Bend Fall Weather (Portland, Corvallis, Ashland: real estate, crime, brokers)

[whirnot]

Yep, we have 12" of the white stuff this morning, on the northern front range. Mountains are supposed to get up to 30".
And you are getting the Sunshine.

[delta07]

Originally Posted by whirnot

Yep, we have 12" of the white stuff this morning, on the northern front range. Mountains are supposed to get up to 30".
And you are getting the Sunshine.

Believe me, I'm well aware of what is happening in Colorado right now. My family is still in the Denver area. I will admit that this has been a really nice fall here. Much better than the last two! The past two days, especially at night, have been downright cold, but yes the sun is shining and my attitude appreciates it!

[kapetrich]

Originally Posted by delta07

The past two days, especially at night, have been downright cold, but yes the sun is shining and my attitude appreciates it!

It's true. Yesterday and today have been down right cold. I woke this morning at 8:10am and it was still 16 degrees out. It's around freezing temp now at 10am. Cold front + Clear skies, I suppose.

I can relate to the love of sun, but this early in the season when we get a cold snap like we have, I'd rather see the clouds and snow than the perfect sun! At the end of the season when I'm getting a little tired of winter (this is April/May around here, people!) I'll take this sunny weather any day of the week!

[delta07]

Originally Posted by kapetrich

It's true. Yesterday and today have been down right cold. I woke this morning at 8:10am and it was still 16 degrees out. It's around freezing temp now at 10am. Cold front + Clear skies, I suppose.

I can relate to the love of sun, but this early in the season when we get a cold snap like we have, I'd rather see the clouds and snow than the perfect sun! At the end of the season when I'm getting a little tired of winter (this is April/May around here, people!) I'll take this sunny weather any day of the week!

Kapetrich, I definitely agree with you on this. I actually wouldn't mind seeing some of the white stuff myself. I'm a little jealous of my friends and family in Colorado right now.

Originally Posted by SharkBite

Considering we had one of the hottest Septembers on record, we were probably due for a cold October.

Enjoy the sunny, crisp weather while you can. As you know, the long haul from January -- May is imminent.

Boy, isn't that the truth! I think that's the hardest thing for people, including myself, to grasp. Until you live here you think, hey, I can handle winter I'm from (insert snowy place here). Like so many of us say, it's all relative. It's not so much the winter, but the spring that gets me.

Whirnot, the best way I can explain Bend and the surrounding area is that it's comparable to the high country in Colorado and not the flat lands or Western Slope. After living in Fairplay, CO for almost 5 years, I'd say Bend's weather reminds me a lot of that. Winter comes early and stays a long time. When everyone else around the country is experiencing warm, summer like temps, we are lucky to hit the 60s. If you are prepared for that, and want to live in a more mountainous climate, then I think you'll do great. I wasn't quite prepared and it caught me a little off guard. I also think the difference in light during the winter gets to me. Besides the many cloudy days, the northern latitude of Central Oregon means about an hour less of daylight in the darkest months of winter. It really does affect me.

[whirnot]

Originally Posted by delta07

Kapetrich, I definitely agree with you on this. I actually wouldn't mind seeing some of the white stuff myself. I'm a little jealous of my friends and family in Colorado right now.



Boy, isn't that the truth! I think that's the hardest thing for people, including myself, to grasp. Until you live here you think, hey, I can handle winter I'm from (insert snowy place here). Like so many of us say, it's all relative. It's not so much the winter, but the spring that gets me.

Whirnot, the best way I can explain Bend and the surrounding area is that it's comparable to the high country in Colorado and not the flat lands or Western Slope. After living in Fairplay, CO for almost 5 years, I'd say Bend's weather reminds me a lot of that. Winter comes early and stays a long time. When everyone else around the country is experiencing warm, summer like temps, we are lucky to hit the 60s. If you are prepared for that, and want to live in a more mountainous climate, then I think you'll do great. I wasn't quite prepared and it caught me a little off guard. I also think the difference in light during the winter gets to me. Besides the many cloudy days, the northern latitude of Central Oregon means about an hour less of daylight in the darkest months of winter. It really does affect me.

Delta,
I actually grew up in Aspen so the weather should be pretty much the same. It actually was less sunny there because depending on where you lived, the sun may go behind a mountain at 2:00 in the afternoon. And yes we were used to the short growing season, and were pretty tired of winter by April. I will miss the big snows sometimes, although they are rare here. We got 3 times as much snow as Denver in this storm.

In the mean time we visit Bend several times a year to get a taste of it in all seasons. Next trip mid Dec.

[Sickman]

Originally Posted by whirnot

Delta,
I actually grew up in Aspen so the weather should be pretty much the same. It actually was less sunny there because depending on where you lived, the sun may go behind a mountain at 2:00 in the afternoon. And yes we were used to the short growing season, and were pretty tired of winter by April. I will miss the big snows sometimes, although they are rare here. We got 3 times as much snow as Denver in this storm.

In the mean time we visit Bend several times a year to get a taste of it in all seasons. Next trip mid Dec.

As long as you avoid the shopping malls, should be a great visit!

