What would you rate Oregon's weather? (Portland, Salem: to live in, moving to, swimming)

[kadylady]

I love the seasons. Especially, the Fall. Don't much care for over 90 temps (in Oregon or anywhere), but the weather that really can get to me, is the "freezing fog". Sometimes for days on end. It seems to chill me to the bone.
But, it's all part of the package, and I try to always remember that!

[Deezus]

I give Oregon weather a solid B- year-round.

Summer-Early Fall is an A
Fall is a B+
Winter is a C
Spring is a C+

[YellowHorse]

Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell

I have never understood people who gripe about Oregon weather, which I think is just about perfect.

There are only a couple common weather conditions that limit my outdoor activities. The most common is mid-winter when it is 33 degrees and raining. It's hard to stay dry, and standing in ice water all day makes it impossible to stay warm. The other really bad weather is also in the winter, with below freezing temperatures and a 20+ mph wind. You don't see that anywhere on the west side of the Cascades except at the mouth of the Gorge, but it's fairly common on the east side. I also hate working outside any time the temperature climbs above 90 degrees, but I learned long ago how to make my own electrolyte solution, and have sweated out over 2 gallons a day from time to time. 1996 was particularly ugly, with 25 days over 100 degrees.

The rest of the time, the weather is practically ideal. Heavy rain is almost always warm, in the 50s just like the Pacific Ocean. A good set of rain gear is all you need - no rubber suits. Most days the rain is intermittent, and not particularly heavy. A light waterproof jacket and hat are all I need to be comfortable and dry outside. I do have a big Camp-Dry budget.

And that's the worst of it. Go outside this morning. It was 44 degrees at dawn, with a beautiful blue sky and the high temperature forecast in the mid-70s. That's as close to heaven as it gets on this earth.

I'm with Larry. Western Oregon's weather is just about perfect.
When I lived in Oregon, I LOVED that it was not sunny most mornings. I loved the cool, fresh, moist air in the mornings and I loved the rain, used to go walking in the rain all the time .
Down here in the Cali sun and heat, I literally wilt. And there is no reprieve from it most of the year .

[PNW-type-gal]

I live east of the Cascades and the only weather thing I'd wish for is about a month less late winter/early spring. In the great scheme of things, that's pretty minor. I like the summers (sunny but not too hot, I don't do well much above 90), and especially the fall (gorgeous, crisp days), early winter (first snow is always a fun thing). But by March or so, I'm ready for spring, and it won't be here until late April/early May - the last two La Nina years, later than that, even.

Lived in the Portland area for 28 years and could never acclimate to all the heavy overcast right on top of my head in late fall/winter/early spring. We had a 200' tall Douglas Fir at the end of the street and, on a lot of winter days, the top of the tree was hidden in the grey. Not sure how this works out, but now we live 4,400' higher but the cloud ceiling is always much higher, it rarely has that closed-in feeling.

[vk40]

Still deciding whether or not a move to Eugene is in the future. Mainly it's the weather I need to become accustomed to. Here in WY we have sun pretty much every day unless it's storming. In the summer it's hot and so dry (it's rare to have rain in the summer any more), and in the winter the sun is shining brightly off the snow, but it can still be below zero. Yes, we have many sunny days in the winter in the 20's, 30's and 40's, but you still have to try to ride your bike or walk on ice, or slushy roads. And we don't have much green here specially in the winter time. It definitely would be a trade-off.

[Larry Caldwell]

I have cousins in Wyoming, and have spent quite a bit of time there. Wyoming winters are definitely different from Oregon! However, I remember mornings in the fall when it was so still and dry I could be comfortable outside in a T-shirt even though it was below freezing. The altitude also helps during hot weather. Sweat evaporates faster and cools better than it does near sea level.

If you let clouds and showers scare you, Oregon weather will make you a prisoner. If you work in an office, you may not see the sun for days at a time, but if you get outside you will find there are frequent breaks in the weather. I keep telling people, get your hat, get your rain gear, and go.

[vk40]

Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell

I have cousins in Wyoming, and have spent quite a bit of time there. Wyoming winters are definitely different from Oregon! However, I remember mornings in the fall when it was so still and dry I could be comfortable outside in a T-shirt even though it was below freezing. The altitude also helps during hot weather. Sweat evaporates faster and cools better than it does near sea level.

If you let clouds and showers scare you, Oregon weather will make you a prisoner. If you work in an office, you may not see the sun for days at a time, but if you get outside you will find there are frequent breaks in the weather. I keep telling people, get your hat, get your rain gear, and go.

I can only imagine how different the winters are here! It's always funny when we hit the fifties here in Spring- it's like a heat wave and we are all out without coats. Fall is beautiful in Wy. I think it's basically the winters that I can't handle any more. When I was a kid we used to get so much snow I remember being able to jump off the roof of our home into it, plus we had rainstorms at least twice a week in the summers. Now it's just dry most of the summer long, and winters have much less snow but a lot of freezing temps. When it's almost painful to just be outside for thirty seconds, it's plain miserable weather! I'm not so sure if the clouds and showers would scare me. ????? I guess I wouldn't know until I spent a winter there. I'd like to think that it would be much easier to get out in that type of weather to be active. I have had many falls in walks in the snow here- and I'm lucky I haven't been seriously hurt. It would be nice to just be dealing with rain I think.

[Larry Caldwell]

Welcome to summer in Oregon, the worst weather of the year. I have never understood people who think blue skies and temperatures between 90 and 100 are good weather. Good for getting out of, maybe. I had to get up at 6 AM to mow my lawn, or risk heat exhaustion.

And of course, there is the object lesson of the rest of the country, which has been sweltering all summer long. Oh well, we had a great July, and only have to put up with August before the weather starts to improve again.

[Squidlo]

Said it before and I will say it again. Oregonians should get a tax break for Gore-tex. Simply the best fabric on the planet for Portland and most of Oregon. Gore-tex keeps you dry and it breathes.

If you don't mind the drizzle, weather in Oregon is an A.
If you don't mind cloudy weather, Oregon is an A.

I don't think I ever planned a camping trip in Oregon without packing something for the weather, jackets, tarps and the like just in case we got a shower.

Rain does not stop the fun.. You do.

[karlsch]

The highest and lowest scores are thrown out.