I'm confused: 4 seasons or 9 months of drizzle? (Seattle, Spokane: camp, live)

[Alicia64]

One more question: hope you're not sick of me yet!

People keep saying that you get 9 months of drizzle and gray all year long. And then people also say that Seattle gets four seasons.

To me, these two statements don't go together. They're in opposition.

Can you help clarify?

Thanks again!

Alicia

[Ira500]

I'll say there are four seasons but not as pronounced as in other places. Let's see: The very worst months are December, January, and February...If you've got to pick three months to leave Seattle and go to the Caribbean, those would be them. The nicest three are July, August, and September..While June and October can have some nice sunny days they also can be drizzly, and on May 17th of this year it was sunny and in the 90's, and there are usually some nice but cool sunny days in March and April, so it doesn't drizzle every day, even in those months where it drizzles a lot, so I'd say three really miserable months, three fantastic months, and the rest vary from year to year...and there are a lot of cloudy days in the winter that aren't too cold or drizzling, where it looks like it's going to rain but doesn't...It's not that unusual at all to have a January high in the low 50's with no rain or drizzle, but cloudy.

[Jennibc]

Every place has a fall, winter, spring, and summer. BUT, if you mean four seasons in the sense of a crisp Autumn with fall colors, a white, snowy winter, a rainy spring with flowers, and warm/hot sunny summer, then no we don't have "four seasons" I lived in New England for a while and there we had four seasons.

[seattlerain]

I'm in the camp that says Seattle has four seasons. They may not be as distinct as New England...or other Northern areas of the country...however we certainly have four seasons.

Remember, there is more to the seasons than weather...length of day and night, position of the sun and stars...all have a place in defining the seasons.

Leafs change color in the fall, not as vibrant as New England...however we do have some very nice fall color, and there is the unmistakable smell of fall...winter tends to be gray and rainy, however it's not like the sun disappears for the entire winter. We can have beautiful and brilliant winter days too.

Spring comes earlier than many areas of the country and summer can come later...however summers here are usually very nice...and almost hauntingly beautiful.

[seattlerain]

Originally Posted by Jennibc

Every place has a fall, winter, spring, and summer. BUT, if you mean four seasons in the sense of a crisp Autumn with fall colors, a white, snowy winter, a rainy spring with flowers, and warm/hot sunny summer, then no we don't have "four seasons" I lived in New England for a while and there we had four seasons.

This is where a lot of the misconception on Seattle's seasons comes from...the comparison of our seasons to other areas of the country...

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by seattlerain

This is where a lot of the misconception on Seattle's seasons comes from...the comparison of our seasons to other areas of the country...

I am not sure what this means. When someone says they like a place with four seasons, typically they mean the way I just described - ala the midwest, the northeast or even Spokane. Seattle doesn't have that, neither does Los Angeles, nor does Austin, Dallas, Houston, or Orlando.

[seattlerain]

Originally Posted by Jennibc

I am not sure what this means. When someone says they like a place with four seasons, typically they mean the way I just described - ala the midwest, the northeast or even Spokane. Seattle doesn't have that, neither does Los Angeles, nor does Austin, Dallas, Houston, or Orlando.

In your opinion...in my opinion Seattle does have four seasons, just not as distinct as New England, etc.

[allforcats]

Originally Posted by Alicia64

you get 9 months of drizzle

No.
We get 9 months during which there may or may not be drizzle. There is often drizzle or rain or mist -- some years more, some years less. There are also fully cloudy days with no precip, partly cloudy days with no precip, and sunny days with no precip.

gray all year long

No.

Seattle gets four seasons.

Yes.
How do you define "four seasons" -- meteorologically? visually? nostalgically? emotionally?
Seattle is fairly far north, above the 47th Parallel, and the weather comes from the Pacific Ocean and once in a great while in winter from the Bering Sea.
It's not New England or the original 13 states, much of whose weather comes from Canada. So, if New England-style four seasons is what you mean, then of course New England is the only place they will be found. Seattle's spring and fall are short and obvious from the flora, the light, and the temps.
Hope that helps!

[seattlerain]

Originally Posted by allforcats

No.
We get 9 months during which there may or may not be drizzle. There is often drizzle or rain or mist -- some years more, some years less. There are also fully cloudy days with no precip, partly cloudy days with no precip, and sunny days with no precip.



No.



Yes.
How do you define "four seasons" -- meteorologically? visually? nostalgically? emotionally?
Seattle is fairly far north, above the 47th Parallel, and the weather comes from the Pacific Ocean and once in a great while in winter from the Bering Sea.
It's not New England or the original 13 states, much of whose weather comes from Canada. So, if New England-style four seasons is what you mean, then of course New England is the only place they will be found. Seattle's spring and fall are short and obvious from the flora, the light, and the temps.
Hope that helps!

Hear, hear!!

[pwright1]

We definately have 4 seasons. I've been taking pictures in Seattle during all four seasons for a few years now.