches but compared to many cities, its not low. Its more than New York(City), Philadelphia, DC, and many other coastal cities on the northeast coast. Its not much lower than the midwestern cities, its just at much higher elevation and snow melts much faster with the sun exposure and the large change in temperatures from day to day! I personaly love this fact about the snow, we def get it but it does not stay forever! The summers are perfect in my mind here. The average in July and August is only 81 to 85 degrees and that suprises MANY! The lows during the summer display the huge diurnal range which average about 45 degees at night, which by many places would be downright cold. I mean even in Alaska and some places in Canada have warmer Summer night temps.

After everything is talked about, its all relative and what you are used to and what you like in weather. I prefer the dryness and the cold air in the high desert. Yes you could look at the weather on the east coast this past winter and think to yourself that we have it better here. You should then do some fact checking and realize that they have also been running sometimes weeks on end at about 20 degrees BELOW normal for many places. This is very unusual based on weather facts. They have also gone many winters recently where ski resorts could not open bc of the lack of snow. People need to realize that a good look at a locations weather is to see the average and maybe scope it out for a few years before and after a date to at least to get that average, it will happen! Also for example, my house reached -31 this winter as the lowest temp and the highest during the entire winter was 58 degrees. (up until this last week of course). Although we are saying that we had a mild one, look at places like Denver where the lowest was not our low and they hit 70 a few times through the entire winter! Its just all perspective I guess.

I always wrestle with staying in Bend full time. I love the aspect that if I stay in Durango or Santa Fe, I am closer to my family in North Texas which I could easily drive in a day! Thats a HUGE draw for me. I would also not have to change anything really about my day to day, including weather readiness! I love Bend though and its where I have accidentaly created a home and year after year it becomes harder to leave as I have created family for myself here. I love those people and happy and lucky to have them.

I guess I just wanted to comment that after reading so many posts about the weather, none of it seems fact based and people tend to look at a 7 day forecast for whats "normal". If that were the case then Portland would be sunny to me and Chicago would be warm in December to me based on random forecasts I have seen while I have traveled!

*sorry for any spelling errors, on a tablet ;-)