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Old 05-30-2014, 10:01 AM
 
Location: Sylmar, a part of Los Angeles
8,238 posts, read 6,292,552 times
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Its considerably warmer during the day in Medford during the winter most days than Portland yet a lot colder at night.
I've been reading a lot about Medford and will move there if the goverment continues their constant tax increases in southern Calif. I grew up in Myrtle Creek/ Tri City but have lived in the Los Angeles all my adult life.
Wikipedia doesn't explain why its cold at night in Medford during the winter nor this forum, I've read all pertaining to Medford up to page 24 and will continue.
Is it something about the way the mountains are around Medford?
I am retired and don't need to drive in the early morning and have read of fog in the morning in winter. How bad and how often is that?
Thanks.
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Old 05-30-2014, 11:41 AM
 
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Altitude is a significant factor. I'm not a meteorologist, but I'd wager it's by far the most significant one.

Medford sits about 1400 ft above SL, most of Portland is basically at sea level (<100 above SL).

In Portland, if you drive up and over Skyline Dr at night during winter (~1000 ft), your chances of inclement weather are higher. It's also much drier so akin to desert it's going to be quicker to heat up during the day but also to cool off overnight.
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Old 05-30-2014, 12:00 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bler144 View Post
Altitude is a significant factor. I'm not a meteorologist, but I'd wager it's by far the most significant one.

Medford sits about 1400 ft above SL, most of Portland is basically at sea level (<100 above SL).

In Portland, if you drive up and over Skyline Dr at night during winter (~1000 ft), your chances of inclement weather are higher. It's also much drier so akin to desert it's going to be quicker to heat up during the day but also to cool off overnight.
This is true. It is always cooler at Powell Butte Nature Park than the rest of Portland, downright cold at night. For those who don't know, this is a unique Portland city park on a dormant volcano from where you can the city in all directions.
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Old 05-30-2014, 12:21 PM
 
Location: North Idaho
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Portland has some temperature modification from the Pacific. Medford is along ways from the ocean.
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Old 05-30-2014, 01:39 PM
 
Location: Portland Metro
2,318 posts, read 4,601,340 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke View Post
Portland has some temperature modification from the Pacific. Medford is along ways from the ocean.
This ^. Plus Portland is cloudier which holds in the heat, and since it's a larger city it generates more heat which creates a more significant urban heat island effect.
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Old 05-30-2014, 04:18 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jjpop View Post
This ^. Plus Portland is cloudier which holds in the heat, and since it's a larger city it generates more heat which creates a more significant urban heat island effect.
You know I almost said something earlier about the relative amount of concrete! Take a look at both using either Google map or Bing map and put it on satellite image and then topography and the answer may jump out at you.
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Old 05-30-2014, 05:58 PM
 
Location: Portland Metro
2,318 posts, read 4,601,340 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by freepelican View Post
You know I almost said something earlier about the relative amount of concrete! Take a look at both using either Google map or Bing map and put it on satellite image and then topography and the answer may jump out at you.
Yep! All that hardscape holds in the daytime heating, then it gets released at night.
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Old 05-30-2014, 06:27 PM
 
Location: Baker City, Oregon
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There is a 2 to 3 degree winter low temperature difference between Portland and Woodburn. Woodburn is relatively small and just south of Portland. It wouldn't be unreasonable to think that this difference is due to heat retention in Portland:

Climate Comparison for Portland, OR and Woodburn, OR


There is a much larger 5 to 7 degree winter low temperature difference between Portland and Medford, a lot farther south of Portland. There is probably more to this difference than Portland heat retention:

Climate Comparison for Portland, OR and Medford, OR
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Old 05-30-2014, 07:07 PM
 
Location: Winter nightime low 60,summer daytime high 85, sunny 300 days/year, no hablamos ingles aquí
700 posts, read 1,492,240 times
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First, if the average daytime high temperature is higher in Medford than in Portland, then, by pure logic, the lower nightime low temperature cannot be explained by Medfords higher elevation.

Second, as carlsch pointed out, the city island heat effect is a factor, but too small to to explain the difference as well.

The correct answer...
>
>
>
Quote:
Originally Posted by jjpop View Post
...Portland is cloudier which holds in the heat.
This is a well-known meteorological phenomenon, known as ... (you've never heard of this ;-) The Greenhouse Effect
Portland is a far, far cloudier (and rainier) place in winter than Medford, which provides the cause.

As an interesting addon on the subject of "average" temperature, I'll quote my favourite anecdote about the statistician who had his head in the fridge, his feet in the oven, and on average was fine.
Don't use the "average" as decision-making yardstick.
Read up on measures of central tendency

In laymen terms: if you really care about living in comfortable temperatures, choose not a place with an attractive "average"
temperature. Fargo ND, or Minneapolis MN might fit the bill there.

Instead, choose one with most days hovering about the
comfortable value (may I suggest coastal San Diego...)

Last edited by skiffrace; 05-30-2014 at 07:41 PM..
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Old 05-31-2014, 12:29 PM
 
Location: Myrtle Creek, Oregon
15,293 posts, read 17,561,453 times
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Farther inland. Portland has a marine climate, Medford has a Mediterranean climate.
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