The truth about the Islands weather?? (Seattle, Bellingham: appointed, renting, home)

[Drunken Pelican]

My husband, myself and our two small children are looking for a big change. We are working on a move to the North Washington coast specifically San Juan (Joseph Harbor), Bellingham, Anacortes or Port Townsend. So far, everything about the area, schools, small communities, recreation and so on fit exactly what we are looking for.

Skip next 2 paragraphs if you dont want to read about Chicago weather
We are from Chicago so are no strangers to miserable weather. If you are not familiar with real Chicago weather, here is a summary. Miserable, hot, humid days (85-100 degrees) and rain are the majority in the summer. Spring & fall have the mild temps but are very short and rainy. Winter barely snows enough to ever use the snow (ski or sled). Winds are high. Subzero temps are peppered throughout warmer 35-40 degree days were you get a lot of freezing rain and sleet (with high winds).

I would say that out of 352 days in the year, about 30 to 40 days are days that you would actually like or want to be outdoors. Better hope you are not working or have some previous engagement. We are outdoor people and feel trapped by the weather here. In the last two years we have tried to plan local weekend camping trips and could not pull it off due to weather not even once in 2 years! We ended up packing up the whole family and going camping in Glacier & Yellowstone! I love to paddle board too. I went once in two summers! Ridiculous!


Here is my question for you locals:
So far I have heard a lot of conflicting information regarding the weather in and around the Islands. Can I have an honest answer on what to expect in JUST the areas I have listed above?

I have heard all about the Seattle weather and its surrounding burbs. The rain, the gloom, the gray skies. And I have heard the islands are very much the same (nearly exactly) and then I have heard almost the opposite. That the Islands enjoy over 250 days of sunshine a year and it is mild, 70's and beautiful in the summer with very mild winters too. (something about being on the right side of a mountain??) And then I've also heard its more like somewhere in between with beautiful summers and miserable gray cold and wet/damp winters.

Im just looking for some straight answers so we wont be surprised or disappointed. We are no strangers to miserable weather but we are hoping for a "weather improvement"! lol

Thank you Thank you!!

[Hemlock140]

The San Juans and Whidbey Island are partly in the rain shadow and get less rain than Seattle, and not as cold. Rainfall is 20-30" (more at north parts) compared to 40 in Seattle.
Most of that difference is from May and June when we get constant drizzle that mostly misses the Islands.

On the down side, it only gets to 70p in the San Juans in summer and is much windier more often. Living there also has it's inconveniences, if you are into the amenities that require long trips to Seattle, especially in summer with all of the tourist traffic.

[Drunken Pelican]

Hemlock-
Thanks for a super fast answer!

Rain shadow?

Would you say Bellingham & Anacortes get better weather than the Islands. My husband is working on a telecommuting situation with his work so he can work from home so the ferry and other commuting issues are not a problem. We will be on a middle class budget and will start out renting. We just very much want to move to an area were we can enjoy the outdoors, the people, and find a "home". We have felt like fish out of water our whole lives here. We stay for our big families but its time we start thinking how and where we want to raise our children.

My concern is that we will move and the weather there (rain or high winds or whatever) will stop us from doing all the things the area has to offer.

[poopskooper]

There are lots of good explanations of the "rain shadow" but I like this one that gives a good map and some comparative precipitation totals of places both inside and outside the rain shadow:

Olympic Rain Shadow Map and Location

Sequim, on the "north coast" is one location infamous for being in the rain shadow and having substantially less precipitation than the rest of western Washington. A lot of Seattle folk actually retire to Sequim to get away from the rain that they were used to.



eta: the map shown on the page above more-or-less shows the heart of the rain shadow. The KOMO map in this link will show in yellow, a more extended area that can be called the rain shadow or sometimes referred to as the "banana belt." The KOMO map shows more of the San Juans as being in the shadow.

No, Bellingham is not in the shadow.

And rain does not prevent a true northwesterner from doing things that the area has to offer. So even if you do decide to move somewhere that isn't in the shadow, get some good rain gear and enjoy!

[Ira500]

Originally Posted by Drunken Pelican

Hemlock-
Thanks for a super fast answer!

Rain shadow?

Would you say Bellingham & Anacortes get better weather than the Islands. My husband is working on a telecommuting situation with his work so he can work from home so the ferry and other commuting issues are not a problem. We will be on a middle class budget and will start out renting. We just very much want to move to an area were we can enjoy the outdoors, the people, and find a "home". We have felt like fish out of water our whole lives here. We stay for our big families but its time we start thinking how and where we want to raise our children.

My concern is that we will move and the weather there (rain or high winds or whatever) will stop us from doing all the things the area has to offer.

"The islands" don't have one kind of weather. Coupeville gets a tiny amount of rain, but Langley, further south on Whidbey, gets almost twice as much. Coupeville is a very nice place, as is Port Townsend. Both of those places get almost the least amount of rain Western Washington. The prize goes to Sequim, which has beautiful views and nice weather, but has a lot of seniors and Californians. If seniors and Californians are not a turn off, check out Sequim. But Port Townsend and Coupeville are both old, cool cities. Being that the population of these places is small, it might no be so easy finding a place to live. Anacortes is a little bigger, and gets slightly more rain. Bellingham is a great place, but gets as much rain as Seattle. Port Angeles is kind of nice too, but the rainfall can vary tremendously, depending on where in Port Angeles you are.

[Hemlock140]

We raised 3 kids in Sammamish which gets more rain than Seattle, and it never stopped them from outdoor activities. I have been here 20 years and have only used an umbrella while watching their soccer games. Even when I was coaching I didn't use one, most of the season it's just a light, misty rain and a hood will do. Coming from other climates, the lack of sun is more of an issue than the rain. Most of the rain shadow" areas still get rain, just an extra month or two of dry and they do get some sun for an hour or two in the afternoon when other areas don't. There are places between Sequim and Port Angeles like where my parents live that get only 10" of rain annually, but being right behind the mountains they do get frost earlier and it's colder in winter.

[sll3454]

Originally Posted by Drunken Pelican

I would say that out of 352 days in the year, . . .

Welcome to earth! You'll love it here; we get 13 more days/year than Chicago.

Cross Bellingham off. It's weather is similar to the rest of the mainland.

[CarawayDJ]

The site that poopskooper posted is a great one. It even has a tab that shows sunshine studies. It's about the only objective info you will find. You can easily find two people living in the same are give vastly conflicting opinions on the rain shadow. That site gives you the facts in both rain totals as well as the amount of sunshine.

[Ruth4Truth]

Consider Port Townsend, Sequim, and Port Angeles. They're much sunnier than anywhere in Western WA. The islands have a reputation for better summers, but it doesn't always work out that way. I've spent some very rainy summers there. It's hit-or-miss. The main consideration is that they're isolated (which some people prefer), so getting to the mainland for anything (entertainment, vacations, major shopping trips) takes forever on the ferries, and isn't practical in the summers, due to heavy tourist traffic. Good things to keep in mind. The islands are a great place to raise kids, though. Very rural.

[ShastatoBaker]

This could be helpful.