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Temperature: Seattle is slightly cooler in summer, and slightly warmer in winter, with Portland averaging more freezing temps than Seattle, due to it being on the outflow of the Columbia Gorge. Portland will experience occasional ice storms something that Seattle rarely experiences.
Rainfall: Very similar. Not enough difference to be noticeable. Some have said Seattle seems darker and gloomier than Portland, but there is really no statistical evidence for this, just that Seattle is about 165 miles north of Portland, and may attract more fog and low clouds being closer to a major ocean inlet, Puget Sound.
Temperature: Seattle is slightly cooler in summer, and slightly warmer in winter, with Portland averaging more freezing temps than Seattle, due to it being on the outflow of the Columbia Gorge. Portland will experience occasional ice storms something that Seattle rarely experiences.
Rainfall: Very similar. Not enough difference to be noticeable. Some have said Seattle seems darker and gloomier than Portland, but there is really no statistical evidence for this, just that Seattle is about 165 miles north of Portland, and may attract more fog and low clouds being closer to a major ocean inlet, Puget Sound.
it's more of a drizzle, at least the majority of the time, but that doesn't mean we don't get strong downpours, the downpours particularly come down in November and can cause heavy flooding in the valleys and lowlands.
it's more of a drizzle, at least the majority of the time, but that doesn't mean we don't get strong downpours, the downpours particularly come down in November and can cause heavy flooding in the valleys and lowlands.
I would definitely agree that there are downpours. Watch out for those El Nino years, especially! I used to walk to work, which involved a 20-minute walk. I would arrive at work soaked through to the skin, through my raincoat, and two layers of wool clothing. After that, I had a full-length gore-tex raincoat made. If what some people insist is true--that Seattle rain is drizzle or fine mist--a special raincoat wouldn't be necessary. The fact is, that Seattle gets all kinds of rain. The last time I was there, a couple of years ago, a major typhoon hit, with huge drops of rain blowing sideways all day. If you stepped out of your car to get gas, just opening the car door and stepping out would leave you instantly soaked. I was driving south, and this continued long past Portland.
Although this type of thing doesn't happen frequently, it can settle in for days, when it does happen. You need to be prepared for all manner of rain. You'll need galoshes. (You may not have heard that word since you were a kid, and your mom bundled you up to wait for the school bus on a rainy day.) People in Seattle used to buy those big yellow Sou'Wester rain hats. Haven't seen those in ages, but when you need one, you're glad you have it. I did see gas station attendants wearing them, and full matching yellow rain gear, on that drive south through Oregon.
In all of the coastal PNW, you get these big winter storms (some of the Pineapple Express ones mentioned above, but not all come from the SW) that are basically like cold weather tropical storms, with 30-60 mph winds, downed trees, heavy rain, etc. They can last a whole day, up to maybe 3-4 days. They typically arrive Nov-Jan, but can start as early as late September and as late as about April.
In between those big storms you'll get smaller rainfall events, which contain mostly drizzle and light rain.
Back in 2006 (I think) Seattle had a stretch early in the year where it got measurable rain for more than 40 days in a row.
Portland, temperature-wise, is basically a slightly-more-extreme version of Seattle, since it isn't on the ocean or a sound. Precipitation is about the same.
Yeah, as I posted earlier, the differences are quite small, but can be somewhat pronounced. Bond has it right, Portland can be more extreme temp-wise due to its location away from the ocean or in Seattle's case, The Sound. This explains hotter temps in the warm season, and occasional ice storms coming out of the Gorge from the interior.
The biggest storms in Seattle and Portland are usually right out of the southwest bringing wind, and heavy rain, mostly in the October 15-March 15 window.
One of the biggest happened on Columbus Day 1962. It was indeed noteworthy.
Seattle is cooler in summer. Portland is more prone to ice storms from the gorge. Portland is a bit wetter as Seattle in in a rain shadow. Overall pretty similar. Btw, there is a weather forum here
Last edited by fluffydelusions; 06-16-2018 at 07:20 PM..
People in Seattle used to buy those big yellow Sou'Wester rain hats. Haven't seen those in ages, but when you need one, you're glad you have it. I did see gas station attendants wearing them, and full matching yellow rain gear, on that drive south through Oregon.
REIs Outdoor Research Seattle Sombrero - Gortex brimmed hat is the best for the area. It also helps with the rare sun rays! (It has a chin strap to keep your hat from blowing into Puget Sound on those windy winter days).
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I used to walk to work, which involved a 20-minute walk. I would arrive at work soaked through to the skin, through my raincoat, and two layers of wool clothing. After that, I had a full-length gore-tex raincoat made. If what some people insist is true--that Seattle rain is drizzle or fine mist--a special raincoat wouldn't be necessary. The fact is, that Seattle gets all kinds of rain. The last time I was there, a couple of years ago, a major typhoon hit, with huge drops of rain blowing sideways all day. If you stepped out of your car to get gas, just opening the car door and stepping out would leave you instantly soaked. I was driving south, and this continued long past Portland.
