Compare Seattle weather vs London weather (averages, temperature, Chicago, storms)

[XXclimberX]

Originally Posted by Botev1912

I know person from Seattle who has lived in England for 2 years and he said Seattle weather is much better all the time. What do you think about that

London's weather is almost a carbon copy of Seattle, the difference is little. It does rain in Seattle more though.

[johannesl]

Originally Posted by pw72

Source: The Weather Channel

January: London average Hi 44, Lo 32, Seattle Hi 46, Lo 36
July: London average Hi 71, Lo 52, Seattle Hi 75, Lo 55

So pretty close. Hoewever, there are variables. Average wind speed is higher in London year-round. Rainfall is heavier in Seattle during winter, and drier during summer.

So climates are pretty close with just a few variables. Actually, London looks like almost a carbon copy of Vancouver B.C.

Originally Posted by Botev1912

Every day I open weather.com and I see in London the rain is much heavier and doesn't stop. In Seattle is just dark

In fact, London receives considerably LESS rainfall than either Vancouver OR Seattle. One of the biggest factors influeuncing the climate of London is that the summer High Pressure Zone (the Azores High Pressure Cell) is less marked, pressures are lower (and the air therefore contains more water) and London in summer can be quite cloudy, with spotty drizzle, although the city gets only 25 inches of rain per year.

Vancouver and Seattle both are influenced in summer by the Eastern Pacific High Pressure Cell, which is more intense, and keeps both cities drier in summer.

Conversely, in winter, they both get a string of low pressure systems, bringing rainstorm after rainstorm.

Vancouver gets more rainfall than Seattle simply because of its North Shore Mountains, which force the air upwards vertiginously, causing a heavier, more bursting rain than the lighter drizzle of Seattle.

Seattle in Winter is walled off from the East by the High Cascades. Vancouver is at the mouth of fjords and the large Fraser Valley. As a result, Vancouver gets more cold snaps in winter than Seattle, and Seattle shows signs of spring a week or two earlier.

Having said all that, it is interesting to compare sunshine hours and rainfall between the three cities.

London gets 25 inches of rain per year, and 1600 hours (approx) of bright sunlight.

Vancouver gets 50 inches of rain per year, and about 1800 hours of bright sunlight.

Seattle gets 35 inches of rain a year, and about 2000 hours of bright sunlight.

So the real winner (if warm and dry is what you want) is Seattle.
Vancouver is usually a bit cooler in summer because it is on the large body of water, Georgia Strait. But both cities are comfortable if and when they get hot.

London, conversely, being on an island, and in a lower pressure zone, can feel muggy and damp even when it gets over 80°F.

And of course, in the case of both Vancouver an Seattle, with their complex geography, each city region has "microclimates" that can vary considerably from place to place within a distance of 25 miles or less.

[Gentoo]

Very interesting. That oceanic/marine climate seems pretty consistent from place to place.

[TotalFat]

My dad HATED the weather in England. He moved us to Texas. I HATE the weather here so I'm moving us to Seattle. HA!

[Seacove]

The weather is similar but London in the winter has a chilly wind that can go right down your shirt. You don't see too many people wearing scarves around their necks in Seattle, but in London, if you don't have one, you'll want one by the second day.

Most people dont seem to realize that most areas of Northern and Western Europe have a similar climate to Seattle, and that Seattle gets as much sunshine or even more sunshine than those places. The cities of London, England, Paris, France, and Amsterdam, Netherlands actually get 400 hours less sunshine than Seattle per year(I think that equals 40-70 days less of sunshine).

I usually see more people complain about it towards Seattle than those other cities, and even more than Vancouver, Canada If someone has a better attitude about weather like that, it can make them feel better about it.

Looks like cloudy/rainy weather can be good for people after all for all these great cities to exist in that kind of climate

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by NaturalUrbanBalence

Most people dont seem to realize that most areas of Northern and Western Europe have a similar climate to Seattle, and that Seattle gets as much sunshine or even more sunshine than those places. The cities of London, England, Paris, France, and Amsterdam, Netherlands actually get 400 hours less sunshine than Seattle per year(I think that equals 40-70 days less of sunshine)

I usually see more people complain about it towards Seattle than those other cities, and even more than Vancouver, Canada If someone has a better attitude about weather like that, it can make them feel better about it.

Looks like cloudy/rainy weather can be good for people after all for all these great cities to exist in that kind of climate

This is exactly what I've always said! London, Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris and Copenhagen all have this "marine" climate. One thing all these cities have in common is a high literacy rate and generally intelligent population...sound familiar? Our very own Seattle is America's most underrated city. From what I've heard in the past, there's something about rain and cooler air that removes pollutants and makes the air more pure allowing more oxygen to the brain. I don't know, something I saw on Discovery or some other channel. Whatever the reasons, this in my opinion, makes Seattle a real gem of a city.

To Gentoo: I agree!

[pw72]

Hah! Rain equals brain power! Love it.

[Redline]

Originally Posted by Gentoo

This is exactly what I've always said! London, Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris and Copenhagen all have this "marine" climate. One thing all these cities have in common is a high literacy rate and generally intelligent population...sound familiar? Our very own Seattle is America's most underrated city. From what I've heard in the past, there's something about rain and cooler air that removes pollutants and makes the air more pure allowing more oxygen to the brain. I don't know, something I saw on Discovery or some other channel. Whatever the reasons, this in my opinion, makes Seattle a real gem of a city.

I think when the weather is bad people just stay indoors and read books, study, work, etc. because there are only so many things you can do when the weather is crappy outside.