Month-by-month weather description (Portland, Beaverton, Astoria: compensation, live, shop)

[Letterhead]

A friend of mine moved from Vermont to Portland two years ago, and he's been telling me that Portland would be right up my alley. I recently e-mailed him for his take on the weather/rain issue, and he sent me a month-by-month breakdown of the weather. Perhaps this will be of use to others:

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As for the weather, the only ones complaining here are Californians and natives. Here's the month by month breakdown for the Willamette Valley:

Jan: Yes, rainy. But not the icy cold rain you might expect. Our worst spells might produce a half inch of snow, or a day or two of cold raw rain. The other days, while mostly cloudy, you might get 45-50 degrees and some light rain, and not a lot of wind. The cold days are 40, the warm ones 50, the nights 28-40. Any little bit of snow or ice doesn't stick. The ground never freezes, green grass.

Feb: Starts like Jan, but by late Feb, the daffodils are blossoming. Lots of light rain, intermittent sunshine, day after day of highs 45-55.

March: Blossoms and leaves starting to come out. Temps a lot like Feb, more 50's and nights 30s and 40s

April: Spring is a long season here. We don't see that occasional 70 day like in the NE. It will be 50-60 about every day, sun showers, clouds and little wind. Seems gentle.

May: Still only an occasional 70. Nights 40s and 50s. Sun showers, and lots of quick, misty showers. It might be in and out rain all day, and we get 1/20th of an inch. Very pleasant and more and more sunny "part days"

June: Not summer yet. Lots of highs 65-80, occasional showers, nights cool, 50s NO HUMIDITY Stays light until nearly 10 PM

July and August: Now the pattern shifts to desert-like. Lots of lawn watering irrigation systems, despite the dampness the rest of the year. It gets hot, 90's every day and it topped out at 108 in Beaverton last year. Might not rain a drop until October. No Humidity, no thunderstorms. Even 108 was manageable, we went to an outdoor concert that night. It's the kind of perfect summer days you get one or two of back east. We get 100 of them, easy.

September: last year no rain, 80's and dry. Some years the rainy season might start by late Sept, but it's a warm, gentle welcome rain.

October: Unpredictable. Might rain a week straight (NOT pouring, drenching stuff---that's rare here, the Coast Range gets all that) Might also be 70s and nice. Sun showers too.

November: Rains a lot, but feels more like October. 50s and 60's. Foliage season lasts into Nov, and while not as spectacular as the NE, it's pleasant.

December: See January. I haven't worn boots or a winter coat since I've been here. Sweat shirt/fleece/windbreaker is the plan.

That's the rundown.

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-Letterhead

[oldtintype]

He's a little off here and there but he gets it down fairly well. July/August is NOT 90s every day--mix of 70-100, but usually about 80 in average. It does freeze sometimes in January and grass is dormant in the winter. I'd say September is more like 75 on average--a really nice month of moderate temperatures and sun. I don't agree about the no humidity part--depends where you're coming from but when my friends from the Bay Area visit they often comment about the humidity year round as comparison to that climate. It can get pretty muggy but no where near the south/east coast. He also forgot to comment that while it gets dark really late here in the summer (10pm) in exchange it gets dark at about 4:30 Dec-Feb and I think that's what makes some people here go on and on about how dark it is and exaggerate about the weather. I'm glad that he wrote this for you from a perspective of someone who doesn't suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, because I truly think most of the people on this board who go on and on about the weather probably do suffer from it. For the rest of us, his description was pretty accurate.

[oldtintype]

I want to add that some winters are much mellower than others. I've been here since '99 and there have been one or two winters that were really really gray and wet, even for me, and then the rest have been either average or less than average rain (and temps--80 in Feb a few times!). We've also had a few major (for this area) snow storms--one that turned into an ice storm and pretty much shut everything down for 3 days, another snow storm that did the same. There are only I think a total of something like 3 snow plows here so if we do get some heavy snow things come to a halt as only main routes are plowed. I couldn't get my car out of the driveway one winter for four days. That's rare though. I think there have been only two times since 1999 that you had to (by requirement) have snow tires or chains in the city of Portland. The first time I wasn't prepared, second time I was. I guess it's called live and learn.

[PNW-type-gal]

The originator of the post was from Vermont - our snow and cold would be nothing in comparison, and the short winter days would be familiar, so those two aspects are likely to get played down.

I've been driving from Central/Eastern Oregon over the Cascades to Portland twice a month or so for the last 6-7 months and you can FEEL the change in humidity as you cross the wet/dry divide. I never notice it going the other way, just coming back.

[ginamcd]

Letterhead - I moved to Portland from Omaha about 13 years ago. In comparison, I thought Portland weather was utopia for me. Gone were the hot, humid summers and the awful snowstorms and negative wind chill days! I remember having to drive everywhere with a shovel in my car in case I went grocery shopping and got plowed in! HOWEVER, with all that said, I am finally making plans to move away from here as well.

