Seattle Weather/Climate Thread (Bellevue: manufactured, properties, drainage)

[AceShopper]

Okay - So, I followed the Seattle Picture thread and checked out PWright1's picture thread as well. Now, I am sure those pictures were taken during the summer months - there is just one thing missing - I want to see the the "9 months of gloom" pictures.

Someone had posted a link to KomoNews Weather cam site that showed actual snaps taken at different times of the day. I have been following those snapshots over past few weeks and most of those snaps show nice blue skies with white clouds (ok, some have gray clouds!) but it looks nowhere close to the dark gray gloom that everyone keeps talking about.

As I have read on C-D, since it is still early March, the Seattle skies must still be cloudy and gray all the time. Well, maybe .. But I am missing something ... Can any of you post a snap of how it looks like during the day ? C'mon, help a fellow C-D'er ... Go ahead, put your iPhone camera to some good use

[Seacove]

I did a search on Seattle, WA cloudy and these are typical:

Picasa Web Albums - Kati
Picasa Web Albums - Alex Truong
Seattle wa cloudy image by starlit625 on Photobucket
Cloudy Seattle pictures from alaska photos on webshots
05-05 On our Way North P5150103 pictures from cruises photos on webshots

[CarawayDJ]

I open myself up to fire because I don't live there (yet), but 9 months of gloom is a bit of a crock. 9 months of "mostly" gloom would be more accurate. Thank God for the Internet. It allows me to check multiple weather stations and webcams daily. Heck, I can even see if the roads are wet or dry. Although there does appear to be a few months where the days with sun are anywhere from 2-4, there is not a single month that "typically" does not have some sunny days. Outside of those few really bad and gray months, most months have multiple days with sun. What am I getting at? Those pictures in the Washington Picture thread could have easily been taken during any month. Some might have been taken during the sole completely sunny day that month though

Nothing I said should be construed as meaning Seattle has good weather. I'm pretty convinced the weather really stinks up there for a good part of the year. But some feel the need to take something bad and try to make it sound even worse. I've read how things never dry out (false) and how there are no respites from the gray (false). Like I said, thank God for modern technology.

But yeah, nice idea nonetheless. People should see the typical cloud cover for much of the year. It will probably scare some people while at the same time encourage others. For example, I was encouraged to know that it doesn't actually rain every day in the winter, it's just typically overcast and looks like it could rain. In my mind, that's a big difference.

BTW, I look at the same snapshots as you. I also check out King5's site. Like I said, crappy weather up there for much of the year, but any talk of nothing but gray and never drying out is a crock.

[Seacove]

Caraway, I'm not perpetuating anything, she asked for gloomy pictures to get an idea of what it looks like and that's what it looks like. What is funny is, when I did a search of Seattle images, they were nearly all sunny. And it's true that we tend to save the pictures for the better weather days. But understand that the weather is not bad, it's just very often overcast. As in a good portion of the year. I think the term "sunbreaks" may have originated here.

If you're coming here you will see for yourself. And it's not the beginning of winter that can be bothersome, it's the February/March when you start saying to yourself "I could really use some sun". When you fly out around that time and the plane lifts above the cloud layer, it's almost a shock to see that bright sun in the sky and know it was there all along. That's not a slight, that's just Seattle in the winter/early spring.

[cjg5]

This season has been unusually sunny. I suggest looking here: History : Weather Underground

View the month displayed, then click "previous month." You can go back many many years this way, month by month, and get an idea for the average weather patterns each month of the year here. I've gone through many years worth of weather doing that for various cities. Have fun!

(Don't have any gloom pictures readily on hand. Don't normally take gloomy pictures, but I do have some from trips that ended up overcast and rainy).

[CarawayDJ]

Originally Posted by Seacove

Caraway, I'm not perpetuating anything, she asked for gloomy pictures to get an idea of what it looks like and that's what it looks like. What is funny is, when I did a search of Seattle images, they were nearly all sunny. And it's true that we tend to save the pictures for the better weather days. But understand that the weather is not bad, it's just very often overcast. As in a good portion of the year. I think the term "sunbreaks" may have originated here.

If you're coming here you will see for yourself. And it's not the beginning of winter that can be bothersome, it's the February/March when you start saying to yourself "I could really use some sun". When you fly out around that time and the plane lifts above the cloud layer, it's almost a shock to see that bright sun in the sky and know it was there all along. That's not a slight, that's just Seattle in the winter/early spring.

I wasn't accusing you of that, so forgive me if it came across that way. I understood you were delivering what was requested. I think most of the people here accurately portray the weather. They are quite clear about it being mostly overcast with a sprinkling of sun here and there. There are a few however, that feel the need to exaggerate to make it worse than it already is. Not talking about you though. They know who they are.

[Seacove]

No worries at all Caraway, I think people try to be clear about the overcast weather because moving is no small thing and you just want people to know ahead of time. While I look forward to the sun, if I'm in a very very sunny place, I can find the sun wearying over time. I would like it to be a bit sunnier here but it's a good compromise for everything else.

[cjg5]

Here is a link to your doom and gloom January:

History : Weather Underground

[AceShopper]

Originally Posted by Seacove

Caraway, I'm not perpetuating anything, she asked for gloomy pictures to get an idea of what it looks like and that's what it looks like. What is funny is, when I did a search of Seattle images, they were nearly all sunny.

Thanks Seacove! I am having a hard time finding pictures that show the "gloomy" side. I put that in quotes because for the most part, I prefer things to be on the cloudy side. However, I want to see how dark it really looks/feels in Seattle. Sometimes even when there are dark clouds in the sky, there will be enough light around to make it feel less dark (maybe less foreboding is the word!) Out here, usually gathering of dark clouds means a decent thunderstorm is on it's way. Out there, I would wait forever for one, I guess

[AceShopper]

Originally Posted by CarawayDJ

But yeah, nice idea nonetheless. People should see the typical cloud cover for much of the year. It will probably scare some people while at the same time encourage others. For example, I was encouraged to know that it doesn't actually rain every day in the winter, it's just typically overcast and looks like it could rain. In my mind, that's a big difference.

BTW, I look at the same snapshots as you. I also check out King5's site. Like I said, crappy weather up there for much of the year, but any talk of nothing but gray and never drying out is a crock.

Exactly! It is very hard to pick out what is *really* true and what is overly exaggerated online. I guess you will never know till you live through the seasons over several years. And the point I am trying to get at is to say "Here are the cloudy/gloomy pictures of Seattle. Not all days out of the 9 months will be like this, but most days in peak winter months will be like this." Then, it is upto each individual to decide if they can live with that or not. If the sun peeks out (And that is "peek" people - not, peak!! Sorry, Pet peeve ) a few times during the day or even if it gets brighter along with a cloudy sky, I am usually okay with that .. someone else might not be. But at least looking from these pictures you will get an idea.

On another note: I read that ground is like a sponge that never dries, ground is all muddy and squishy to walk on, grass has be cut even when it is wet, moss grows from every crack in the sidewalk . Pretty sure those are a little over the top - But will know that only when I live there.