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I've lived in Sacramento for about 5 years. I knew what I was getting myself into - I followed other friends out here from the San Francisco area. For me it's the length of time that you have to deal with pretty hot weather. Basically May through middle of October and depending on the year when the heat starts and ends and how intense the heat is through the peak summer months can be variable.
We are an active family and so we spend a lot of time at the pool in the summer months. It does wear on you after a while if you have small kids and are used to being able to go to the park, playground, bike rides etc. as for much of the summer months June-August it's still hot in the morning hours if you are in the direct sun. The shade can still be quite comfortable even on pretty hot days through until the afternoon.
Basically we break things up with weekend trips. During the week we work and we get into a routine of being inside working 9-5 and then maybe picking the kids up and having a swim and eating dinner out at the pool (public pools we don't have our own). We have a single story house that's pretty well shaded so it stays cool but we run AC most evenings in the summer. Weekend trips we go up to Tahoe camping or even just for a day trip. And we go out to the coast and stay with friends or camp. These days you have to book camping so far in advance for summer weekends - so we just randomly pick a few weekends for that ahead of time. Sometimes we get lucky and score a coastal camp trip in the middle of a heatwave which is a nice relief.
This latter part of August has been very pleasant here in Sac this year. I've been running outside in the mornings and it's been comfortable. I swim a lot also and it's almost been too cool for evening swimming outside! July was awful while it wasn't crazy high temperature peaks the evening cool offs were not occurring and so it was hot all through the nights. We also had all that smoke and it was horrible - we left every weekend to try and get out of it... eventually it was even bad air up in the mountains too and the traffic out to the coasts got really busy and delayed.
Hey John,
I appreciate you sharing your families' experience in moving from the Bay Area as well as your honesty. I know it will be a struggle for us to some degree regardless of where we move - a hotter or colder place. So finding creative ways to deal with it really helps.
Here's a funny things about something you said regarding the July heat. My college friend who grew up in Sacramento and and is fully acclimated to it, purposely goes on family vacations during July/August for a cool down. This provides them a much needed break from the heat and makes living there more tollerable the rest of the year. So instead of 'snowbirding' they are sunbirding or 'heatbirding' somewhere else like the coast. This year it was Norway.
I appreciate you sharing your families' experience in moving from the Bay Area as well as your honesty. I know it will be a struggle for us to some degree regardless of where we move - a hotter or colder place. So finding creative ways to deal with it really helps.
Here's a funny things about something you said regarding the July heat. My college friend who grew up in Sacramento and and is fully acclimated to it, purposely goes on family vacations during July/August for a cool down. This provides them a much needed break from the heat and makes living there more tollerable the rest of the year. So instead of 'snowbirding' they are sunbirding or 'heatbirding' somewhere else like the coast. This year it was Norway.
Derek
Yeah we'll do things like that as the kids get more onto a school schedule with summer break and whatnot. It is a little unfortunate that July/August is peak travel season so you definitely pay top dollar for your vacations at that time and have to contend with crowds. But if you work full time and have to pay for summer camps during summer break that doesn't come cheap either so... I guess we'll see how it goes! A trip to Norway sounds nice!!
Hey Derek,
I'll second that: going to the coast is a nice change during the middle of the summer. It's kinda "cool", pardon the pun, to go from shorts and tanks to long pants and a jacket within 80 miles. I can't tell you how often we left SF after a day trip, when it was around 58 or cooler and arrived in Sac when it was still in the 80's.
I personally feel that I appreciate the coast more now than when I actually lived there.
Although a few of the last times we headed West this summer we had bad luck: The Napa Valley was filled with smoke, and The East Bay and SF were smokey.
The last week in Sacramento has been perfect, mid 50's to high 70's to low 80's. Early this morning we had the full on marine layer, heavy clouds, cool wind, no Sun. The sun broke through around 11am this morning.
I think you could easily adapt. Here we are in August and Sacramento is having "coastal" weather for the last 7 days. The 10 day forecast calls for more cool weather.
I agree with the folks that say that although Denver is in a cold weather climate zone; its winters can be quite tolerable and doable with warm streaks. Similarly, although Sacramento is in hot summer climate zone; it summers can be quite tolerable and doable with cool streaks. In fact, Sacramento cool downs more in the summer than Denver has warm streaks in the winter.
Hey Derek,
I'll second that: going to the coast is a nice change during the middle of the summer. It's kinda "cool", pardon the pun, to go from shorts and tanks to long pants and a jacket within 80 miles. I can't tell you how often we left SF after a day trip, when it was around 58 or cooler and arrived in Sac when it was still in the 80's.
I personally feel that I appreciate the coast more now than when I actually lived there.
Although a few of the last times we headed West this summer we had bad luck: The Napa Valley was filled with smoke, and The East Bay and SF were smokey.
The last week in Sacramento has been perfect, mid 50's to high 70's to low 80's. Early this morning we had the full on marine layer, heavy clouds, cool wind, no Sun. The sun broke through around 11am this morning.
