Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
When generating a conclusion about the weather here, one has to seperate fact from preference. Fact is Seattle is a cool cloudy place. No need to repost the statistics that are on this blog to back the point up. On average in a 7 day period. 4 days are complete cloud cover look up into the sky and cant locate where the sun is aka gloomy days. 2 days ate partly cloudy which with mountains and hills can make for awesome views. Lastly 1 day is sunny.
Preference, which alot of people substitute as fact is. "Its not that bad, Its better than x weather, or I like the cloudy days." What bafffles me is people who have never lived here or lived here fora short time lecturing locals about the weather. Instead of taking the humble route and staying quiet, they stubbornly argue. It reminds me of when I was young arguing to my parents about taking care of myself and not needing them. It was arrogant and immature of me. But pride has an amazing effect on a person that experience seems to even out. Depending on the person. I guess that is my pet peeve. Many have already touched on it before. Its all about preference. This place is awesome if a person can get past the weather or not be bothered by it. I personally love sunny hot weather but it feels that much better leaving and going somewhere hot and sunny.
Yup.
The fact is it's cool and cloudy up here a LOT folks - that's WHY the PNW has RAIN FORESTS. This is NOT a hot and sunny place - it's not even a MOSTLY sunny place. It is a MOSTLY CLOUDY place - that's the REASON Seattle has the reputation it has. Its' not ALWAYS cloudy and rainy - and in fact (as has been stated many times) when it comes to INCHES of rain, Seattle doesn't get as much as places like Chicago, NYC or (especially) cities in the South. This is NOT because it doesn't rain a lot (it does) but because it rarely rains HARD. Instead we get MANY days where it just rains briefly on and off or simply mists and drizzles (ie mizzle) all day or most of the day. This means the total accumulation is not as much as it seems but total time spend IN THE RAIN is pretty considerable - and that constant or at least frequent rainfall keeps the ground and vegitations pretty damp much of the time. It's why we're lush and green up here (even in the winter - winter in Seattle means RAIN not SNOW).
Now, having said that, there are most certainly times of the year that tend to be very very grey and damp - and times of the year that tend to be pretty dry (MOST years anyway). Fall, winter & spring tend to be cool and damp - with lots of clouds and frequent rain. Summer here - on the other hand - tends to be quite dry. It's really the ONLY time of the year when the ground really dries out. It doesn't get super hot (remember we're very far north) but it's a pretty sunny time of year - and the days are very long (again because we're so far north). Now, once again - having said that, every few years summer nearly fails to materialize and it stays pretty cool and cloudy in that season as well, and even in NORMAL years our summers are not very hot (and rarely humid) so for folks who like hot summers this is NOT the place to be (sunny - yes, hot - no).
The upside to all those clouds is that we have an extremely MILD climate. The combination of a nearby ocean to moderate the temps, lots of overnight clouds to trap the daytime heat (such as it is) and keep it from radiating off into space on winter nights, and a barrier of high mountains to the east (ie the Cascades) to keep the truly COLD weather of the continental interior away from us (those mountains wall us off from that extremely could winter weather that flows down into much of the US from Canada in the winter) give us remarkably mild winters. It's a remarkable combination of circumstances that gives us a textbook version of a "Marine" climate and makes us one of the very few places on earth that has Temperate Rainforests. True, the REAL rainforests are not IN Seattle proper but rather on the slopes of the Cascades and ESPECIALLY the Oympic mountains, but even here in the greater Seattle area it's pretty easy to find pockets of moss covered trees and other signs of rainforest type climate (especially in east or north facing gullies or steep valleys).
So, if you move here you have to be prepared to face the fact that it's going to be overcast and cool A LOT - not ALL the time, but a LOT of the time. If you are coming here from a place with cold snowy winters you'll be very surprised to find our winters are generally hardly winterlike at all and that true winter is very short here (as is summer) but that spring and fall start early and linger long after the calendar says they should be gone.
And that's just the way it IS.
