So, when does the rain start? (Portland, Dallas: living in, vacation, trees)

[Minervah]

In the several decades I have been living in Portland this year has had the most unusual weather. Much more sunshine. I am enjoying the crisp, clear cold days for as long as they last just as a change form the usual rain and overcast skies that we normally see this time of year. A change of pace is always nice although I am generally not a sun worshipper.

And the cold will kill off the flea onslaught I have been reading about.

[lalahartma]

When does the mold start? I am following the weather for a future move.

[skiffrace]

Originally Posted by Minervah

In the several decades I have been living in Portland this year has had the most unusual weather. Much more sunshine.

It's true. 2013 is very much NOT like a typical year. Here are the highlights of the differences:

Spring:
2013: the rainy season was almost over by March. Sure, there was still a bit of rain until summer kicked-in, but the sunshine was the rule.
Typical year: it rains heavily and often till at least May, usually well into June. Old-timers here joke the summer starts on the 4th of July, and it's not far from truth.

Summer:
2013: it rained for almost half of the September.
Typical year: September is still summer-time. Rain returns late September\early October.

Fall:
2013: A LOT of sunshine in mid to late October. Now, lots of sunshine in late November.
Typical year: November is a washout, as are the several following months.

I enjoy the sun as much as everybody else, and hope it will last. However, the averages are bound to get us , eventually.

When does the mold start? I am following the weather for a future move.

Perhaps you mean moss? Mold can start almost anywhere, anytime, given humid conditions. In PNW climate it can even start growing in the (dry) summertime, in tree-shaded, damp places. The key is to keep the interior free of moisture and well-ventilated.
Also, the PNW climate is not any worse for mold growth than the rest of US, or most of Europe, for that matter. Keeping your house dry inside is the key to prevent mold.

[turquoise1]

I feel the same way, OP - I'm going on my third year in PDX and I really don't think the weather is that bad. I don't even think it rains that much - or maybe it just rains a lot on the East Coast too.

I once lived in Manitoba, CA, now that is hell on earth. It gets to be 40 or 50 below with your nostrils freezing shut. They say it is the sunniest part ofCanada but maybe I just didn't notice - it seemed pretty grey, though. Then summers are brutally hot and humid and you get eaten alive by swarms of mosquitoes. I will take a drizzly Portland day any day of the week.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

Originally Posted by rass33

I agree, I've been here for about 6 months and a lot of people made it sound like it was going to be dark and raining all day every day for 9 months. Honestly, all it really does is drizzle sporadically,not even a consistent heavy down pour. If these weather patterns are what's making people depressed out here then they need to move to Hawaii because this weather out here is a piece of cake. I've been more depressed living through brutal sub-zero winters in Chicago than I have been here in Portland. If temperatures in the 30's with a little sporadic drizzle is bothersome to some people they should never live east of the Rockies in the winter time. BTW Its been quite sunny here in Portland for the last 3 days.

Be patient. It will come.

Six months is not enough to have a realistic view.

You have been here during the best time of the year, weather wise!

[Sherwoody]

I have lived in Oregon for seven years. I find Portlands weather enjoyable with very few extremes. I find it comforting not to have to worry about hurricanes, tornadoes or huge blizzards. I think Oregonians just like to complain about the weather, you just have to get used to them. Summer: It's so hot! When are we going to get some rain. Fall: It's sunny now but this is an unusual fall. Just wait its going to be dark, dreary and rain until July you just wait and see. Winter: I can't take this horrible winter and we're almost out of vitamin D, what will I do. Spring: Well sure, we always get a day or two of sun but it will still be miserable until July 4th. And so it goes.....

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by Sherwoody

I have lived in Oregon for seven years. I find Portlands weather enjoyable with very few extremes. I find it comforting not to have to worry about hurricanes, tornadoes or huge blizzards. I think Oregonians just like to complain about the weather, you just have to get used to them. Summer: It's so hot! When are we going to get some rain. Fall: It's sunny now but this is an unusual fall. Just wait its going to be dark, dreary and rain until July you just wait and see. Winter: I can't take this horrible winter and we're almost out of vitamin D, what will I do. Spring: Well sure, we always get a day or two of sun but it will still be miserable until July 4th. And so it goes.....

