Weather On The Coast (Coos Bay, Astoria: live, retiree, health care)

[oregonwoodsmoke]

This has been interesting. I'm following the weather on the coast of Oregon. I always thought it was warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.

Well, surprise. For the last month and a half, it has been the same daytime temperature as Central Oregon. In fact, today, it is warmer in Central Oregon than it is on the coast. Nights it is 10-20 degrees warmer than Central Oregon, but no where near warm.

Watching the weather maps, all the rain storms seem to hit Tillamook, with many of them not getting as far south as Newport. Gotta feel sorry for Astoria. They get every drop of rain that falls.

You guys who live on or near the cost, what do you think? Is the north coast rainier than the rest of the coast? Am I seeing some sort of odd November weather pattern that will change soon?

Newport does seem to get more fog than anyone else.

[Steve Pickering]

Most of the time the coast will be as you expected. Warmer in winter and cooler in summer. Daytime temps stay within 30 degrees most of the year.

[gypsydoc]

This link is about the Oregon coast, and the page talks about Brookings, also known as the banana belt. It is known for warmer weather and more sun.
One of the problems, though is the economy is not that great and health care is not as accessible. My understanding is that people pay $50 a year to support Life-Flights to a nearby hospital should they need emergency care. There are several doctors and clinics there, for more routine health concerns:

Brookings-Harbor - Oregon Coast Visitors Association

Brookings does attract many retirees, however and it is a great, lovely location if you don't need to work at all or very much.

Here is a great link to all kinds of weather and climate info all over the state:
Oregon's very unique Climatology and weather-- many links!

[tablemtn]

also known as the banana belt.

Right; coast weather can vary a lot from north to south. On the day back in July 2008 when Brookings hit 108 degrees, it was substantially cooler up north. Newport's all-time low is 1°F; Brookings has never dropped below 17° since the weather there has been observed.

[Steve Pickering]

An unusual variation in normal patterns can not be used to set a standard. I was at the "World Championship of Cowboy Shooting” in Norco California in 2004, the last year it was held there, and the temperature at Long Beach, on the beach, was 108 with a breeze. Although that skewed the averages for the month in the records, it was not normal.

[D.O.N.]

We in the Pacific NW are experiencing a very weird winter: much drier than normal, considerable colder than normal (in stretches), and sunnier than normal. (Sunnier except in the Willamette Valley, which has been foggier than normal.) The coast and areas east of the Cascades have been sunnier and, therefore, warmer. The Oregon coast is, in winter, usually a bit warmer, much wetter, and can have have big-time wind and rain storms. In summer, the coast is cooler but can also be considerably cloudier and breezier than the Willamette Valley and Eastern Oregon. If you don't mind lots of cloudy weather, and love the beach, the Oregon coast is the place to be.

[Arushan]

68 degrees right now in Brookings. In January! Wish I was there right now...

[Steve Pickering]

About the same in Coos Bay.

[maverick974]

Won't be that tomorrow or for the next week. Rain is on the way.
I lived near Florence on the coast for many years and while it's a stunningly beautiful area, be prepared for very cool temps, lots of wind and LOTS of rain. If you are OK with all that, you'll love the coast.

[Steve Pickering]

The rain actually keeps the temperature up.


So does wind.