When generating a conclusion about the weather here, one has to seperate fact from preference. Fact is Seattle is a cool cloudy place. No need to repost the statistics that are on this blog to back the point up. On average in a 7 day period. 4 days are complete cloud cover look up into the sky and cant locate where the sun is aka gloomy days. 2 days ate partly cloudy which with mountains and hills can make for awesome views. Lastly 1 day is sunny.
Preference, which alot of people substitute as fact is. "Its not that bad, Its better than x weather, or I like the cloudy days." What bafffles me is people who have never lived here or lived here fora short time lecturing locals about the weather. Instead of taking the humble route and staying quiet, they stubbornly argue. It reminds me of when I was young arguing to my parents about taking care of myself and not needing them. It was arrogant and immature of me. But pride has an amazing effect on a person that experience seems to even out. Depending on the person. I guess that is my pet peeve. Many have already touched on it before. Its all about preference. This place is awesome if a person can get past the weather or not be bothered by it. I personally love sunny hot weather but it feels that much better leaving and going somewhere hot and sunny.
Guilty as charged. I think I only cross the line and "lecture" when it's obvious someone is distorting the facts, and not speaking merely their preference. For example, someone saying you won't see the sun for months is stating an incorrect fact, and not a preference. Someone saying you go all winter without any reprieve from the clouds in stating an incorrect fact, and not a preference. Additionally, some of us who have never lived there have in fact lived in places equal to, or worse than Seattle. I know that sounds shocking. What, there are places with worse weather? Yes, it's true. You wouldn't think that reading these forums at times.
If I were to lecture a Navy SEAL on how SEAL training isn't really all that tough without having endured it myself....well, that would be dumb. The Seattle weather doesn't fall into that category. We're talking clouds, rain, cold, and shorter daylight hours; something millions of Americans outside of Seattle experience to the same degree...all factors being weighed and considered.
All that said, I can respect another person's pet peeves. I was blessed with more than my fair share of them.
Guilty as charged. I think I only cross the line and "lecture" when it's obvious someone is distorting the facts, and not speaking merely their preference. For example, someone saying you won't see the sun for months is stating an incorrect fact, and not a preference. Someone saying you go all winter without any reprieve from the clouds in stating an incorrect fact, and not a preference. Additionally, some of us who have never lived there have in fact lived in places equal to, or worse than Seattle. I know that sounds shocking. What, there are places with worse weather? Yes, it's true. You wouldn't think that reading these forums at times.
If I were to lecture a Navy SEAL on how SEAL training isn't really all that tough without having endured it myself....well, that would be dumb. The Seattle weather doesn't fall into that category. We're talking clouds, rain, cold, and shorter daylight hours; something millions of Americans outside of Seattle experience to the same degree...all factors being weighed and considered.
All that said, I can respect another person's pet peeves. I was blessed with more than my fair share of them.
I have actually lived in a place some would considered worse weather wise and you touched on it in some of your earlier post. I know what someone means when someone says months without sun or it always rains. Its not to be taken literally like its dark and cloudy for several months or its raining 24/7/365. They mean that in the winter months there is very little sunshine added with the shortened daylight and overcast it has a very dark gloomy feel that is prolonged until May/June for most years.
What I didnt understand from reading your post is are you trying to gain perspective here or prove someone wrong? It seems the latter to me. We all seen sun rain cloudy clear. That doesnt mean we understand another place because we experienced the elements. From my experience here, your exaggeration observation to me is reversed. I believe people exaggerate or trivialize the weather and the implications of it while others try to paint a more accurate picture and get attacked for it or alienated, read this forum as evidence. The weather here is a huge issue thats why its talked about so much. But its all a personal choice to tolerate or not. Just dont be one of those staunch Seattle weather defenders that move here and experience it then hastily retreat as if they cant get out of here fast enough. We've had plenty to do that....thats why I say humility is a golden quality to have.
Last edited by irrational exuberance; 12-02-2011 at 06:39 PM..
Reason: typo
Irrational, does my memory serve me correctly that you used to view Seattle weather very differently too? Until you experienced a full winter and "got it"?
