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I was actually shocked at the hardcore desert landscape on the freeway between Yakima and Ellensburg WA. If people were dropped off in the middle of that desert and asked what state they are in I would guess 99% would pick Arizona, Nevada, or New Mexico. Even the people on this thread who think it's ridiculous to consider OR or WA part of the Sunbelt would guess they are in the desert SW.
It's not just the climate and landscape that give this part of WA a Southwestern feel. It's the demographics (very high Mexican population) and even the accents (what little there is of one) sound more southwestern than anything Northern influenced.
I said "no" here earlier.
To me, the look of an area, whether it be the geography or flora and fauna, does not make an area like or a part of the sunbelt.
Personally, I'd say that perhaps the biggest defining factor of the sunbelt comes by virtue of it's name "sunbelt". That factor is predicated on being a part of the U.S. that is more southerly in location where the sun is relatively stronger in the winter as compared to more northerly locations. Additionally, the number of sunny winter days is important as a sunbelt" consideration too.
Based on those aspects alone, which are the lack of sunny days, the weak winter sun strength and it's low angle as seen in the Pacific Northwest disqualifies it from being considered a part of the sunbelt.
Winter time travel between Seattle & Atlanta and Portland & Atlanta made the obvious difference in sun strength and angle quite apparent to me. Prior to the winter travel that I did between the regions, I knew via maps that Seattle & Portland they were far north cities but it was the difference in the strength of the sun & their overall lack of winter sunshine that gave me pause as to how dreary Seattle & Portland were in the winter.
So, are Washington & Oregon a part of the sunbelt? If you are looking for winter sunshine, then absolutely not.
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