I think you could easily adapt. Here we are in August and Sacramento is having "coastal" weather for the last 7 days. The 10 day forecast calls for more cool weather.
I agree with the folks that say that although Denver is in a cold weather climate zone; its winters can be quite tolerable and doable with warm streaks. Similarly, although Sacramento is in hot summer climate zone; it summers can be quite tolerable and doable with cool streaks. In fact, Sacramento cool downs more in the summer than Denver has warm streaks in the winter.
Yes, that smoke was keeping us from even going inland to either the Napa Valley or 680 corridor for months. It was really awful this year. I've never seen such prolonged poor air quality in interior NorCal as this summer, but it's been unusual with the early ongoing fires. Hopefully this will be an aberration and not a new normal.
I've never been to Denver but just checked out last winter's temps and was really surprised to see how mild it can get there even in the dead of winter; however, it's quite the yo-yo with single digits one week and then 60s the next. I suppose the warm spells make the ice and snow tolerable, unlike in parts of the Midwest where it could be cold for months on end. I would love to visit Denver some day.
A PNW local was told me a funny story about how windy it gets in parts near the Gorge. She actually saw a women getting blown across a parking lot while shopping in the winter. Talk about a side wind!!
We're actually flying to Seattle this week to check out colleges for our son. Then we'll look at neighborhoods near some family in Vancouver, WA. They also moved up from CA well over a decade ago and seem to like it alright. So for some we know it has worked out. I think it really varies depending on one's tolerance for heat, cold, rain, snow, etc... Similarly, we have family who moved to CO and seem to like it there as well. However, when we moved to CO and really 'tried' to like it, it simply would not work for us. But we still enjoyed the experience living is a different environment. It also helped us appreciate many of things out west they simply do not have available to them there.
After our trip to the PNW we're planning another visit to Sacramento to check out neighborhoods as well. Then a final compare / decision. That will be fun.
Derek
Unfortunately, this is the story I often hear. People who go to the PNW during the best weather of the year to make a decision about whether or not they should move there.
Why didn't CO work for you? If it was weather, you won't likely be happy in the PNW.
If you're determined to move to the PNW and Seattle is an option for your son, then you might want to go ahead and look at Bellingham. It's a great smaller town with a university and is very beautiful. I lived there for a while and worked there and also took some college classes there. I bought property on the Canadian border while working in Bellingham. I personally liked it a great deal more than Seattle.
The weather wasn't really any different than Seattle.
Unfortunately, this is the story I often hear. People who go to the PNW during the best weather of the year to make a decision about whether or not they should move there.
Why didn't CO work for you? If it was weather, you won't likely be happy in the PNW.
If you're determined to move to the PNW and Seattle is an option for your son, then you might want to go ahead and look at Bellingham. It's a great smaller town with a university and is very beautiful. I lived there for a while and worked there and also took some college classes there. I bought property on the Canadian border while working in Bellingham. I personally liked it a great deal more than Seattle.
The weather wasn't really any different than Seattle.
The biggest downside to CO for us was being land locked in the middle of the nation with no coast for hundreds and hundreds of miles. I need to have coastal access and the waterways are frozen for a good portion of the year. CO is also a mile high+ sitting on the continental divide which creates very unstable weather. The two main seasons are snow season and thunderstorm season. The thunderstorms and hail storms are intense. They take them very seriously and immediately cancel sporting events with those rolling through. The lighting is spectacular to watch 'from a safe' location only. The hail breaks windshield and destroys roofs. It gets much colder there on a regular basis for longer periods of time than the PNW and much more snow (20x). Snow season starts in the fall and extends into spring. And some of the largest blizzards occur during fall and spring. The western side of the PNW is tame by comparison. While the PNW will get rain and some 'limited' snow, it does not compare to CO. The proximity to coast helps helps to regulate the climate. Once on the eastern side it is more similar though still not a mile high.
* Denver County averages 64 inches of snow per year.
* Vancouver averages 3 inches of snow per year.
We've looked at Bellingham and have generally heard good things about it. We actually started with ~ a dozen locations in WA and OR. Then slowly, methodically narrowed the field after doing a lot of research on each of them. We also have some family in Vancouver and really like the general area. Now we're down to Vancouver and Sacramento.
The biggest downside to CO for us was being land locked in the middle of the nation with no coast for hundreds and hundreds of miles. I need to have coastal access and the waterways are frozen for a good portion of the year. CO is also a mile high+ sitting on the continental divide which creates very unstable weather. The two main seasons are snow season and thunderstorm season. The thunderstorms and hail storms are intense. They take them very seriously and immediately cancel sporting events with those rolling through. The lighting is spectacular to watch 'from a safe' location only. The hail breaks windshield and destroys roofs. It gets much colder there on a regular basis for longer periods of time than the PNW and much more snow. Snow season starts in the fall and extends into spring. And some of the largest blizzards occur during fall and spring. The western side of the PNW is tame by comparison. While the PNW will get rain and some 'limited' snow, the western side of the cascades it does not compare to CO. The proximity to coast helps helps to regulate the climate. Once on the eastern side it is more similar though still not a mile high.
