Can you compare the weather of Portland? (Tigard, Lake Oswego: apartment, how much)

[GirlinAZ]

I live in Phoenix now, used to live in Chicago, and have been to Hawaii, Vegas, well, OK , all over. Can you describe how cold it gets there? Does it snow? If so, how much? How far are you from the ocean? How warm is it in the summer? I would love to live somewhere where there are progressive thinkers, and it seems like there are quite a few there. However, I hate the cold weather, and was wondering how bad it was. Thanks for any answer.

[5chevin5]

I have seen your posts on the Phoenix site...you do seem ready to pack up and boogie outta the Valley of the Sun (see flaming ball from hell for reference)...

I lived in Portland and Seattle for a long time...one day I woke up and said..I wanna live in Phoenix where its paradise and there is palm trees....and I did...and there was....whoops it was hotter then I thought (pre internet days)...I lasted 5 years...and crawled happily back to the NW to rehydrate...Just not my cup of green tea....Okay, to the point already!!!

It gets cold...but NOWHERE near Chi town cold....it will dip below 40...occasionally-steady-sometimes..But you will only get one or two good snows and maybe an ice storm or two (because of the Gorge)...but thats it, and its gone in a day or three. No big deal. Of course there are freak years where things go nuts and "Cats and Dogs live together in the streets"...still no midwest winter bliss.

The flip side is that it is never to hot either...again sometimes it gets a wee bit warm...but no nuclear sunshine like PHX...not even close. I think the best word would be "mild"...just like the people..
We have progressive thinkers and a few progressive stinkers, but with the help of this forum we have them identified and will slowly start running them outta town....."Did you hear a knock on the door?"

2 hours from ocean, but its not that kinda beachy ocean. Very rustic..b-e autiful though (Cannon Beach, Lincoln City, Newport) and the drive is nice.

All and all...Portland is the Anti-Phoenix....enjoy.

5

[Lillietta]

How far are you from the ocean?

1-1/2 hours away from Cannon Beach - absolutely pristine and breathtakingly gorgeous - it is a beach where you can swim - kept very clean - i was there on a weekday in July - sparse crowds and needed a jacket.

[Supernova7]

Originally Posted by 5chevin5

I have seen your posts on the Phoenix site...you do seem ready to pack up and boogie outta the Valley of the Sun (see flaming ball from hell for reference)...

I lived in Portland and Seattle for a long time...one day I woke up and said..I wanna live in Phoenix where its paradise and there is palm trees....and I did...and there was....whoops it was hotter then I thought (pre internet days)...I lasted 5 years...and crawled happily back to the NW to rehydrate...Just not my cup of green tea....Okay, to the point already!!!

It gets cold...but NOWHERE near Chi town cold....it will dip below 40...occasionally-steady-sometimes..But you will only get one or two good snows and maybe an ice storm or two (because of the Gorge)...but thats it, and its gone in a day or three. No big deal. Of course there are freak years where things go nuts and "Cats and Dogs live together in the streets"...still no midwest winter bliss.

The flip side is that it is never to hot either...again sometimes it gets a wee bit warm...but no nuclear sunshine like PHX...not even close. I think the best word would be "mild"...just like the people..
We have progressive thinkers and a few progressive stinkers, but with the help of this forum we have them identified and will slowly start running them outta town....."Did you hear a knock on the door?"

2 hours from ocean, but its not that kinda beachy ocean. Very rustic..b-e autiful though (Cannon Beach, Lincoln City, Newport) and the drive is nice.

All and all...Portland is the Anti-Phoenix....enjoy.

5

Actually, Chicago is nowhere near as cold as people make it out to be. I lived there for years and it's only cold from Dec-April (mostly 10-40 degrees) with an occasional week below zero. I never felt cold there, maybe it was the Starbuck's that helped How's it looking in Japan?

[Supernova7]

Originally Posted by NanawaleJulie

I live in Phoenix now, used to live in Chicago, and have been to Hawaii, Vegas, well, OK , all over. Can you describe how cold it gets there? Does it snow? If so, how much? How far are you from the ocean? How warm is it in the summer? I would love to live somewhere where there are progressive thinkers, and it seems like there are quite a few there. However, I hate the cold weather, and was wondering how bad it was. Thanks for any answer.

From my research and what many people have said here and other forums it's cold and wet in Portland. There is LOT'S of rain, cloudy skies and gloom and it gets to about 30 degrees, sometimes less. Portland does get snow as well, not often, and it's not the norm but snow does come. Since you lived in Chicago you shouldn't have such a hard time adjusting. Just picture slightly milder winters and forget about the sunshine like the Midwest. Many people have left Portland as a result of the bad weather amongst other things. What are you looking for in terms of progressive thinkers? In what areas?

