understanding and comparing cloud cover days (Portland, Corvallis: real estate, service, schools)

[LuciaIos]

Hi everyone

There is still one thing I don't understand and I can't seem to find information on the net.

#1-How do you measure/understand cloud cover? I'm sure there is a big difference between thick, low, dark clouds, and high, bright clouds that allow rays of sunlight to stream in from place to place. Alaskans have many words for snow. Do Pacific-North-Westerns have many words for cloud cover? If so, what are they and what do they mean?

#2-How can I compare the cloud cover between, say, Corvallis and Portland? Anyone know of stat.s or sites that can tell me about the differences from city to city? Which city/town gets more sun or partial-sun?

thanks!

I really appreciate this forum!
----lucia

[Waterlily]

City-data has most of that information. Here is a city page for Corvallis.
http://www.city-data.com/city/Corvallis-Oregon.html You can then go to another city to compare it.



Charts like this will help you understand the cloudiness of a city.

[seashelly]

Being a Coastie, "thick. low, dark clouds" to me means marine fog or I-look-out-my-window-and-can't-see-the-ocean.

[PNW-type-gal]

Originally Posted by Waterlily

City-data has most of that information. Here is a city page for Corvallis.
http://www.city-data.com/city/Corvallis-Oregon.html You can then go to another city to compare it.



Charts like this will help you understand the cloudiness of a city.

Actually, I've never understood how that graph and the "% sun" graph correlate - is there somewhere on the site that explains where those metrics came from?

For instance, how can this:


and this:


both be true?

[sandybeaches]

Thank you for asking about the graphs. I SO DO NOT get them either! I just tell myself, HEY! The summers look darn good! It reminds me of Forrest Gump... "Stupid is as stupid does". WHAT the heck does that mean? I assume it must mean me since I dont get it.

[sandybeaches]

Waterlilly- can I ask if you think the city-data info is fairly accurate? I havent used it yet (but am going to take a look right after this) and I ask your opinion becsue we have been using a real estate site that has really good search capabilities... but when we click on any kind of info once in a while you just know it's not right. It told me that Pleasant Hill got no snow and Dexter got 40 inches. They are something like 10 miles apart and they all go to the same schools. We laughed that half the kids must show up in flip flops the other half in snow boots!

[PNW-type-gal]

Originally Posted by sandybeaches

Waterlilly- can I ask if you think the city-data info is fairly accurate? I havent used it yet (but am going to take a look right after this) and I ask your opinion becsue we have been using a real estate site that has really good search capabilities... but when we click on any kind of info once in a while you just know it's not right. It told me that Pleasant Hill got no snow and Dexter got 40 inches. They are something like 10 miles apart and they all go to the same schools. We laughed that half the kids must show up in flip flops the other half in snow boots!

You can always cross check with the National Weather Service for historic weather info. The graphs I posted are from the Klamath Falls City-Data page, and checking the NWS temps, by month, going back about 5 years, the overall temperature data is within a few degrees, as are the snowfall amounts.

[Waterlily]

It is my understanding that they get the information on these charts from the nearest weather station. If you really need the details yes look for a site with the weather history like this one National Data - NOAA's National Weather Service

[LuciaIos]

Well.....I guess my basic question is which has LESS cloud cover and MORE sun, Portland or Corvallis?

I assume Portland is more windy-so does the wind blow cloud cover away there? or does Corvallis have LESS cloud cover because it is quite a bit south of Portland?

help!

and my related question is, what does 5/10 cloud cover mean? Does that mean that you can see the sun rays streaking down here and there?

Any Oregon weather buffs out there that can help me understand?

thanks again!!