* Denver County averages 64 inches of snow per year.
* Vancouver averages 3 inches of snow per year.
We've looked at Bellingham and have generally heard good things about it. We actually started with ~ a dozen locations in WA and OR. Then slowly, methodically narrowed the field after doing a lot of research on each of them. We also have some family in Vancouver and really like the general area. Now we're down to Vancouver and Sacramento.
Derek
I see. That makes sense.
Kind of sounds like Nashville, in a way. Not the amount of snow, but the severe weather. Lots of thunderstorms all summer, and wet, icy winters. We were at a barbecue in Nashville once, and saw a tree be hit by lightening right outside the window of the room we had just come indoors to when the thunder started. The tree landed right in the patio we had been sitting in, and it killed the air conditioner lol. Double whammy.
Living in Nashville was horrible weather-wise. There's a small window in the spring and fall where it's nice outside. A very small window. I can say there was a lot I liked about TN, like fireflies and cardinals (birds), but I couldn't wait to get back to the west coast.
And I understand your need to be near the ocean. The funny thing is, I haven't been to the ocean since I moved back to San Jose about a year and a half ago. But, it's important to me that I can drive there if I want to.
I think living in Crescent City got me kind of over the ocean for a while. It can be kind of scary up there. The ocean feels like a monster up there - dangerous and ominous.
I do like being by the Bay, though. I like how it affects the weather and how being by the water makes me feel.
Okay, I'm getting too philosophical - I should go walk my dog LOL.
The biggest downside to CO for us was being land locked in the middle of the nation with no coast for hundreds and hundreds of miles. I need to have coastal access and the waterways are frozen for a good portion of the year. CO is also a mile high+ sitting on the continental divide which creates very unstable weather. The two main seasons are snow season and thunderstorm season. The thunderstorms and hail storms are intense. They take them very seriously and immediately cancel sporting events with those rolling through. The lighting is spectacular to watch 'from a safe' location only. The hail breaks windshield and destroys roofs. It gets much colder there on a regular basis for longer periods of time than the PNW and much more snow (20x). Snow season starts in the fall and extends into spring. And some of the largest blizzards occur during fall and spring. The western side of the PNW is tame by comparison. While the PNW will get rain and some 'limited' snow, it does not compare to CO. The proximity to coast helps helps to regulate the climate. Once on the eastern side it is more similar though still not a mile high.
* Denver County averages 64 inches of snow per year.
* Vancouver averages 3 inches of snow per year.
We've looked at Bellingham and have generally heard good things about it. We actually started with ~ a dozen locations in WA and OR. Then slowly, methodically narrowed the field after doing a lot of research on each of them. We also have some family in Vancouver and really like the general area. Now we're down to Vancouver and Sacramento.
Derek
Visiting is very different from living in that type of weather day in and day out. When you visit for a day or a week, it's easy to fall in love with the idea of waking up to rain or haze. It creates a relaxing and almost mystic mood. But waking up to it day after day, month after month can begin to affect you. And, though summers are great, it gets dark very early in the PNW during winter months. I lived in WA for 9 years and I can remember some days that I'd wake up in the dark and walk home from school at 3:45 pm in the dark. The weather does negatively affect some people up there in a way that Sacramento heat really cannot. Not trying to dissuade you from moving up there, because the PNW is awesome and there are a ton of positives with the area you are looking at in particular. But, it is something to consider on the topic of "weather".
Visiting is very different from living in that type of weather day in and day out. When you visit for a day or a week, it's easy to fall in love with the idea of waking up to rain or haze. It creates a relaxing and almost mystic mood. But waking up to it day after day, month after month can begin to affect you. And, though summers are great, it gets dark very early in the PNW during winter months. I lived in WA for 9 years and I can remember some days that I'd wake up in the dark and walk home from school at 3:45 pm in the dark. The weather does negatively affect some people up there in a way that Sacramento heat really cannot. Not trying to dissuade you from moving up there, because the PNW is awesome and there are a ton of positives with the area you are looking at in particular. But, it is something to consider on the topic of "weather".
Yeah, I hear you. It will definitely be a trade-off in either location as none will have perfect weather which is Monterey for us. My wife is from sunny San Diego and we've lived in CO which both brag about their number of annual sunny days. However, we've grown to love the fog and clouds living along the coast which occurs primarily during our summer months. We actually find too many bright, sunny days oppressive and typically prefer clouds to clear skies. So I don't think the PNW will bother as much as some, perhaps, especially those who love sunny days. But time will tell. At the very least it will be a fun adventure for us if we go that route. Similarly, I think we would also enjoy the best parts of Sacramento life having closer access to the Sierra since we love to hike and explore the outdoors.
Looked into Madera and Tulare county, Derek?
If peace and quiet is what you want, it might be worth a shot
Three Rivers, CA
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Here we are in August and Sacramento is having "coastal" weather for the last 7 days. The 10 day forecast calls for more cool weather.