You are spot on! Though ... as a native Oregonian, that's not me. But it's sure what I hear on this board a lot.

Frankly, the weather this year has seemed typical of every other year. But then, I don't obsess over every drop of rain, or every cloud that passes overhead. So maybe I'm just not seeing it. It's weather. You can't change it. You can't control it. It just is. Deal with it.

As for the rain. Spring seems to be rainier than the fall is. But none of the seasons are as rainy as everyone likes to make them out to be.

[urbanlife78]

Originally Posted by Sherwoody

I have lived in Oregon for seven years. I find Portlands weather enjoyable with very few extremes. I find it comforting not to have to worry about hurricanes, tornadoes or huge blizzards. I think Oregonians just like to complain about the weather, you just have to get used to them. Summer: It's so hot! When are we going to get some rain. Fall: It's sunny now but this is an unusual fall. Just wait its going to be dark, dreary and rain until July you just wait and see. Winter: I can't take this horrible winter and we're almost out of vitamin D, what will I do. Spring: Well sure, we always get a day or two of sun but it will still be miserable until July 4th. And so it goes.....

I agree, I miss complaining about the weather because it wasn't that bad to complain about. The only thing I missed with Portland weather was the lack of a good lightning storm, but after having to deal with the extreme weathers of the Northeast, I can't wait to move back to Portland's mild weather.

[oldtintype]

Originally Posted by urbanlife78

I remember a few times where it rained for the entire month of November, the OP should be thankful that hasn't happened yet, but don't worry the rain and clouds will be coming and will stick around until June.

More like there will be patches of sunny days between when the rain starts and June.

[LivinginOC]

Originally Posted by Deezus

Whenever the weather gods want it to...

Basically once you get to the fall it can be hit or miss. You can have an warm Indian summer into October, you can have it dry and crisp and clear but getting a little chilly or it can be pouring buckets of rain. It varies from year to year and week to week. By late November or December though it's usually pretty grey and rainy on a day to day basis.

By January or February, it's often grey and drizzling daily---however as the high pressure system drifts off the NW coast, we'll get a sort of mild/warm and dry week(fake spring I like to call it)--often in mid-February(though I can remember a beautiful 65 degree and sunny MLK day a few years back). After that March and April often get a lot of rain, mixed in with the occaisional taste of warmer spring weather.

March to May and usually into June and sometimes up to July 4th are what I like to call the manic depressive season. We'll get a nice warm week of 70 degree weather and sun and then back to the rain for a week. The days get longer but it still can be grey and cloudy... It almost always rains on the Rose Festival parade in late May/early June(to the extent that when it doesn't it's almost a joke). Basically you learn to not get your hopes up when the weather starts getting nice after the winter, though at the same time we do get stretches of nice weather though most of the year--though this year seemed particularly dry and sunny even through most of the spring.

The best way I've found to enjoy the weather in Oregon is to not plan anything weather specific more than a few days in advance. People who make plans to go camping on a really specific weekend in June are going to be rained on--the weather gods will usually see to it that way...

That was actually really helpful!

Originally Posted by urbanlife78

I remember a few times where it rained for the entire month of November, the OP should be thankful that hasn't happened yet, but don't worry the rain and clouds will be coming and will stick around until June.

OP here. I'm thankful for all of the weather. I'm beginning to think it's a matter of perspective. We were here 7 times between Nov 2012 and June 2013 before we finally moved in July 2013 and we hardly encountered any rain at all. A few drizzly days spotted with days of sun. We were beginning to joke that we brought the California sunshine with us every time we came.

Originally Posted by Minervah

In the several decades I have been living in Portland this year has had the most unusual weather. Much more sunshine. I am enjoying the crisp, clear cold days for as long as they last just as a change form the usual rain and overcast skies that we normally see this time of year. A change of pace is always nice although I am generally not a sun worshipper.

And the cold will kill off the flea onslaught I have been reading about.

The crisp, clear cold days have been so beautiful! I loved watching all of the trees change color and all of the leaves fall off of them. What an amazing fall it has been!

Originally Posted by oldtintype

More like there will be patches of sunny days between when the rain starts and June.

That's what I'm beginning to think. And, if that's the case, I will be in absolute weather bliss!