Month-by-month weather description (Portland, Phoenix, Mission: transplants, live in, heating bill)

[fojo]

Originally Posted by oldtintype

Thank you for writing a more realistic description!!

You're welcome, though it's simply been my experience-up-to-this-point. I haven't had the opportunity to "generalize"

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by Supernova7

So where is the "mild" winters? Everyone says that Portland temps are mild but according to the writings here they're quite cold. Can someone considering moving there look forwards to warm temps outside of the months of June and July?

I think the whole concept of "Mild Winters" is a Very relative thing. For example I moved from California to Colorado. Now that I am here in Colorado any day above freezing in the winter is "mild." So yes 30-40s during the day is mild for me now. Cold winter days involve snow, blizzards, black ice and single digit temps during the day.

Oh and forget about that 'gentle rain' from September thru April. Think snow and freezing temps. And this is probably true for much of the country. The wierdest part for me to get used to was 5 degrees and sunny out. And Colorado is known to have "Mild" winters compared the rest of the mid-west.

Now if you are used to California, Hawaii or Florida climates, then 30-40s during the winter is "Not Mild" - its Cold.

So the question is how willing do you think you are to adapt to the "New Mild?" LOL...

[tpstf8]

Hello everyone. I'll be moving to Portland around Decemeber to finish up a masters degree, and all this weather talk has got me thinking. I'm from the mid-west (St. Louis) and I am not terribly familiar with living in a wet/rainy environment. Just wondering if any one could give me some suggestions about how I should plan to dress. I take it a decent rain jacket might me a good investment. Kind of a random question, but any info would be appreciated.

[nancy thereader]

May I throw out my LL Bean down jackets before I move to Portland ? How about my thermal snow boots & long underwear ?

[oldtintype]

Yes, and then head on over to the Columbia Sportswear outlet once you get here to get your gortex jacket!

[PDXster]

Living in the area for my whole life, the rain isn't as bad as some make it out to be. We're hundreds of miles away from any tropical influence, so rain is usually pretty chilly and light here outside of the few thunderstorms and Pineapple Express' that we get every year. The winters are tolerable from a temperature standpoint. The urban areas in the city don't get below freezing too much during the winter, but rural and suburban areas will see freezes more often than not in the winter. Coldest I've ever seen it get here is 5 above zero, and daytime highs rarely drop below 40 in the winter (coldest I've ever seen it here during the day is 15).

Summers are pleasant. 10-15 days over 90 and maybe a day over 100 on average. Little humidity, and nothing that is oppressive. Between June and September we're lucky to see any steady rain. Maybe one or two real rainstorms per summer. Things are usually pretty brown by the end of the season.

It is all about perspective though. If you're from California, then our summers will feel cool and the winters will feel frigid, and it probably will feel a little more humid in the summer. If you're from the East or Midwest, the only real adjustment would be the cloudy and rainy days during the winter. In a given November, December, or January, we usually only see 5 sunny days per month. Some winters are sunnier than others, and in others you won't see the sun for weeks. Personally, I love our rain and our climate. Wouldn't trade it in for anything.

[Supernova7]

Originally Posted by PDXster

Living in the area for my whole life, the rain isn't as bad as some make it out to be. We're hundreds of miles away from any tropical influence, so rain is usually pretty chilly and light here outside of the few thunderstorms and Pineapple Express' that we get every year. The winters are tolerable from a temperature standpoint. The urban areas in the city don't get below freezing too much during the winter, but rural and suburban areas will see freezes more often than not in the winter. Coldest I've ever seen it get here is 5 above zero, and daytime highs rarely drop below 40 in the winter (coldest I've ever seen it here during the day is 15).

Summers are pleasant. 10-15 days over 90 and maybe a day over 100 on average. Little humidity, and nothing that is oppressive. Between June and September we're lucky to see any steady rain. Maybe one or two real rainstorms per summer. Things are usually pretty brown by the end of the season.

It is all about perspective though. If you're from California, then our summers will feel cool and the winters will feel frigid, and it probably will feel a little more humid in the summer. If you're from the East or Midwest, the only real adjustment would be the cloudy and rainy days during the winter. In a given November, December, or January, we usually only see 5 sunny days per month. Some winters are sunnier than others, and in others you won't see the sun for weeks. Personally, I love our rain and our climate. Wouldn't trade it in for anything.

Thanks for the honest description of the weather in Portland. I have always believed that Portland weather is very similar to the Midwest as opposed to the west coast. I live in California and while I absolutely love our climate I can't keep up with the skyrocketing housing costs. I feel California, like most big cities, offers the rich variety in culture and population density that I like. It's not that I enjoy living around many people but find that where there are more people you have more resources, job opportunity, better transit etc.. but also you have to deal with congestion, pollution and stress. I'm not really concerned about the overcast and will have to adjust for winter temps, which shouldn't take long. As long as cost of living and quality of life is better than it's worth the trade off.

[nancy thereader]

I'm not sure that the winters are like those in the midwest which I remember from going to the U of Wisconsin @ Madison as being filled with below zero ° temps and endless snows. I don't think Portland has much of either.

[Supernova7]

Originally Posted by nancy thereader

I'm not sure that the winters are like those in the midwest which I remember from going to the U of Wisconsin @ Madison as being filled with below zero ° temps and endless snows. I don't think Portland has much of either.

Wisconsin does get a lot of snow and cold but that's not the entire Midwest. It sounds like Portland would be more on par with Chicago, Michigan and Indiana. Regardless, Portland is no Southern California, Las Vegas, Texas or Arizona. When I lived on the East Coast the coldest I've seen it get was 7 degrees below zero and that was maybe (3) times in my whole life. Still 30 degree Fehrenheit is pretty cold. I think 60-70 degrees is perfect temperatures. At 40 degrees you'll need a jacket/scarf.

[Alinka]

Here in New Mexico it is generally hot and blazing bright from May through September. All day and every day. Landlocked of course. Late summer "monsoons" after the humidity has built up bring fantastic thunder and lightning storms. They're the only good thing to say for summer here.

I'm pretty sure I have reverse SAD. I hope to retire to the Portand area or at least the west side of Oregon.

Bye to migraines! Bye to the sweltering sun! I can't wait. Thank you for an interesting and helpful thread.