[kapetrich]

Originally Posted by whirnot

Delta,
I actually grew up in Aspen so the weather should be pretty much the same. It actually was less sunny there because depending on where you lived, the sun may go behind a mountain at 2:00 in the afternoon. And yes we were used to the short growing season, and were pretty tired of winter by April. I will miss the big snows sometimes, although they are rare here. We got 3 times as much snow as Denver in this storm.

In the mean time we visit Bend several times a year to get a taste of it in all seasons. Next trip mid Dec.

FYI - Bend will be warmer than Aspen throughout the year. Bend is colder than the front range, and the like, and our winters definitely last as long as the CO high country, but we don't get nearly as cold at night in the winter (but do in the summer) and our average high throughout the year will be 3-6 degrees warmer.

Our coldest months highs, December & January, are on par with Aspens February (39 Degrees), but our lows during these two coldest months (22 degrees) don't even reach the lows of Aspens 3rd coldest month, February (10 degrees).

Splitting hairs really aside from the winter lows.

[delta07]

Originally Posted by whirnot

Delta,
I actually grew up in Aspen so the weather should be pretty much the same. It actually was less sunny there because depending on where you lived, the sun may go behind a mountain at 2:00 in the afternoon. And yes we were used to the short growing season, and were pretty tired of winter by April. I will miss the big snows sometimes, although they are rare here. We got 3 times as much snow as Denver in this storm.

In the mean time we visit Bend several times a year to get a taste of it in all seasons. Next trip mid Dec.

It definitely sounds like you know what to expect then. Central Oregon is really nice, it's just a shocker weather wise for some people. The snow is different here than Colorado and it's apparent when driving. There are also a lot of people who moved to Bend from areas that don't get snow, so it's not so much the road conditions that scare me, but the other people on the road. Of course, I'm sure you are used to that with I-25 & I-70 as well.

Why Central Oregon, if I may ask? I always get the question as to why we chose to move to Bend from Colorado, and basically it was because we wanted change. However, the isolation from family is really becoming hard for us, especially now that I have nephews in Colorado. I miss being a short drive from family. I can't afford to fly out of Bend much, so I maybe get back once a year if I'm lucky.

[whirnot]

Originally Posted by delta07

It definitely sounds like you know what to expect then. Central Oregon is really nice, it's just a shocker weather wise for some people. The snow is different here than Colorado and it's apparent when driving. There are also a lot of people who moved to Bend from areas that don't get snow, so it's not so much the road conditions that scare me, but the other people on the road. Of course, I'm sure you are used to that with I-25 & I-70 as well.

Why Central Oregon, if I may ask? I always get the question as to why we chose to move to Bend from Colorado, and basically it was because we wanted change. However, the isolation from family is really becoming hard for us, especially now that I have nephews in Colorado. I miss being a short drive from family. I can't afford to fly out of Bend much, so I maybe get back once a year if I'm lucky.

Our only family is in Idaho so that is closer. We are looking at central oregon because we want a little warmer in the winter, and cooler in the summer, which historically Bend is averages 5 degrees milder each way than here. We want to get out of the wind, I absolutely love the thick forests, an hour west of there, I am an avid Fisherman, we love the outdoors, hiking, Snowshoeing, etc. I could not take the gray weather of western Oregon. Being a few hours from the coast is big., and frankly the rapidly changing demographics here is getting to me.
I feel like when I drive down the street the billbords should be in the native language. We want an area that has many amenitites without being a huge city.

If anyone knows of another place that fits that criteria, we would look at that as well.

[delta07]

Originally Posted by whirnot

Our only family is in Idaho so that is closer. We are looking at central oregon because we want a little warmer in the winter, and cooler in the summer, which historically Bend is averages 5 degrees milder each way than here. We want to get out of the wind, I absolutely love the thick forests, an hour west of there, I am an avid Fisherman, we love the outdoors, hiking, Snowshoeing, etc. I could not take the gray weather of western Oregon. Being a few hours from the coast is big., and frankly the rapidly changing demographics here is getting to me.
I feel like when I drive down the street the billbords should be in the native language. We want an area that has many amenitites without being a huge city.

If anyone knows of another place that fits that criteria, we would look at that as well.

I completely understand moving closer to family! It does seem like Central Oregon fits the bill for you. Not so sure about the changing demographics, but I won't argue that here. I do have to disagree with Bend being a little warmer in the winter. Temperature wise it may be, but usually those warmer temps are due to the cloud cover and/or rain. There's are a few older threads here that talk about the winter weather in Oregon. I would suggest reading through these (and perhaps you have).
//www.city-data.com/forum/orego...-sky-bend.html
//www.city-data.com/forum/portl...s-weather.html

I can't seem to find the one where one of the regular posters talked about the city-data graphs, but that one was really an eye opener to me. Basically when comparing Colorado and Bend side by side, looking at the number of cloudy days, Bend has a big bell curve. It might do you well to take a look at those graphs for Bend and Portland, just so you can see what I mean. Summers are virtually cloud free for both, winters not so much.

I think it's great that you are visiting during all the different seasons though. That will help make your decision much easier. Bend is a great place to live, the weather, for my husband and I, is a just a little too PNW influenced. I always joke that I didn't move to Bend to be in the PNW, haha!