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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 used to live in Nebraska so I spent a lot of time in Denver since it was the nearest interesting and scenic place to go for a getaway. Anyway that meant spending time there in both winter and summer, and I will say comparing that to being here in Seattle now that overall- short of the days when Denver's actual air temperatures do get up to the 50's or 60's in winter- that it does feel colder in Denver. Sure they have more sun, but I didn't notice it feeling all that warm when it was truly in this same temperature range. One aspect is you often get that cold wind in Denver that we don't get much of out here in Seattle, and what you cannot hide is the fact that nights in Denver are much, much colder- so the 10 or 20 degrees at night there will feel a LOT colder than the 37 degrees we seem to have every night during that time of year here.
And no, when it's 47 degrees here in Seattle, even if it's raining it is not "bone chilling" cold. The fact that it's that warm- it is not bone chilling. I am from the Midwest, to me bone chilling is not a term to use unless the temperature is closer to zero, or if it's at least in the teens or 20's with strong wind blowing. Mist or rain does not make it feel that much colder, at least to me.
You do realize that when compared to Seattle it rains more in Pittsburgh, snows more in Pittsburgh, is colder in the winter in Pittsburgh?
Only in total #. That isn't what matters though, it's # of hours of rain, which is significantly more in Seattle.
Seattle is in the top 5 rainiest U.S. cities by number of precipitations days, and it gets the least amount of annual sunlight of all major cities in the lower-48 states.
I don't understand how people are saying Denver by far. It may snow here, but it's not like it's constantly snowing with snow on the ground all winter. Our average low temperatures in the winter are lower than Seattle's, but our average high temperatures are pretty close. Plus the sun and low humidity helps.
While Denver's winters can have dramatic temperature swing (easily getting to the upper 50s and lower 60s), Seattle's seem to be consistently cloudy, rainy, and chilly.
I don't understand how people are saying Denver by far. It may snow here, but it's not like it's constantly snowing with snow on the ground all winter. Our average low temperatures in the winter are lower than Seattle's, but our average high temperatures are pretty close. Plus the sun and low humidity helps.
While Denver's winters can have dramatic temperature swing (easily getting to the upper 50s and lower 60s), Seattle's seem to be consistently cloudy, rainy, and chilly.
Seattle winters are cool for sure. But they are not "bone chilling cold". Ask anyone on the east coast if they would trade 44 and drizzle for 0 and snow blowing sideways.
I don't understand how people are saying Denver by far. It may snow here, but it's not like it's constantly snowing with snow on the ground all winter. Our average low temperatures in the winter are lower than Seattle's, but our average high temperatures are pretty close. Plus the sun and low humidity helps.
While Denver's winters can have dramatic temperature swing (easily getting to the upper 50s and lower 60s), Seattle's seem to be consistently cloudy, rainy, and chilly.
I would have to agree with you here.
Denver to me definetly feels more comfortable in the winter compared to a place like Seattle. For starters Denver has way more sunshine than Seattle. Most of the winter in Denver (although a bit colder, tends to be sunny).
I think the main difference between Seattle and Denver is the wild swings in temps that you experience living in Denver. Seattle tends to be more tame. Overall I think Seattle feels colder in the winter because it is cloudier, more moisture is in the air, and it gets darker earlier (because of its higher lattitude), and is constantly drizzley. Lastly summer in the PNW doesn't really get going until the middle of July.
You can show up to Seattle in June and still be wearing a coat.
Having lived in Denver for several years, and spending copious amounts of time in the Puget Sound area. Id ssy feels colder with temps being higher with less sunshine. There were so many nights in Denver when it would snow 6 to12 inches and be melted by 2 pm the next day. Denver definitely feels warmer to me.
I think a lot of this depends upon the individual's "thermostat" or metabolism. I have lived half my life in Chicago and half in Portland OR. the second and present half in Portland. I find that I tolerate Portland winters less well than Chicago winters the reason being that even though Chicago winters are colder, Portland winters are much more damp and it's the dampness that makes me feel cold all the time.
If I go back to Chicago and it's 30 degrees outside with a low humidity, I feel much less cold and much more comfortable than I do in 30 degree Portland with the typically higher winter humidity and dampness. Others may not react this way. So again, all depends upon the person.
I used to live in Nebraska so I spent a lot of time in Denver since it was the nearest interesting and scenic place to go for a getaway. Anyway that meant spending time there in both winter and summer, and I will say comparing that to being here in Seattle now that overall- short of the days when Denver's actual air temperatures do get up to the 50's or 60's in winter- that it does feel colder in Denver. Sure they have more sun, but I didn't notice it feeling all that warm when it was truly in this same temperature range. One aspect is you often get that cold wind in Denver that we don't get much of out here in Seattle, and what you cannot hide is the fact that nights in Denver are much, much colder- so the 10 or 20 degrees at night there will feel a LOT colder than the 37 degrees we seem to have every night during that time of year here.
And no, when it's 47 degrees here in Seattle, even if it's raining it is not "bone chilling" cold. The fact that it's that warm- it is not bone chilling. I am from the Midwest, to me bone chilling is not a term to use unless the temperature is closer to zero, or if it's at least in the teens or 20's with strong wind blowing. Mist or rain does not make it feel that much colder, at least to me.
I hear ya jm31828..It does get colder at night in Denver...I guess it boils down to how one feels from their own personal experience..I used to live in Tacoma and also lived in the midlands of England..Both have very similar climates and I will say that winters when it is in the 30's or 40's with dense ocean air/humidity and cold rain or drizzle is a much colder feeling especially when it is consistent day after day..
To be honest it really makes no sense to even compare Seattle's climate to Denver's as they are like night and day..Denver's high elevation, low humidity, thinner air actually gives it the most unique characteristics of any major city in the U.S....The only city that would be compatible is Salt Lake City..People who love variety in their weather or have a passion for meteorology love Denver..There really is no major city in the U.S. that has the type of weather patterns that Denver has...
People who love Seattle do not mind the monotonous winter weather of cloudy or rainy or drizzly weather for 9 months out of the year...
After leaving Tacoma and England and moving to Colorado..I could never go back and live in the Western Washington climate..We truly are blessed/spoiled by the weather in Denver/Colorado!!
Last edited by Shikadance; 08-13-2013 at 11:06 AM..
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