[HappyFarm34]

Michigan been feeling much like Seattle this Summer so far. Plenty of rainy days, overcast skies & cooler temps. I don't even think it has hit over 85 degrees yet in GR area rhis Summer.

[Nedibes]

Originally Posted by Giesela

I don't think I realized how bad it was

Average Annual Sunshine by USA State - Current Results


% sun # of hours clear days

Oregon Portland 48 2341 68

Washington Seattle 47 2170 58

Michigan Lansing 51 2392 71


And here I was thinking I could never retire in the PNW because of the lack of sun. But it
beats Michigan! Who knew.

It doesn't look to me as if the PNW "beats" Michigan--both Oregon and Washington average a lower percentage of time between sunrise and sunset when sun reaches the ground (% sun--I guess this is some function of latitude and altitude?), a lower number of total sunny hours per year (# of hours), and a lower number of days with 30% cloud cover or less (clear days).

If what you want is more sun, Michigan is actually beating Washington by quite a bit--222 more hours of sun every year, and 13 more generally clear days.

We're definitely down there, though--other than OR and WA, it looks like only Ohio, New York, Vermont, and Alaska have fewer hours of sun per year.

The thing that always killed me about Michigan (at least in Lansing) is how jaggy the sunny/cloudy days are. Sometimes it feels like only about twenty of those 2392 sunny hours happen between November and March, and then July/August are relentlessly sunny. May and June are just about paradise, though .

[bonni0827]

Does not even feel like summer here at all. Our winters are so long and gray, that every day of sun here counts!

[Nephler]

It's been quite wonderful in the tip of the mitt area (Bliss, MI). Temps have been right about average, low to mid 70's, very little rain (though we sure do need rain), and few cloudy days so far this season. Also, and thankfully, no days in the 80's or 90's...yet.

[Giesela]

One of the reasons I looked this up was I was up in Lansing early April and every store I went into the clerk ringing me up as I left would say - well enjoy the sun! Or Enjoy the sunny day!

It was a bit of a brisk cold wind day with a washed out high blue sky and a weak sun. But it was sun.

The first couple of times it didn't register. But as the day wore on I started to think - what have these people been through? They almost seemed traumatized

[frandollow]

Basically the June and July is the time to come rain. And after this 2 month rain is rarely seen.

[mgkeith]

Are you kidding!? The weather has been gorgeous! Spring and summer, both. Now, from what I hear, some parts of the metro area have gotten an unusual lot of rain, but where I live it's been perfect.

[mgkeith]

We visited Las Vegas and Arizona last spring. It was a lot of fun, but I wouldn't like the lack of green and the smog. The glaring sun was less pretty because so few trees.

[michmoldman]

Up here in NW lower MI it has been for the most part a beautiful Spring and Summer. If people complain about this, you really should move.

[chh]

Don't know about anyone else, but I love cloudy days. I don't like direct sunlight that much, when it's cloudy and warm it's perfect. Michigan's weather is perfect for me, at least in the summer