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So ... for those of you who just moved to the area ... are you braced for the winter which will be a lot like what we had today (Saturday)?
I am new to the area from Cincinnati, Oh in the midwest. We pulled in (Mountlake Terrace) Friday night and have been enjoying the weather. If this is as bad as it can be, then I am definitely prepared and extremely happy for such mild winters! It gets pretty Brrrr, where I am from! It was chilly, but nothing compared to Cincinnati, even its current weather conditions.
I am new to the area from Cincinnati, Oh in the midwest. We pulled in (Mountlake Terrace) Friday night and have been enjoying the weather. If this is as bad as it can be, then I am definitely prepared and extremely happy for such mild winters! It gets pretty Brrrr, where I am from! It was chilly, but nothing compared to Cincinnati, even its current weather conditions.
I pull up in three days for another scouting trip. I've had the "misfortune" of never visiting during really bad weather. I tried by visiting in the middle of November 2008. All I got was two days of decent sunshine, 2 days of cloudy skies with a brief moment of light rain, and 1 day of decent rain.
Hopefully I see some of the more miserable weather this time. There are a lot of conflicting reports. I personally know people who say the bad weather isn't as bad as it's made out to be, and I also personally know people who say it is. I figure there is no way to know without seeing it yourself. I haven't seen anything that bad yet. Of course, my frame of mind might be a bit like yours. I grew up in NH where you had freezing and humid temperatures. Add to that the fact it was often gloomy. I also lived in Germany for 7 years. Germany is cloudy, rainy, and cool/cold a good part of the year.
I'm always interested in hearing the opinions of people who move there from other parts of the country where the weather is also far from ideal. If you listen to some of the CA and AZ transplants describe the weather up there, you'd think it was comparable to one of Jupiter's moons as far as nasty weather goes.
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I'm always interested in hearing the opinions of people who move there from other parts of the country where the weather is also far from ideal. If you listen to some of the CA and AZ transplants describe the weather up there, you'd think it was comparable to one of Jupiter's moons as far as nasty weather goes.
OK, I'll chime in since I noticed you on the California board as well. I've lived from Maine to Pennsylvania, to Virginia, Minnesota, Michigan, to California, to Washington, and even Hawaii. Guess which weather is best? Heh And yet I've kept Washington for home base since 1970. Why? Weather, in part. But not what you'd think. While Minnesota was probably my least favorite weather overall, and Maine was very high on my list of almost best, due to well balanced sunshine and refreshing rain year round (well, 'cept mid-winter -- but then we had great snow), Washington weather pretty well sucks about 7 - 8 months a year. (ok, so Hawaii beats all and Calif. runs a close second) But then why do I say I stay here for the weather in part? The weather here keeps most other folks AWAY! I love Washington's forests and mountains and the Sound. The fewer people here to spoil that wilderness, the better ... it's a losing battle though Anyway, I cheat now I'm getting old ... keep a boat in Hawaii for winter escapes ... and spend lots of time south in Calif. between November and April.
I'd like to also discourage you from moving here -- except I think you said you were from N.H. originally, which state I have a major affection for, having tramped and camped the White Mountains a very great deal as a boy. Anyone from N.H. trying to escape the vacuousness of California culture can come and give it a whirl in the sopping wet gray as far as I'm concerned.
OK, I'll chime in since I noticed you on the California board as well. I've lived from Maine to Pennsylvania, to Virginia, Minnesota, Michigan, to California, to Washington, and even Hawaii. Guess which weather is best? Heh And yet I've kept Washington for home base since 1970. Why? Weather, in part. But not what you'd think. While Minnesota was probably my least favorite weather overall, and Maine was very high on my list of almost best, due to well balanced sunshine and refreshing rain year round (well, 'cept mid-winter -- but then we had great snow), Washington weather pretty well sucks about 7 - 8 months a year. (ok, so Hawaii beats all and Calif. runs a close second) But then why do I say I stay here for the weather in part? The weather here keeps most other folks AWAY! I love Washington's forests and mountains and the Sound. The fewer people here to spoil that wilderness, the better ... it's a losing battle though Anyway, I cheat now I'm getting old ... keep a boat in Hawaii for winter escapes ... and spend lots of time south in Calif. between November and April.
I'd like to also discourage you from moving here -- except I think you said you were from N.H. originally, which state I have a major affection for, having tramped and camped the White Mountains a very great deal as a boy. Anyone from N.H. trying to escape the vacuousness of California culture can come and give it a whirl in the sopping wet gray as far as I'm concerned.
I gotta agree. Hawaii has the best weather, followed by SoCal from about san Luis Obispo on down (coastal areas only). The Boston area is also on my list; actually from Cape Elizabeth Maine on down to Boston. Culturally, I'm much more at home in New England. I'm culturally conservative, not to be confused with politically conservative. I sit squarely in the center there.
We don't yet know if we will like putting up with the weather in Seattle. My expectations are that it's bad, although not quite as bad as it is portrayed. If we relocate there it will only be because the other things simply outweigh the bad weather...something a lot of people apparently agree with. After all, you don't have all of that traffic because people are jamming up the roads trying to leave the state.
... After all, you don't have all of that traffic because people are jamming up the roads trying to leave the state.