No, it's not the worst weather in the world and no one said it was. It can just be wearying because the days do get very short, dark and by March, you're quite eager for Spring and often it's June and just as wet. That's why July 5th is considered reliably summer.
I don't complain about the weather. It keeps the population down. A lot of people move here not believing and literally flee a couple of years later. Those of us who have been here a long time just smile and wave. We did tell them. There were several news reports last spring of people that had had it, one chose Orange County. I'm sure I could find the video news report if I looked.
Irrational, does my memory serve me correctly that you used to view Seattle weather very differently too? Until you experienced a full winter and "got it"?
No, it's not the worst weather in the world and no one said it was. It can just be wearying because the days do get very short, dark and by March, you're quite eager for Spring and often it's June and just as wet. That's why July 5th is considered reliably summer.
I don't complain about the weather. It keeps the population down. A lot of people move here not believing and literally flee a couple of years later. Those of us who have been here a long time just smile and wave. We did tell them. There were several news reports last spring of people that had had it, one chose Orange County. I'm sure I could find the video news report if I looked.
Entertain me please. When have I been a staunch defender of Seattle weather or said I like this weather? I actually abhor the overcast but not enough to hastily retreat. Seattle takes care of me very well. When I need a break I head to Seatac and head south. Ive been here a long time I know fully know what winter here feels like. Head east and enjoy some tubing and snowshoeing and when spring comes head east again and chase the sun for the weekend.
Last edited by irrational exuberance; 12-02-2011 at 07:01 PM..
Reason: typo
I have actually lived in a place some would considered worse weather wise and you touched on it in some of your earlier post. I know what someone means when someone says months without sun or it always rains. Its not to be taken literally like its dark and cloudy for several months or its raining 24/7/365. They mean that in the winter months there is very little sunshine added with the shortened daylight and overcast it has a very dark gloomy feel that is prolonged until May/June for most years.
What I didnt understand from reading your post is are you trying to gain perspective here or prove someone wrong? It seems the latter to me. We all seen sun rain cloudy clear. That doesnt mean we understand another place because we experienced the elements. From my experience here, your exaggeration observation to me is reversed. I believe people exaggerate or trivialize the weather and the implications of it while others try to paint a more accurate picture and get attacked for it or alienated, read this forum as evidence. The weather here is a huge issue thats why its talked about so much. But its all a personal choice to tolerate or not. Just dont be one of those staunch Seattle weather defenders that move here and experience it then hastily retreat as if they cant get out of here fast enough. We've had plenty to do that....thats why I say humility is a golden quality to have.
Fair enough. I can confidently state right now that I will not think the weather is great up there. I will not try to trivialize it. Nor will I make it sound worse than it really is either. The truth sounds bad enough. There is no need to go overboard with some of these ridiculous exaggerations. I'm not going to lie to you and say I love gloomy days. I don't. For me though, weather is just one of many factors that go into where I want to live. It's definitely not the most important factor. The other attributes of Seattle will allow me to tolerate the dreary weather. Being able to sail the Puget Sound alone will make it worth it. The weather was pretty bad where I grew up in NH. I never really thought about it though. I was too busy fishing, hunting, hiking, ice fishing, snowmobiling, etc. If you are ever bored stiff go and find weather threads for some of the other areas of the US with rotten, cold, miserable weather. You will notice that compared to a lot of other rotten weather places, the Seattle thread is way over the top. It's as if the cast of Survivor posts in the other area threads, and the cast of Glee posts in the Seattle weather thread. Just saying. Even though Seattle has a reputation for outdoorsy people, most outdoorsy people wouldn't complain about the weather like they do here. This makes me think that most of the complaining is from people who aren't the outdoors type. They probably don't experience the things up there that make the weather tolerable. Just a guess.
I may indeed run with my tail tucked between my legs. Not for my sake, but my wife's sake. Even though the Czech Republic has weather equally as bad as Seattle (slightly less overcast, but colder with rainy summers), I think she forgot that Yes, she hears these exaggerations and runs wild with them. So yes, I have a vested interest in keeping it real.
