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It could be 30F in Wyoming or Colorado and feel almost warm too. 30F in Oregon or Washington always feels very cold, at least on the west side of the Cascade Mountains.
30 degrees in Oregon and Washington always feels "very cold"? Well it feels like 30 degrees unless you're in the middle of an ice/sleet storm or it's very windy. But it doesn't often get 30 degrees in the Northwest west of the Cascades outside of the mountains themselves and once it get's further below freezing in the Northwest it's often drier in terms of moisture in the air. Seattle only has on average around 19 days that reach below freezing a year(mostly at night). The really wet periods are often in the 40s and 50s. We occasionally get dry, sunny cold days in winter in the Northwest as well--it doesn't rain every single day throughout the whole winter. Often the coldest days as far as temperature goes will be clear days. We also get weather around February every year where a high pressure system sits off the coast and we get relatively warm weather--a lot of years we'll get a "false spring" where it's 60 degrees in mid-February for about week. If anything the weather up here is never predictable. We just went over three months without a drop of rain or even more than a few cloudy days.
But, yeah Denver winters aren't that bad at all. It's usually just cold at night and it's usually sunny and dry during the day. My uncle live in Genesse in the foothills to the west above Denver and it's snowier and colder up there but often clear. Nothing a warm jacket won't prevent you from enjoying.
Neither Denver nor Seattle really have the worst winter weather to deal with. I spent 5 winters in Edmonton, Alberta as a child. Up there even getting close to above freezing in the winter is considered t-shirt weather. Walking to school when the windchill drops the temperature to almost -20 makes Seattle winters look like Florida. That's why people in the rest of Canada look at Vancouver and Victoria(weather similar to Seattle) as Canada's banana belt.
30 degrees in Oregon and Washington always feels "very cold"? Well it feels like 30 degrees unless you're in the middle of an ice/sleet storm or it's very windy. But it doesn't often get 30 degrees in the Northwest west of the Cascades outside of the mountains themselves and once it get's further below freezing in the Northwest it's often drier in terms of moisture in the air. Seattle only has on average around 19 days that reach below freezing a year(mostly at night). The really wet periods are often in the 40s and 50s. We occasionally get dry, sunny cold days in winter in the Northwest as well--it doesn't rain every single day throughout the whole winter. Often the coldest days as far as temperature goes will be clear days. We also get weather around February every year where a high pressure system sits off the coast and we get relatively warm weather--a lot of years we'll get a "false spring" where it's 60 degrees in mid-February for about week. If anything the weather up here is never predictable. We just went over three months without a drop of rain or even more than a few cloudy days.
But, yeah Denver winters aren't that bad at all. It's usually just cold at night and it's usually sunny and dry during the day. My uncle live in Genesse in the foothills to the west above Denver and it's snowier and colder up there but often clear. Nothing a warm jacket won't prevent you from enjoying.
Neither Denver nor Seattle really have the worst winter weather to deal with. I spent 5 winters in Edmonton, Alberta as a child. Up there even getting close to above freezing in the winter is considered t-shirt weather. Walking to school when the windchill drops the temperature to almost -20 makes Seattle winters look like Florida. That's why people in the rest of Canada look at Vancouver and Victoria(weather similar to Seattle) as Canada's banana belt.
Ummm Seattle between October and May is mostly or partly cloudy six out of every seven days.
Denver has triple the amount of sun in the winter as Seattle. Sun on your face warms you up. And as most people will tell you, cold and 30s and rainy feels colder than 20s, dry and snowy.
The sun goes down earlier in Seattle also given it is the northernmost major city in the continental United States, also a big factor.
The daytime highs however are quite similar on average, longer days, and more sunlight. That being said, cold is cold, when Denver drops to around 0, it's going to feel that cold no matter sunlight, etc.
I'd say it's a toss up, Seattle is more stable yet damp, Denver has more sunny days but also has cold arctic swings Seattle doesn't see.
Ummm Seattle between October and May is mostly or partly cloudy six out of every seven days.
Denver has triple the amount of sun in the winter as Seattle. Sun on your face warms you up. And as most people will tell you, cold and 30s and rainy feels colder than 20s, dry and snowy.
The sun goes down earlier in Seattle also given it is the northernmost major city in the continental United States, also a big factor.
The daytime highs however are quite similar on average, longer days, and more sunlight. That being said, cold is cold, when Denver drops to around 0, it's going to feel that cold no matter sunlight, etc.
I'd say it's a toss up, Seattle is more stable yet damp, Denver has more sunny days but also has cold arctic swings Seattle doesn't see.
I've never been especially bothered with the winter weather in either location. I'd take either over somewhere like the weather in the British Isles.