Here is what I miss (weather wise):
- lightning storms. Portland does not get amazing thunder and lightning storms. I think I've only seen it thunder twice. You can get some decent wind storms but I don't think those are as interesting.
- the sun. You get NO sun from Nov-April. The clouds just p i s s on you a little bit ALL day long. I would prefer a big, hard rain storm than the constant drizzle. It wears on you after you've had 30 days of non-stop rain and clouds......and this is not the exception....it is EVERY winter. Then you will get 1-2 days break and then back to another 30 straight days of clouds and more clouds. Very gray. Just remember snow doesn't grow mold! Ha!
- hotter summers. Portland only gets maybe 2 weeks out of the year where it is hot...enough to warrant swimming outdoors. I love the water and miss those consecutive hot days.
- warm water beaches. You cannot ever swim in the oceans nearby. They are amongst the most beautiful coastline you will ever see, but unusable otherwise.
- lightning bugs. No lightning bugs on the west coast. Period.

Weather.com has a GREAT tool for comparing weather averages between two cities. Check it out. Here is Portland:

Average Weather for Portland, OR - Temperature and Precipitation

In the drop down box it says "Monthly Averages" - Change it to "Compare Locations" and compare to your city. Interesting info!

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by ginamcd

I think I've only seen it thunder twice.

Youve seen thunder?!?!



j/k


I think Portland's winters are quite nice, if not rainy and grey. They dont get horribly cold and not horribly warm neither. I was perfectly comfortable, albeit a little wet, when I visited. I want to experience a summer there, I hear its pretty nice. Thanks for sharing this info!

[ginamcd]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Youve seen thunder?!?!



j/k

OK, OK! I've HEARD thunder and SEEN lightning twice.

[PortlandNative]

Originally Posted by ginamcd

- the sun. You get NO sun from Nov-April. The clouds just p i s s on you a little bit ALL day long. I would prefer a big, hard rain storm than the constant drizzle. It wears on you after you've had 30 days of non-stop rain and clouds......and this is not the exception....it is EVERY winter. Then you will get 1-2 days break and then back to another 30 straight days of clouds and more clouds. Very gray. Just remember snow doesn't grow mold! Ha!
- hotter summers. Portland only gets maybe 2 weeks out of the year where it is hot...enough to warrant swimming outdoors. I love the water and miss those consecutive hot days.
- warm water beaches. You cannot ever swim in the oceans nearby. They are amongst the most beautiful coastline you will ever see, but unusable otherwise.

I can't say much because I've never been in the Midwest in Winter, but having lived here for 30+ years it seems like we get a week or two in January when the cold Arctic air blows down from Canada through the gorge and we get light blue skies with great views (I've seen Mt. Jefferson from Fort Vancouver before). However, it does only last for a week or so before disappearing. This past Jan seemed to have more of this type of weather because we didn't have any fresh snow on Mt. Hood for skiing for a few weeks!

I don't know how hot it has to be to go swimming, but I was just in LA and swam in the Pacific. Air temp of 72 degrees, but the water was 71!

I totally agree with you on the coastline. I think that I've been bodysurfing in September for all of 8 minutes for the longest amount of time I've spent in the Pacific while in Oregon.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by PortlandNative

I don't know how hot it has to be to go swimming, but I was just in LA and swam in the Pacific. Air temp of 72 degrees, but the water was 71!

I totally agree with you on the coastline. I think that I've been bodysurfing in September for all of 8 minutes for the longest amount of time I've spent in the Pacific while in Oregon.

Ok,

Is the Pacific Ocean water really 'that' cold?LOL ...

I realize that it is the PNW and not Hawaii or S. Cal. but from what I hear there are people who surf all the way up and down the Oregon coast.

I guess if you want to jump in 'bare back' for a refreshing little swim you will shortly turn numb then blue. But if you use a decent 4mm+ wetsuit it shouldn't be that bad right, excluding mid-winter of course?

The reason I ask is because I am an 'old' surf bum and have surfed Humbolt, Point Arena, and SF Bay area in mid-winter with a decent wetsuit/hood and booties. Now this wasn't the most comfotable experience especially in the early morning with the wind chill factor (read hands and face turn numb). But it was doable.

I looked up Oregon average water temps online and found out on the NOAA site that it is actually 61 degrees in Newport right now. Thats down right warm...

Also Seaside averages from May thru Oct are 55+.

NODC Coastal Water Temperature Guide

Lastly whats up with Astoria 70 degree water right now? Is that just a summer Gorge thing?

- Derek

[Supernova7]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Youve seen thunder?!?!



j/k


I think Portland's winters are quite nice, if not rainy and grey. They dont get horribly cold and not horribly warm neither. I was perfectly comfortable, albeit a little wet, when I visited. I want to experience a summer there, I hear its pretty nice. Thanks for sharing this info!

I suspect Portland and Chicago weather are not to distant. The only compensation I notice is much colder winters in Chicago and wetter days in Portland. When was the last time you visited Steve?