What's Portland's weather REALLY like? (to live in, moving to, bike)

[tagrossm]

Ok, here's the deal. I don't mind grey days. I actually prefer them to sunny all the time. I live in Chicago and it's hard for me to get a sense of whether I would be able to tolerate 8 months of cloudy rainy, days like I'm hearing is the case in Portland. The thing I hate about Chicago is how long the winters are and the absence of anything resembling spring. However, I can go for a nice walk if it's above 35 degrees.

Here's my dilemma. I love to ride my bike for running errands and visiting friends. I've heard about the rainy "bone chilling" winters in Portland. How long does this last?

Desperate to live in Portland,but soooo unsure of the weather!

[pdxMIKEpdx]

Don't mean to sound snarky, but do a forum search.
Or just go through a couple pages of posts.
This topic comes up at least twice a week.

Look Here:
Month-by-month weather description

[sharkylittleton]

Anyone who tells you about a bone chilling Portland winter has never been through a Chicago winter. 35 deg low is hardly bone chilling, even if its raining. You shouldn't be affected by this.)

[sharkylittleton]

Originally Posted by pdxMIKEpdx

Don't mean to sound snarky, but do a forum search.
Or just go through a couple pages of posts.
This topic comes up at least twice a week.

hipster, weather, hipster, weather

[mjpdx]

I have lived in New York and am used to very harsh weather. Comparied to Portland, I prefer New York. Although we have had a very nice February, with some days close to 60 degrees and sunny, that is not typical. It's usually very, very nice here from July through much of October. No complaints there. But when November comes, it's damp and dark and it definitely can feel 'bone chilling' -- because of the wet. We do have a Spring, but it varies...lots of rain with many nice sunny days. When it's nice, it's glorious, but when it's been raining for 40 days straight, you want to be anywhere but here.

[backdrifter]

Well, I'll say this... While it has been an extraordinarily sunny and warm winter, especially this month, I would say it still wouldn't be surprising that some things are starting to bloom now. Still very overcast for a couple months. Yes, it rains a little most days. It's not that bad. We do get less sun than the Midwest, however. One of my roommates is from Chicago and she loves the fact that you can actually go out and do things without freezing to death (it rarely gets below freezing).

[tagrossm]

Originally Posted by backdrifter

Well, I'll say this... While it has been an extraordinarily sunny and warm winter, especially this month, I would say it still wouldn't be surprising that some things are starting to bloom now. Still very overcast for a couple months. Yes, it rains a little most days. It's not that bad. We do get less sun than the Midwest, however. One of my roommates is from Chicago and she loves the fact that you can actually go out and do things without freezing to death (it rarely gets below freezing).

yes, that's what i'm talking about! be able to be outside and do stuff most of the year. thanks!

[backdrifter]

Originally Posted by tagrossm

yes, that's what i'm talking about! be able to be outside and do stuff most of the year. thanks!

You're welcome!

As long as you suit up properly for the bike ride when its going to wet outside, and/or get fenders for your bike, you'll be fine. Put on a hoodie with some sweaters/thermals/whatever layered underneath and you'll be fine for walking in the rain 99% of the time. You can definitely get out and do stuff. But yes, it will literally be overcast for a week at a time. Sometimes 2 weeks. Sometimes a bit longer even.

And do keep in mind our days at the midst of winter are shorter than they are in Chicago... That is what really gets me down in the winter, personally, and not the perpetual gloom when it is light out. Just the fact that it ISN'T light out for long... I think CHI is at about the same latitude as Crescent City, CA which is near the latitude of my hometown in Southern Oregon. I definitely noticed a slight difference in daylight hours in the very darkest weeks of winter upon moving to Portland.

[Minervah]

It sort of depends upon your level of freezing tolerance. When I lived in Chicago, the cold, cold winters didn't bother me as much as the mild winters do in Portland. But that's because though cold, the Chicago winters were dry whereas the Portland winters are damp.

It affects people differently. I think most aren't all that affected by the dampness but I felt warmer when we had our dry snowy days here last year than in our usual mild but wet days that are more typical.

[rhodan653]

Originally Posted by tagrossm

yes, that's what i'm talking about! be able to be outside and do stuff most of the year. thanks!

You need to be a little careful with this assumption because the overall "dark" feeling of the days in winter can really put a damper on your ambition to get outside. Some people are not affected and some are. Even though it is not bone chilling cold (I came from New England area), when it is dark and gloomy with very low hanging clouds, 40 degrees and drizzly for 10 days straight it can really suck the life out of the idea of going hiking or biking. You need to spend some time here to really see how it affects you.