[Pen Cap Chew]

For me, the weather here is perfect. I wear a t-shirt and board shorts year round (that's my basic attire; I do put on a coat and a beanie sometimes if it's especially chilly out). Winter weather here is pretty mild compared to other places but then again I don't get cold easily and my opinion is probably skewed a bit. I love Oregon's rainy season. I look forward to it after months of sunshine. And then I get sick of rain/greyness and look forward to summer again. I could not live anywhere that was hot year round. I need rain, and I need sun for a few months, and so Oregon has the perfect climate for me. Plus, there are a lot of sun breaks during winter (it's not all doom and gloom). And the coast here is breathtaking, especially in winter during a storm, being surrounded by craggy cliffs, the wind sandblasting the skin from your face, waves crashing. Oregon has everything, even a little snow to freak everyone out for a few days. I've lived in Oregon nearly all of my life and I'm still digging the place.

[Supernova7]

Originally Posted by Pen Cap Chew

For me, the weather here is perfect. I wear a t-shirt and board shorts year round (that's my basic attire; I do put on a coat and a beanie sometimes if it's especially chilly out). Winter weather here is pretty mild compared to other places but then again I don't get cold easily and my opinion is probably skewed a bit. I love Oregon's rainy season. I look forward to it after months of sunshine. And then I get sick of rain/greyness and look forward to summer again. I could not live anywhere that was hot year round. I need rain, and I need sun for a few months, and so Oregon has the perfect climate for me. Plus, there are a lot of sun breaks during winter (it's not all doom and gloom). And the coast here is breathtaking, especially in winter during a storm, being surrounded by craggy cliffs, the wind sandblasting the skin from your face, waves crashing. Oregon has everything, even a little snow to freak everyone out for a few days. I've lived in Oregon nearly all of my life and I'm still digging the place.

"A T-shirt and board shorts year round?".......LOL That includes work as well I presume Glad you're happy in Oregon after all this time. Everyone is searching for something better and it looks like Portland is a good fit for you. What do you do to elevate your mood during the gloom/rainy days?

[JakeDog]

Originally Posted by Lillietta

How far are you from the ocean?

1-1/2 hours away from Cannon Beach - absolutely pristine and breathtakingly gorgeous - it is a beach where you can swim - kept very clean - i was there on a weekday in July - sparse crowds and needed a jacket.

Swim? In the Oregon Coast???? IT is gorgeous and a great place to go for a walk, but the water is very cold.

[Magnum Mike]

Originally Posted by NanawaleJulie

I live in Phoenix now, used to live in Chicago, and have been to Hawaii, Vegas, well, OK , all over. Can you describe how cold it gets there? Does it snow? If so, how much? How far are you from the ocean? How warm is it in the summer? I would love to live somewhere where there are progressive thinkers, and it seems like there are quite a few there. However, I hate the cold weather, and was wondering how bad it was. Thanks for any answer.

I'm a native of Arizona, born and raised in Phoenix, and in September of 1995 I decided to accept a job in Lake Oswego, OR (just outside of Portland) so I ended up moving to Tigard, OR (southwest of Portland) in early October of 1995, right at the start of the rainy season. It was nice actually, and I liked the occasional snow storms. But in November of 1996, we had a bad ice and snow storm, which knocked out the power in my apartment for 3 days, so I decided to move back to my home state. At the time, I thought 115 degrees in July was better than being stuck on icy roads with traffic not going anywhere, so I moved back to Phoenix in early February of 1997.

Ice storms are the worst, but luckily they don't hit the Portland metro area very often. Compared to other areas of the country in the winter, like Minneapolis, Portland and Seattle are considered mild in comparison. It is rainy from October until late May, but the rain does diminish gradually starting in March, so you'll start seeing more sunny days in the early part of the spring. Like others mentioned here, low temperatures might dip to the single digits and teens on occasions, from early December through mid February.

Summer high temperatures can climb up to 100 degrees on occasions in July, in the inland areas, but close to the coast, it's usually in the 70's and 80's. If you're used to Phoenix/Scottsdale's 115 degrees in July, I'm sure the occasional 100 degrees in July won't bother you too much, plus it cools down at night.

[Pen Cap Chew]

Originally Posted by Supernova7

"A T-shirt and board shorts year round?".......LOL That includes work as well I presume

I'm self-employed so I can wear what I want.

Originally Posted by Supernova7

What do you do to elevate your mood during the gloom/rainy days?

Well luckily I don't have SAD. I don't get depressed easily, certainly not over weather. So the weather doesn't control my moods much. As I said, I enjoy rain and it is a plus for me. I do get tired of it after a spell but by then summer isn't far off. It's all good.