5 months in the Seattle area - 6 initial thoughts (Vancouver, Rainier: place to live, cost of living)

[Woof]

Climate again.

[pw72]

Originally Posted by Woof

Climate again.

Well, the op brought it up. I was just responding.

[simken]

Originally Posted by Woof

Climate again.

Now, the post was about many other things than climate. People tend to jump on the climate issue first though.

To me that just shows that it's a very important and legitimate issue when it comes to considering Seattle, both for potential relocation and for general information.

[texastrigirl]

Originally Posted by simken

Now, the post was about many other things than climate. People tend to jump on the climate issue first though.

To me that just shows that it's a very important and legitimate issue when it comes to considering Seattle, both for potential relocation and for general information.

Please check back in after you have spent a summer here as well as I think it takes a full 12 months to have perspective on the climate. Not that your opinion will change much BUT you will understand why people put up with the overcast/gray when you experience several Seattle summer days. Nothing like them IMO.

Thanks for your post - it's helpful to many I'm sure!

[observer]

Originally Posted by texastrigirl

Please check back in after you have spent a summer here as well as I think it takes a full 12 months to have perspective on the climate. Not that your opinion will change much BUT you will understand why people put up with the overcast/gray when you experience several Seattle summer days. Nothing like them IMO.

I agree about summers in Seattle. Imo, the best place to spend summers are in Seattle. I live in Miami and plan on returning to Seattle for the 3rd straight summer this year. I spent a month in 2010, and 6 weeks last year. Last summer was interesting in that the weather was about 3 weeks behind schedule according to farmers and some locals, and I got to experience quite a few overcast days in June. Being from FL and being exposed to constant sunshine, the cloudy days did not bother me. Now, if I lived there year round it may be different. Coming from Fl and being able to escape some of the hottest time of the year I welcome the cooler summer temps in Seattle. Being that I was able to escape 90 degree days with high humidity for a while, when I returned to FL the heat did not bother me as much until about a month later. After a month the heat was beginning to wear me down.

It is so enjoyable to walk, jog, or just be outside in the summer time in Seattle.

[pw72]

[quote=observer;24084761]

Originally Posted by texastrigirl

Please check back in after you have spent a summer here as well as I think it takes a full 12 months to have perspective on the climate. Not that your opinion will change much BUT you will understand why people put up with the overcast/gray when you experience several Seattle summer days. Nothing like them IMO.








I agree about summers in Seattle. Imo, the best place to spend summers are in Seattle. I live in Miami and plan on returning to Seattle for the 3rd straight summer this year. I spent a month in 2010, and 6 weeks last year. Last summer was interesting in that the weather was about 3 weeks behind schedule according to farmers and some locals, and I got to experience quite a few overcast days in June. Being from FL and being exposed to constant sunshine, the cloudy days did not bother me. Now, if I lived there year round it may be different. Coming from Fl and being able to escape some of the hottest time of the year I welcome the cooler summer temps in Seattle. Being that I was able to escape 90 degree days with high humidity for a while, when I returned to FL the heat did not bother me as much until about a month later. After a month the heat was beginning to wear me down.

It is so enjoyable to walk, jog, or just be outside in the summer time in Seattle.

Yes, it is true. Seattle is one of the most comfortable summer climates in the U.S. (As an aside, I visited Florida a few years back during the summer, and honestly couldn't stand to be outdoors for longer than about five minutes).

As for June, Seattle experiences the same climate features found up and down the west coast, including California. This usually means cloudy weather for most of the day, then sun coming out in the mid to late afternoon. In L.A. they call this, "June Gloom", a common expression on local tv weathercasts. Some days in Seattle, this weather feature lasts all day in June. But July 5th is the magical day, (yes the day after the 4th), when everything starts to become clear and warm. By warm, I mean 75-85 consistently with little humidity.

[evergraystate]

Originally Posted by texastrigirl

Please check back in after you have spent a summer here as well as I think it takes a full 12 months to have perspective on the climate. Not that your opinion will change much BUT you will understand why people put up with the overcast/gray when you experience several Seattle summer days. Nothing like them IMO.

Thanks for your post - it's helpful to many I'm sure!

I spent the full 12 months here. Not worth it. Summer is the same as most of most of the west coast except its a lot shorter in Seattle.

[kreebby]

I relocated here in 2010 from northern NJ. My SO moved here in 2008 from one of the Chicago suburbs.

The thing both of us had to adjust to the most was the price of homes and apartments. I remember paying $600/mo for my apartment in NJ and I had 1000sqft all to myself with a little patio area and a garden. I don't think I've ever in my life seen such a ridiculously expensive area outside of San Francisco. There are neighborhoods and towns surrounding both Chicago and NYC that are super expensive, sure, but you can always find an affordable area within a certain range of the city that still has the convenience of the suburbs. Here you're either in the suburbs, or in the country.

This has resulted in a lot of harsh reality checks for us. We were not prepared for this.

I don't mind the rain, but I miss the seasons. I miss being able to run out to the lake and go swimming in the middle of April. I miss having a constant blanket of white on my world during the winter months. I also don't mind how liberal the area is--in fact it's a welcome change from where I grew up. I love the diversity here, I love how educated everyone is, I love that we have some of the top schools in the country, I love the seafood, I love the hiking and the nature and the views, I love it all, but the hardest thing to come to terms with is the cost. Both of us have had to make a lot of sacrifices in what our dream home was going to be like because it just doesn't exist here. Not even just our dream home, ideas of what we wanted in our first single family home.

Everything here is great, but I can move to areas with schools that are just as good, with more things to do, in similar proximity to a much larger city, and pay a lot less for a house. It is what it is though. I foresee myself leaving this area someday, but for now it has my heart. Such great education all around, lots of great culture and people, and my SO is working his dream job. I can't really complain I guess.

[texastrigirl]

Originally Posted by evergraystate

I spent the full 12 months here. Not worth it. Summer is the same as most of most of the west coast except its a lot shorter in Seattle.

evergraystate...I feel for you. Scrolled through one line of posts by you and you really are truly miserable in every single thing you post (not just about Seattle). Gotta get you back to Cali and FAST.

[evergraystate]

Seattle people sure have a thin skin. Oh well, I guess it comes with the territory.