Anchorage "Gloominess" like Seattle/Portland? (Bethel, Barrow: maintenance, live)

[Iakovos Bond]

I posted a similar topic on the Anchorage forum, but there is some disagreement there, so I thought I would post this question here to try to get some more input.

How does Anchorage's weather compare with Seattle/Portland as far as the gloominess of winter (or any of the other seasons for that matter). I would think that having snow on the ground Nov-March/April would help with those dark days, because at least snow is pretty (when you are not shoveling it all day).

As for the summer, even though you get more daylight in Anchorage, do the clouds give the same dreary or gloomy feeling that one gets in the Pacific Northwest during their cloudy seasons?

Thank you very much for your replies!

[warptman]

You'll get the same answers here.

[gobrien]

Yes, same answers, we go to both forums.

[Iakovos Bond]

Originally Posted by gobrien

Yes, same answers, we go to both forums.

Then I apologize for clogging up the forum....

[gobrien]

Originally Posted by Iakovos Bond

Then I apologize for clogging up the forum....

Well, you had no way of knowing what a small group of people we have posting in Alaska

[ShipOfFools42]

Heh, it's funny, for such a small group, this is still the most active C-D forum I have ever seen. And perhaps the most colorful as well.

[roadfamily6now]

Originally Posted by ShipOfFools42

Heh, it's funny, for such a small group, this is still the most active C-D forum I have ever seen. And perhaps the most colorful as well.

that's cuz we's awesome!

[cjg5]

Originally Posted by ShipOfFools42

Heh, it's funny, for such a small group, this is still the most active C-D forum I have ever seen. And perhaps the most colorful as well.

I agree! Most active, colorful, friendly, by far the most community like of any I've seen, and overall the most on top of it! In the Washington forum I requested if anybody near Banks Lake could post a picture of the lower water levels. (They are draining the lake, which is man made, way down temporarily for dam maintenance). This was a number of days ago, and not a single person has replied. I can't help but think that if this were going on in Alaska and I had made a similar request here, I'm sure that not only would at least someone have replied or discussed it, there probably would have been someone willing to snap a photo or two to share as well!

[ShipOfFools42]

^ Yeah, quite possibly a whole photo essay for that matter. To me it seems to boil down to state pride, at least from what I can tell. People are very proud of Alaska and proud that they live there (and well they should be!), so they want to come here and talk about it and share information about it with others who are not as well-informed. Before I started reading this forum, I had no idea where Bethel, Barrow, Kotzebue, Willow, Glennallen, Valdez, etc. were located, and now I know more about Alaska geography than I probably do about North Carolina! For one, it's a lot more interesting, and for another, there are so many informative people on here.

So what was the verdict? Is Anchorage gloomy? You won't find me there in this lifetime, but I'm still kinda curious if it's similar to Seattle or Portland. The PNW as a general area (mostly OR and WA) has always seemed like an area that I would dislike, because it rains too much, and it never snows. Or, it may snow, depending on where your definition of the PNW begins and ends. But still, I couldn't do it, and I couldn't do SE Alaska either. No roads, too much water (I like inland areas), and too much rain. Blah.

[roadfamily6now]

I have not lived in either Portland or Seattle but I have lived very close (ie: Whidbey Island and Ocean Shores) as well as frequent visits to Seattle.
Personally I find Anchorage to be much "gloomier" then Either Seattle or Portland (at least my expectations of Portland). Granted I have about 3 years in Anchorage and 3 years combined in the PNW region so I don't have a ton of years to compare to............. but Anchorage is cold, dark and wet. If my choices were to move to one of the 3 cities based soley upon climate I'd pick Portland or Seattle anyday over Anchorage.