does Spokane "feel" like a big city? (Seattle: how much, home)

[skinem]

Originally Posted by rgb123

thanks. I am concerned about the darkness. I haven't read much about it but just putting two and two together...it's so far north and perhaps drier than Seattle, it does seem darker and a bit colder than I am used to. It's very comparable to Chicago weather on average (and less extreme) but it looks like it gets a lot colder at night in the summer and seems cloudier. that could be an issue for me.

Like David said, you do have short days during the winter and long days in the summer.
It was usually light enough to see where you are going a little before 4 AM during the longest days; light enough to work outside until near 10 PM. But, in the winter, it seems it's light only about 8-4 with the sun barely popping up in the SE before it sets in the SW.

Winters are all over the place....some are relatively mild...some can be buggers---long, cold and snowy. When I was a kid, I got snowed on in the West Plains a couple of different Halloweens. Some winters the snow was on the ground for the better part of 5 months. Other winters, you barely saw any.

It's not near as rainy or gray as Seattle...Spokane gets less than half the rain Seattle does and the precip is "delivered" differently. In Seattle it can mist and drizzle for days and days and still not deliver much measurable precip. Spokane doesn't have the maritime climate that brings that type of weather in...it's a considerably drier inland climate with greater temp extremes.

[3~Shepherds]

Originally Posted by rgb123

thanks. I am concerned about the darkness. I haven't read much about it but just putting two and two together...it's so far north and perhaps drier than Seattle, it does seem darker and a bit colder than I am used to. It's very comparable to Chicago weather on average (and less extreme) but it looks like it gets a lot colder at night in the summer and seems cloudier. that could be an issue for me.

You might want to look into Boise, ID, it's more of a high desert climate. People are friendly, lots of stuff to do. The snow is very little, if any.

[skinem]

Originally Posted by 3~Shepherds

You might want to look into Boise, ID, it's more of a high desert climate. People are friendly, lots of stuff to do. The snow is very little, if any.

Or, Tri-Cities, WA.

Fewer bears, too...

[rgb123]

haha. Thanks guys. The offer is in Spokane, so it's Spokane or bust. by bust I mean stay in San Antonio.

Considering I lived in Minnesota and Illinois most of my life I can probably handle the winters....but it's not to say it's my preferred season....I like it until about February then I am ready for spring. I do get Seasonal Depression at times (Though, funny, I seem to get that in Texas in the summer time now).

I do like warm summer nights though, I wonder if that could be a bigger issue to me than winter.

do peole have heated pools and swim at night or in the summer time does it just get too cold to do summer type things at night? I am having a hard time picturing a bbq at the pool if it's 45 degrees. Though if it's still light out til 10 maybe I'm thinking too hard about it?

[David Aguilar]

Originally Posted by rgb123

do peole have heated pools and swim at night or in the summer time does it just get too cold to do summer type things at night? I am having a hard time picturing a bbq at the pool if it's 45 degrees. Though if it's still light out til 10 maybe I'm thinking too hard about it?

We had to have an A/C unit running all night throughout the summer in Spokane. If that doesn't give you the idea that it's not "cold" (in the true sense of the word) at night, I don't know what will.

The average low in Spokane in July is 54 (NCDC). Think the crack of dawn, not 10pm (when it can still be 70°F+). When I was there for the summer of 2009, we had long stretches of 90°F+ daytime highs, and it did NOT cool down much at night. The river felt good on those days.

You won't go without a summer in Spokane, seemingly the people there live for it (and all other seasons). You'll even have mosquitoes to keep you company.

[rgb123]

okay, that helps. It just seemed that the lows in summer are so low! I'm sure it's because it's more dry than I'm used but if that is at 4am that is a big difference than 10pm. that helps, thanks!

I've read you can literally feel the 'click' of the seasons there. When does summer turn to fall, and fall to winter? generally? how is October?

[Swigchow]

Originally Posted by rgb123

I've read you can literally feel the 'click' of the seasons there. When does summer turn to fall, and fall to winter? generally? how is October?

Fall "clicked" on last Thursday at 245pm. Could you click it back?

Frankly, Spokane is a big city wannabe. It has many of the chain stores and restaurants, just opened a 5 Guys. Has a symphony and minor league sports. Many outdoor recreational activities are available. There is an active arts and cultural scene.

The best way to find out is to visit Spokane.

[rgb123]

yes, but I have to accept or not accept before I can visit...catch22

[skinem]

Originally Posted by rgb123

haha. Thanks guys. The offer is in Spokane, so it's Spokane or bust. by bust I mean stay in San Antonio.

Considering I lived in Minnesota and Illinois most of my life I can probably handle the winters....but it's not to say it's my preferred season....I like it until about February then I am ready for spring. I do get Seasonal Depression at times (Though, funny, I seem to get that in Texas in the summer time now).

I do like warm summer nights though, I wonder if that could be a bigger issue to me than winter.

do peole have heated pools and swim at night or in the summer time does it just get too cold to do summer type things at night? I am having a hard time picturing a bbq at the pool if it's 45 degrees. Though if it's still light out til 10 maybe I'm thinking too hard about it?

Thinking too hard about it.

Lived in Minnesota? You'll be fine--snow, cold, dark and all.

Swim at night in the summer? Depends upon the night. I've froze plenty swimming in the evenings there...been warm, too, so it just depends. Unlike San Antonio, and (if memory serves me right about my experiences in) Minnesota, Spokane's climate is much drier...much, much less humidity. So that makes water evaporating off you to cool you much more effective in Spokane.

A lot of the lakes don't really get comfortable until mid/late-June, some years, early July.

And maybe someone can correct me, but it seemed often that the hottest part of the day there was often 4-5 pm, instead of mid-day like much of the east.

Go. Enjoy. If my wife's family weren't elsewhere, I'd be back in a heartbeat. Good luck with the new job.

[spotown11]

I would say fall "clicks" in about mid-October and only lasts a month or so before the snow/cold comes in and stays until march. Spring, maybe mid march through early june, then summer weather (70-100, and sunny most days) through September. This year has been an anomaly, however, because of el nino. This year has been warmer (hardly any snow) and rainier then the norm and the summer seemed to only last from July 5 to around Labor Day.