Portland wetter than Seattle??! (to live in, stats, areas)

[oldtintype]

Columbia Sportswear has jackets for a lot less than $400 and they also have an outlet store in Portland with great deals if you buy off season. I got my current one for $70. My four year old has a down one I got for $25. You'll need something waterproof if you're planning on being out and about. Light rain or hard rain you WILL get wet otherwise.

[mdvaden]

Portland is classified as a Mediterrenian climate, but I don't think that Seattle is.

There are only a handful of climate zones like that, and Portland is in one of them.

We tried Savannah for 8 months, and coming back, needed to consider Seattle. We weren't even up there for half and day and did a one-eighty. Didn't feel right to us.

Maybe its because its bottle-necked by the water on one side.

[kelcat]

Originally Posted by mdvaden

Portland is classified as a Mediterrenian climate, but I don't think that Seattle is.

There are only a handful of climate zones like that, and Portland is in one of them.

Mdvaden,

That's really interesting, any idea where to find out where else in the US is in that handful?

[johndmcmanis]

Just a helpful note here: Portland does NOT get six inches more rain than Seattle--the claim at the top of the thread is incorrect.

According to the National Weather Service, Portland's 30-year precipitation average is 36.30", compared to Seattle's 38.09" average. Portland's West Hills, which reach elevations above 1,200 feet, receive nearly twice the rainfall as the lower parts of the city (which are 50 to 150 feet above sea level). But the vast majority of Portland gets 36-37" of rainfall annually, while Seattle gets just a tad more. In any case, both Seattle and Portland get far fewer rain inches than the major cities of the Midwest and Atlantic seaboard.

So what's the problem with the Portland/Seattle climate? Gloom. Since most rainfalls are little more than sustained trickles in both cities, the real issue during the November-April stretch is the lack of light. Gloom is the result of extensive periods of thick, relentless cloud cover combined with northerly latitudes. Portland is 45.5 degrees and Seattle is 47.5 degrees north latitude; these relatively high latitudes mean that the sun angles in the winter months are very low, and admitted daylight is very weak.

So, while Portland does get a little less rain than Seattle, the difference in precipitation is insignificant. Concerning a climate comparison, the better question is: Which city gets more light?

[BlueSkyGal]

Originally Posted by johndmcmanis

Just a helpful note here: Portland does NOT get six inches more rain than Seattle--the claim at the top of the thread is incorrect.

According to the National Weather Service, Portland's 30-year precipitation average is 36.30", compared to Seattle's 38.09" average. Portland's West Hills, which reach elevations above 1,200 feet, receive nearly twice the rainfall as the lower parts of the city (which are 50 to 150 feet above sea level). But the vast majority of Portland gets 36-37" of rainfall annually, while Seattle gets just a tad more. In any case, both Seattle and Portland get far fewer rain inches than the major cities of the Midwest and Atlantic seaboard.

So what's the problem with the Portland/Seattle climate? Gloom. Since most rainfalls are little more than sustained trickles in both cities, the real issue during the November-April stretch is the lack of light. Gloom is the result of extensive periods of thick, relentless cloud cover combined with northerly latitudes. Portland is 45.5 degrees and Seattle is 47.5 degrees north latitude; these relatively high latitudes mean that the sun angles in the winter months are very low, and admitted daylight is very weak.

So, while Portland does get a little less rain than Seattle, the difference in precipitation is insignificant. Concerning a climate comparison, the better question is: Which city gets more light?

Wow, I agree w/John ! It's not so much the rain (although that's an obvious factor), to me it's much more about the 'darkness' we experience in the Portland area (lived here all my life). When I was younger (pre-40's ! ), it NEVER really bothered me -- but it certainly is an issue for me now. As far as umbrella use goes...that's interesting because it's not that I purposely 'avoid carrying one,' -- it's just that you really don't need one most of the time ! It's more of a bother to have the umbrella and lug it around; just seems easier to do without it. There is no stigma (that I have ever noticed) about anyone who DOES carry an umbrella ! In the downtown area you are much more likely to see umbrella's, as the manner of dress is fancier -- I would say that it's NOT unusual to see men/women using umbrella's in downtown Portland -- it's just personal preference.

[jimd144]

I frankly just need to get from the car to work to Costco and an umbrella is a pain. An umbrella would make it difficult to reach for my concealed carry also. Oregon is a "Shall Issue" state!

[backdrifter]

Originally Posted by kelcat

Mdvaden,

That's really interesting, any idea where to find out where else in the US is in that handful?

Portland isn't a true Mediterranean climate. It is an oceanic climate, specifically Marine West Coast.

But Mdvaden is correct that there are only a handful of regions like that, but to clarify... There are only a handful of Mediterranean regions in the world.

All of inland California is, and coastal California is up through the Mendocino area, and inland areas of Southern Oregon are. That's it for the U.S. Other areas in the world are parts of Chile, South and Western Australia, parts of South Africa, Southern Europe and Northern Africa.

And for the record, UMBRELLAS will make you look like an outsider, but aren't necessarily frowned upon entirely.

[pw72]

It's kind of strange when a two-year old thread pops back to life. Where do you guys find these?

Precipitation is similar in both cities. Some have said Seattle seems darker in the winter. Well, perhaps, but the climates are quite similar. Portland is not a "mediterraean climate". To me, it is a wash...Seattle may be slightly cooler in the summer, slightly more cloudy, but usually doesn't deal with ice storms that Portland gets most every winter.

[EnricoV]

It's not my field of study, or anything, but from what I see, withing the Köppen classification of climates, Oregon is classified as a Mediterranean climate, or near-Mediterranean, depending on which site you look at. A world map of the zones can be found here, and Oregon State University's website discusses Oregon's classification here.

[pw72]

If I am reading the first map correctly, western Oregon and Washington are shaded in green, as is England and France. The actual Mediterranean geogrphical area is shaded in yellow.