BTW, of all the people you know who left with their tail between their legs, how many were from the Northeast, Great Lakes Region, etc.? I'm curious about that. I would imagine that 90% of the people who can't handle it are from the fair weather states. I could be wrong though.
BTW, of all the people you know who left with their tail between their legs, how many were from the Northeast, Great Lakes Region, etc.? I'm curious about that. I would imagine that 90% of the people who can't handle it are from the fair weather states. I could be wrong though.
Generally speaking... those from the "sun" states (Socal, Arizona, NV) had a harder time adjusting... not only to the weather but also to the personality of people here-- a lot of them were more than happy to go back or move away. It didn't necessarily matter if they were outdoorsy people, majority of them couldn't adapt to the humid-damp condition. While they did like the summers and the long sunny hours-- it never just really was warm enough for them.
Lots of Minnesota people here... I notice they generally just love it here.
Northeast is very mixed... kinda like the midwest. They're used to the 4 season traditional seasons. I myself spent a portion of my childhood in Missouri. I miss the real 4 seasons. People like to say well, Seattle has 4 seasons too and I just scoff at that. It's more like 2.5. Also, they do get surprised by how much less sun here (during non-summer). One gal from Pittsburgh, which is apparently just as dreary says she feels like Pittsburgh gets more sun time.
Generally speaking... those from the "sun" states (Socal, Arizona, NV) had a harder time adjusting... not only to the weather but also to the personality of people here-- a lot of them were more than happy to go back or move away. It didn't necessarily matter if they were outdoorsy people, majority of them couldn't adapt to the humid-damp condition. While they did like the summers and the long sunny hours-- it never just really was warm enough for them.
Lots of Minnesota people here... I notice they generally just love it here.
Northeast is very mixed... kinda like the midwest. They're used to the 4 season traditional seasons. I myself spent a portion of my childhood in Missouri. I miss the real 4 seasons. People like to say well, Seattle has 4 seasons too and I just scoff at that. It's more like 2.5. Also, they do get surprised by how much less sun here (during non-summer). One gal from Pittsburgh, which is apparently just as dreary says she feels like Pittsburgh gets more sun time.
Count me in as one who believes that Seattle has 4 seasons...they may not be as pronounced as some areas of the country...but there is definitelty a noticeable change in the seasons.
The way I look at it there is more to changing seasons the just temperatures.
Generally speaking... those from the "sun" states (Socal, Arizona, NV) had a harder time adjusting... not only to the weather but also to the personality of people here-- a lot of them were more than happy to go back or move away. It didn't necessarily matter if they were outdoorsy people, majority of them couldn't adapt to the humid-damp condition. While they did like the summers and the long sunny hours-- it never just really was warm enough for them.
Lots of Minnesota people here... I notice they generally just love it here.
Northeast is very mixed... kinda like the midwest. They're used to the 4 season traditional seasons. I myself spent a portion of my childhood in Missouri. I miss the real 4 seasons. People like to say well, Seattle has 4 seasons too and I just scoff at that. It's more like 2.5. Also, they do get surprised by how much less sun here (during non-summer). One gal from Pittsburgh, which is apparently just as dreary says she feels like Pittsburgh gets more sun time.
I can understand that; both from a 4 season viewpoint and the people. Each season brings with it its own set of activities and emotions. You don't know what spring fever really feels like until you come out of a bitter cold and snowy winter. There is a part of me that wants to be back in 4 season weather. I've had people here in SoCal tell me it has 4 seasons. That is kinda funny. I like to think that each region of the USA has its own personality. Much like between 2 people, not everyone will mesh with certain regions. New England has a pronounced personality. New Englanders relocate a lot. However, many of them never feel completely comfortable where they go.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
There were several news reports last spring of people that had had it, one chose Orange County. I'm sure I could find the video news report if I looked.
Yes, she hears these exaggerations and runs wild with them. So yes, I have a vested interest in keeping it real.
