Does Seattle have storms (Pacific: buy, live, store)

[tk05]

I'm considering moving to Seattle from Ireland. I've seen a lot of talk
about Seattle's weather here and it sounds basically identical to Ireland's
weather which I happen to love. But one very negative thing about Ireland's weather is that storms almost NEVER happen. I haven't seen lightning in four years (And the last time it was just one bolt in the great distance). The last time I heard any thunder was this summer but it was once and the only time last year. I wonder is there any kind of stormy weather in Seattle. I know there may not be a lot of people who like storms but lightning storms are my favourite type of weather.

[eskercurve]

Hi TK. A couple British and an Irish coworker of mine point out the same thing. Unfortunately Seattle doesn't have very stormy weather. Lightning and thunder really don't happen much. I'm originally from the Midwest and thunderstorms happen much more often there.

[MaikeerinWA]

A couple of years ago, the newspaper explained why thunder and lightning are rare in the Seattle area.

Puget Sound's stable atmosphere discourages thunder, lightning

[AzDreamer]

Washington is in the running for the least amount of lightning storms of any U.S. state.

NWS Lightning Frequency Safety Map (http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/lightning_map.htm - broken link)

[Luke9686]

Not since I've lived here. Comming from the midwest, I've grown to love the good old storms back home.

[texastrigirl]

A friend of mine from Shannon Ireland who lives here said the weather is almost identical. I am from the Midwest and lived in TX for 12 years...there are no storms here to speak of like the ones I experienced there.

[khyn]

we usually get a clap of thunder every now and then during the storms in the winter. but in the summer time for the past few summers i've noticed the storms we have get more intense every summer, i know they said last summer [summer of 08] the puget sound region received 4 times as many lightning storms than the previous year. but if you happen to glance over towards the cascades on a warm summer evening it is guarenteed you will see a spectacular light show.

[tudorjason]

The Seattle area has ice storms every few years. Just had one, another in '06 and I remember one more back in '96.

We also have major windstorms every 15 or so years. There was one that accompanied the '06 ice storm, (Hanukkah Eve Wind Storm of 2006 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). There was the so-called Inaugural Day Storm in '93, Inauguration Day Storm 1993, and the Columbus Day Storm in '62, Columbus Day Storm of 1962 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

With each of these, you'll likely lose electricity and it may be difficult to get to the store or buy supplies. Depending on where you live though, electricity may be out for only a few hours to over one week. I have been lucky with all of the storms I'ved lived through that I didn't lose electricity for more than a few hours, which has been the South sound.

[pw72]

Windstorms are common. Perhaps major every 15 years, but strong ones almost every winter.

I also love thunderstorms, but Seattle is not the place for them. If you get 2 or 3 in a year you're lucky. The frequency in Eastern Washington is a bit higher.

The only places in the west that have decent and numerous thunderstorms are parts of the Rocky Mountains, and Arizona has a monsoon season.

[JesseJB]

Yea we do get a lot of windstorms. "Nor'westers" and "blowdowns" they call 'em.
Usually the coast will get near hurricane-force winds and we get 30-40mph winds out of em but sometimes you'll hear about 65mph or so.