Uh-oh! Now you ARE in for a disappointment! I recently traded comments about traffic comparisons between Calif. cities (L.A. mostly) and Seattle ... and I have to admit that the Calif. traffic is worse ... uh, but if I doubt you will enjoy the weather up north, I am Positive you won't find the traffic much improvement if you move to the Seattle area. You've been warned
Most of the people who find the NW a good place do so in spite of the weather .. and generally are folks who have a lot of serious indoor distractions -- OR are serious outdoors people willing to trade the gloom for the terrific freshness and sense of peace and isolation that is to be found here when most stay inside. In-betweeners, folk who relax at life, tend to get really frustrated if they've been living elsewhere with a good mix of sunshine.
Hopefully I see some of the more miserable weather this time. There are a lot of conflicting reports. I personally know people who say the bad weather isn't as bad as it's made out to be, and I also personally know people who say it is. I figure there is no way to know without seeing it yourself. I haven't seen anything that bad yet. Of course, my frame of mind might be a bit like yours. I grew up in NH where you had freezing and humid temperatures. Add to that the fact it was often gloomy. I also lived in Germany for 7 years. Germany is cloudy, rainy, and cool/cold a good part of the year.
I'm always interested in hearing the opinions of people who move there from other parts of the country where the weather is also far from ideal. If you listen to some of the CA and AZ transplants describe the weather up there, you'd think it was comparable to one of Jupiter's moons as far as nasty weather goes.
Isn't that usually how it goes? You get here when the weather is cooperating or the year after a dreadful and record making winter or summer... Either way, I am still happy for much milder winters AND summers. I just can't take any more HUMID summers. I am always looking for the rain and some gray skies to come.
I have lived in Chicago (um, brrrr city), Austin, LA (2 months - UGH), Fairbanks, AK as far as the extreme weather goes for me. And I cannot say that I am sad for leaving them behind. The worst I got when I told people that I was finally making that cross country move was "OMG, but it rains like everyday and there is no sun there!" Pffft! That is what I am looking forward to...it is like not wanting anyone else to come over and play with your new toys. I am a transplant myself and I am hoping that the "weather reputation" of Seattle doesn't disappoint and continues to keep everyone away! LOL
Uh-oh! Now you ARE in for a disappointment! I recently traded comments about traffic comparisons between Calif. cities (L.A. mostly) and Seattle ... and I have to admit that the Calif. traffic is worse ... uh, but if I doubt you will enjoy the weather up north, I am Positive you won't find the traffic much improvement if you move to the Seattle area. You've been warned
Most of the people who find the NW a good place do so in spite of the weather .. and generally are folks who have a lot of serious indoor distractions -- OR are serious outdoors people willing to trade the gloom for the terrific freshness and sense of peace and isolation that is to be found here when most stay inside. In-betweeners, folk who relax at life, tend to get really frustrated if they've been living elsewhere with a good mix of sunshine.
Good luck to you.
I didn't intend for the sentence you referenced to be interpreted that way. What I meant (not what I wrote) is that Seattle has bad traffic, but it's not because people are jamming the highways to leave the state. It's because a lot of people still want to live there...in spite of the weather.
I look at the DOT maps and webcams almost daily. I also check out Google. I can see the choke points during peak times that probably drive people mad. Most cities have those however. Heck, even some smaller cities have certain routes that are stop and go and will extend your drive by 30-60 minutes.
Don't have bad traffic in Seattle? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!! I-5 from Everett to Lakewood can be hell, especially through both Seattle and Tacoma. Other areas vary by both day and time of day. Holiday weekend? Better leave early and come back late (or else leave late and come back early) if you don't want to spend ALL DAY on the interstate! Well, maybe not all day, but at MINIMUM an hour longer than normal, anyway.
I-90 from Seattle to Issaquah can also be a nightmare, ESPECIALLY through Bellevue, and Mercer Island during rush hour. Again, same story with holiday weekends. I-90 at the end of a holiday weekend going into Seattle can be bad all the way from Cle Elum.
But hey, this thread is about the weather, right? Today was pretty nice, but these kinds of days are becoming rarer, the days are getting cool, the nights colder, and the days are noticeably shorter. As we get closer to and into November we'll be back to going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark.
And are we all ready for this winter's predicted snow storms? Get ready now if you haven't already! I work in retail and can tell you this, if you wait til the storm is right upon us or already here, you are going to be SOL when you get to the store. Everything will have been sold out already. So get deicers, heaters, antifreeze, outdoor spigot covers, snow shovels and scrapers, winter wear, etc. etc. etc. as soon as possible.
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And yet I've kept Washington for home base since 1970. Why? Weather, in part. But not what you'd think. While Minnesota was probably my least favorite weather overall, and Maine was very high on my list of almost best, due to well balanced sunshine and refreshing rain year round (well, 'cept mid-winter -- but then we had great snow), Washington weather pretty well sucks about 7 - 8 months a year. (ok, so Hawaii beats all and Calif. runs a close second) But then why do I say I stay here for the weather in part? The weather here keeps most other folks AWAY! I love Washington's forests and mountains and the Sound. The fewer people here to spoil that wilderness, the better ... it's a losing battle though 
Anyway, I cheat now I'm getting old ... keep a boat in Hawaii for winter escapes ... and spend lots of time south in Calif. between November and April.
