Snow and Ice in Spokane, WA

[sarah j.]

Hi! We also live in SoCal and are moving to Spokane in July too! What are your main reasons for leaving? Have you visited Spokane more than once, or was this winter your first trip?
Are you planning to rent or buy when you get there?
Do you know the main differences between living in Spokane and SPokane Valley-- like Veradale?
Thanks for any help you may have!
Sarah Jackson

[lady_jet]

Hi Sarah J.:

Sorry for the confusion, but I don't live in Spokane. We moved to Walla Walla, WA, 6 years ago after living in SoCal for 3 years then in Nevada City, in Northern CA, for 3 years. Before that I lived in Seattle for 20 years. I've hiked and camped throughout Washington State from the Rain Forest in the Ho area, to Ocean Shores, to Okanagan, to Spokane, to the Columbia Gorge and pretty much all over. Been to the Concerts in George, WA, and the Hendrixx museum in Seattle. Been to much of Spokane, and even bought two alpacas in Nine Mile Falls, north of Spokane.

Spokane has a lot going for it, as does the Spokane Valley, but I've never lived there. I've spent weekends and vacations in and around the area, but mostly in campgrounds and the occasional restaurant. But then I've lived in the state for over 25 years.

The main reasons we left California was stress by the preponderance of people living there, the traffic (or should I say parking lots) on the freeways, the long commutes, no seasonal changes worth mentioning, it's very, very expensive, and property was too expensive, plus we know someone here whom my husband went into business with, so it was worth the move. We're happy we move here because it doesn't get much snow. We've had 3-4" this whole winter and most of it melted in a few weeks. I hate shoveling having grown up in WI with 20' of snow in the winter and the wind chills. I love skiing, but we'd both rather drive to the ski resorts than to have to do major shoveling by living in it.

The snow drop varies in Spokane from year to year and I've heard this is a huge year for snow. I'm not sure how much sunshine you will have in the winter as well, which can become very disturbing to Californians who've been born and raised down south. You might consider living some place in the state with more sunshine: Sequim (pronounced Squim like Skwim, not like Sequin). They get 364 days of sunshine a year. Even Walla Walla gets more sunshine than Spokane in the winter. My husband told me that he didn't want to live in Seattle because of all the grayness and rain, and it worked out that Walla Walla met our needs.

Now if the reason you're moving here is School, that's a good reason to live up there. It's cheaper to live in the area you're going to school. Actually, there's another person on the list who's also going to school in Spokane and one that went to school there. Now they'd be the people you should ask questions of. I went to college in Stout, WI, so...don't know much of the school's except for the University of WA in Seattle and Whitman College here.

Good luck with your move in July, but July is very different than the winters. If you can, get a chance to come up while there's still snow on the ground so you can see if you like it. Check out the weather now and the temp to see if it meets your needs, but again, if you're moving due to school, well, it won't be for your whole life...

Take care and Good luck.

Jet

[Artemesia]

Hey Ya'll, Southern Utah/LV gal here and anticipating moving to Spokane in a few years when my man retires. ( I still get to work and support us in a style we'll have to get used to). It's interesting to read the local take on the snow there. I'm insulated R-30 so well conditioned for the snow but my husband has lived in Vegas for 25 years or so and may groan about it for a while. I think the access to water and cooler (this is relative considering the 2,000 degree days in Vegas) weather of the NW and access to the mountains or rivers may compensate for the snowy winters. He likes cool man tools so would be first in line to buy a snow blower. It looks like he'd put some mileage on it.

Right now we have a Subaru Outback and a Saturn but anticipate having to replace them in the next three years. What vehicles seem to work best in the climate variances you'all get there? I really like my roo but a new one would require me getting a second husband or a second job, and I'm pretty sure my first husband would have a problem with either one.

I look forward to hearing from you on this forum.

[kena]

My current Subaru is fantastic for the climate. It is a great snow car and comes in handy for getting out and doing outdoors stuff. That said, I've done fine with standard front wheel drive sedans as well. The winter the cars you want to avoid are rear wheel drive and some pickups (lack of weight over rear wheels).