Does it really rain THAT much? (Portland, Clackamas: buy, live, retired)

[JBPisgah]

Originally Posted by khyron

Here's a quote from another thread that you might find useful:
[/i]

I don't know why anyone would find that useful since it's nonsense. Portland is a wet, grey, overcast place in the winter.

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by JBPisgah

I don't know why anyone would find that useful since it's nonsense. Portland is a wet, grey, overcast place in the winter.

Yeah, why deal with facts, when opinions are so much more reliable.

[JBPisgah]

Replying to this subject is like beating not a dead horse, but one that has been salted, dried and turned into jerky. But I'm procrastinating today, so here are the facts:

Aside from Seattle, Portland is the cloudiest place in the US. On average it has heavy cloud cover for 222 days a year. In cloudiness, it keeps company only with Seattle and the eastern Great Lakes cities like Rochester, as mentioned in the post above.
Cloudiest Cities in US - Current Results

Unlike the eastern Great Lakes cities, however, Portland has NO days of heavy cloud cover in summer. In return for enduring the dungeon of winter, Portland residents get three months of nearly unbroken sunshine.

But if Portland is super cloudy overall, yet summer is cloud-free, that must mean... Yep, 222 of the 270 or so days outside of summer have heavy cloud cover. That's one dark, wet, rainy winter.

[jlanepbc]

I'm originally from the Hartford, CT area and if you can handle the winters there Portland will be a cake walk. No snow that sticks and it's grey but- hey it looks like winter just like it did in New England. As for rain, it's a drizzle so it's comfortable to go outside even hike in the rain.

Look at a weather cameras on weatherbug and that will give you an idea if you can handle the grey skies. Once I did that I was confident about moving here. The lush green colors also really help. Oregon is beautiful.

[rzzz]

One thing nobody tells you about the east coast is how bad the weather can be in the summer. They often mention the humidity but not how much it rains. Even when it's not Hurricane Sandy, rain and storms are common all summer long in NYC. Portland's summer is pretty close to perfection.

[t60r]

Some real good stuff here. Thanks everyone. I'm sold on Portland. The "unbroken sunshine" made it. Rochester has maybe 1-4 days of sun then crap consistently. Hopefully things will work out how I hope and I'll be out there soon!

Thanks again!

[turquoise1]

It hasn't been very grey lately. It is cold but skies are bright blue. Also love being spared the snow falling in NYC. I hate snow.

I also hate hot summers unless I happen to be on vacation, which is like, never.

[i_love_autumn]

Originally Posted by t60r

I am looking into moving to Portland in the next year or so but I am skeptical of the amount of rain that "everyone" says Portland sees.

I am originally from Rochester, NY, the heart of feet of lake effect snow covered winters and 100% humidity summers. I've spent the last few years in the Hartford, CT area so I am no stranger to weather, rain and the elements.

Honestly though, does it really rain THAT much in Portland? I've also been looking at Medford based on what the precipitation maps have shown me (similar climate to Portland but less precip.) I guess I am really looking for the frequency and duration of rain when it comes...

Thanks!!

This may help you decide~REAL PORTLAND OREGON WEATHER!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b8VqvW0sSM

I live in the Cleveland area of Ohio,with a 'pathetic 66 days' of annual sun!,horrible winters and hot,humid summers.

Was thinking of the Portland,area,myself. It is undeniably beautiful.

However,I'm 'CRAVING' SUN,SUN,SUN, so I have pretty much decided on Medford myself because of the sunnier,drier climate and shorter winter.

[Steve Pickering]

There are those that think this is a wet winter and a wet year. A word I never use is LOL. Are they in for a surprise. The bottom line is yes Portland is wet and gray. Even in the summer.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

The bottom line is yes Portland is wet and gray. Even in the summer.

Agree 100000000%.

Except of course, that part of the summer from July to September, when there typically isn't a raindrop to be found or a rain-cloud in the sky.