The worst time in the Northwest is really when the days get long again in the spring and it's still often rainy and grey and you're stuck waiting for the summer except for the sunny spring days. I'm working so much 5 out of 7 days in the winter that basically by the time I get home it's dark and I could care less if it's cloudy or not---if it's raining in Seattle/Portland it's usually snowing at the ski areas in the Cascades an hour to the east and the weather can be significantly different and clearer just to the east as well. But in general the wet winter weather in the 40s is simply a minor annoyance at times, nothing to really worry about. It rarely gets much into the 30s except for the coldest period of the year in December/January.
Denver's nice in terms of clear weather, it's a little too dry for my taste--but it's usually only really cold at night for the most part. Denver's one of the sunniest large cities in the US, so it's obviously a very different climate from the West Coast.
I lived in Tacoma and Oxford, England..both have the similar climates..wet, cloudy winters with mostly rain and occasional snow showers if enough cold air comes in..
I now live in Denver and it is no contest..Denver is much warmer in the winter than western Washington and England...
Denver's low humidity, high elevation and abundant winter sunshine wins hands down against Western Washington's cloudy, drizzly, damp cold..
Temps in the 40's with rain or drizzle and high humidity is very bone chilling cold and that is what you get in Seattle-Tacoma...You just don't get that type of climate in Denver...
Winter in Denver = Wearing a leather jacket and sunglasses.
Winter in Seattle = Wearing a rain jacket and not needing sunglasses.
This one just depends on how you look at it. I really love clear and cold days in the winter. I wish we had more of those days here in Seattle. So I am kind of jealous of Denver in that regard. However, winter overall here in Seattle is not that bad. It is pretty mild for the most part. So I think that you could answer this question either way. The winter temp is warmer in Seattle but it may feeler colder in Seattle with our cold rainy days vs. Denver's sunny and cold winter days. I guess it is just a matter of preference. I would just say that overall, both Seattle and Denver have good winter's. Especially compared to the Midwest and Northeast. I would rather spend winter in Seattle or Denver than spend winter in Chicago or New York.
Last edited by 007jamesbond; 08-11-2013 at 10:56 PM..
I've spent plenty of time in Denver in the winter and to me, it feels colder than Seattle even after considering humidity. However, I much prefer Denver's winter because they get a lot of winter sun. denver has an excellent yearly climate and I would probably pick Denver over Seattle for a similar job offer. but now that I'm settled in Seattle area, I've got no reason to leave otehr than dealing with winter SAD.
I have spent winter in both cities and I would say by far Denver feels colder. After all, Denver is actually cold enough to snow far, far more often than it is in Seattle. You can't let the averages fool you- if the average high in Dec and Jan in Seattle is 46 or 47, then you can expect that is truly what it is almost every day due to the consistency we have in our weather. Getting cold enough to actually have snowfall is not very common here, which is why we can usually only expect one or maybe two small snow falls per year.
But if that is the average in Denver, with the wild swings they have it can often be warmer than that but also often much colder than that. Add to it the wind in Denver that we don't get much of in Seattle and it really is not comfortable.
Depends on what you like Seattle has two months out of the year with avg highs of 46 and lows of 36 and thats winter for Seattle then Seattle is back into the 50s. Seattle has a short winter, a long spring, and a late summer. . Denver has five months of freezing weather on average out of the year. And three months of average highs in the mid 40s. I would have to say Denver seems colder alot longer. Personaly I would rather live in Seattle with the milder temperature I dont own any winter cloths . And I hate the couple a days a year I have to scrape ice of my car in Seattle. If I ever want snow Seattle is only 30 mins from the mountains anyway.
I would agree except for one thing...In Denver you do not need a leather jacket in the daytime in the winter..only a sweat shirt and even a t-shirt..Only time leather jacket is needed is at night in December and January or when we get an arctic blast which does not stay for more than 2-3 days thanks to the Chinook winds!!
I have spent winter in both cities and I would say by far Denver feels colder. After all, Denver is actually cold enough to snow far, far more often than it is in Seattle. You can't let the averages fool you- if the average high in Dec and Jan in Seattle is 46 or 47, then you can expect that is truly what it is almost every day due to the consistency we have in our weather. Getting cold enough to actually have snowfall is not very common here, which is why we can usually only expect one or maybe two small snow falls per year.
But if that is the average in Denver, with the wild swings they have it can often be warmer than that but also often much colder than that. Add to it the wind in Denver that we don't get much of in Seattle and it really is not comfortable.
Yes but this is in terms of how it feels on your skin so you can throw out the averages...Yes it does snow in Denver but what you are not factoring in is the abundant winter sunshine, high elevation and thinner atmosphere that can make 40 degrees feel like 50-55 degrees..There just isn't any major city that can compete with those characteristics.
Seattle is wet, cloudy and the air is much denser thus creating a cold to the bone feel and it has shorter days of winter light than Denver and Seattle gets its fair share of wind when those Pacific storms come crashing into the area..
I know I'm going to sound like a troll, but none of those temperatures are really that cold.
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