Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Over here in Southern California, assuming it's a non-drought year, winters can be very rainy, and you hardly have to wash your car; the rain washes the cars quite clean, because the rain is quite heavy.
However, most summers are very dry and go by without a drop of rain; during this time, you certainly do have to wash your car. Making matters worse is that mornings are often foggy; the fog water droplets left behind on your car leave behind alot of dust when they dry up later in the afternoon.
Same goes with watering lawns. Sprinklers in Southern California are seldom set during a normal winter, but they're set almost every day in the bone-dry summers.
What about those of you who live in rainy climates (i.e. at least 40 inches of precipitation?) In particular, I am interested in areas like Houston, New Orleans, or Singapore, where there is plenty of rain year round, in contrast to places like Miami, whose winters are much drier than the summers, or Seattle, where the summers are much drier than the winters.
Of course, people from Miami and Seattle can answer too!
My city averages 45" of rainfall annually, spread out pretty evenly throughout the year.
In the 3 years that I've lived here, I've never had to water the lawn/garden. I haven't seen a lawn sprinkler since I've been here, either. The last time I saw lawn sprinklers was when I lived in the Detroit Metro area (33" rainfall annually).
I do wash the car in winter to get the road salt off it periodically because that stuff will eat your car up with rust. Ever wonder why Southern cars sell for so much more up North?
I lived in New Orleans for about a year and a half and it's very green and lush in the surrounding area. Very high humidity all the time and the rain tends to fall in sheets rather than drops, lol. We grew our houseplants outside and they turned into monsters.
I give anyone credit who can live in dry climates because I couldn't do it. I need rain, clouds, snow, trees, greenery and absolutely have to be around water--preferably lakes. BIG lakes
92 inches/year in SE Alaska, where there aren't many well tended lawns and no need to water those in existance because rainfall is well distributed throughout year.
Some people never wash their cars either. You can identify these by the rust eating up their sheet metal and/or frame and green mold growing on them.
Rainfall in populated area in the western part of my region, varies between 55 inches and 150 inches.
Cars need plenty of washing due to mud, pollen and dust, throughout the year, although plenty don't bother.
Lawns need watering, even in wetter parts, during the summer months. Even at a summer average of 10 inches a month, lawns can still dry out during drier periods.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,553 posts, read 81,085,957 times
Reputation: 57723
We get about 60" of rain annually, most years we can depend on dry weather only from July 5th through August, though this year we have had 3-4 days of rain during that time. I will wash and wax the cars in October to get ready for winter, and after that only if we get snow and sanded roads, otherwise they have to hold out until spring. I'll wash them after our dose of yellow pollen from the fir trees, and maybe 1-2 times in the later spring and summer as needed.
The lawn only needs watering about 3-4 times in July and August. Most people let it brown out over summer but I prefer to keep it slightly green. Because of the cold winters and dry summers, we only have to mow about April-June, and September-October. This year I have mowed twice since June.
It's funny you asked about Singapore. Well, people from Singapore don't own cars and live in high-rises so they don't have lawns (car ownership is less than 10% and detached single houses are almost unheard of).
Average annual rainfall in San Antonio is 30.38", but averages mean little here. Forty inches of rain may fall in one year, but the next year there may be less than 20", or several weeks without a drop of rain.
I wash my car when it looks filthy, regardless of anything.
My grass is pretty healthy. I pamper it in the Spring and it holds up quite well without much watering during the Summer. It gets dry, but the roots are strong enough to survive during those infrequent rains.
Houston annual rainfall is around 50" , but in Summer is very hot and two- three days without rain can seriously damage your lawn. People have sprinklers, and use them if there is no rain for few days - 4am is a good time to water the lawn.
Houston annual rainfall is around 50" , but in Summer is very hot and two- three days without rain can seriously damage your lawn. People have sprinklers, and use them if there is no rain for few days - 4am is a good time to water the lawn.
nah, im in lake charles but visit houston frequently, and id say a week or so without rain is when those issues start. of course, its largely dependent on the type of soil you have, or the amount of rain you received before a given dry spell.
Olympia, Wa here... 50” and 163 precip days mostly all between Oct-May/June. Summer is dry here and the only time we have to wash our car. Rest of the year no need.
It's funny you asked about Singapore. Well, people from Singapore don't own cars and live in high-rises so they don't have lawns (car ownership is less than 10% and detached single houses are almost unheard of).
I understand, but what about among the ten percent who do own cars?
People may not have lawns, but there are many parks in Singapore. Do those parks need sprinklers, or can they count on rain alone?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
