Why do you love Seattle? (job market, good schools, living)

[pw72]

Since there have been comparisons with San Diego and San Francisco, it is interesting to note the average July highs in the three cities: San Diego 76, Seattle 75, and San Fransisco 68. It is important to note that as Gentoo said, San Diego is much warmer inland, and areas outside of the city of San Fransisco can be 10-20 degrees warmer.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by pw72

Since there have been comparisons with San Diego and San Francisco, it is interesting to note the average July highs in the three cities: San Diego 76, Seattle 75, and San Fransisco 68. It is important to note that as Gentoo said, San Diego is much warmer inland, and areas outside of the city of San Fransisco can be 10-20 degrees warmer.

San Diego 76 and Seattle 75:

But it feels much better in Seattle as it lacks the humidity that SD has in summer. I know this sounds strange but humidity is created by warm water abd SD has more of this than Seattle. This is what keeps Seattle so comfortable in summer.

[TheRickShawMan]

I love Seattle because the folks here are more open-minded, "usually" treat me well, and it's a great city.

It's only haters from California and other parts of the country that make that false stereotype that it rains a lot in Seattle.

Little do these people know that Seattle has a nice mid-70s consistent-weather throughout the spring to the end of summer. Very nice to go outside and have a picnics, barbeque or go jogging in the park.

Seattle is also a very technological advanced city. Very green and progressive.

I just can't wait to get out of this dirty slice of hell called Indianapolis after I finish school.

To Gentoo:

Im surprised to see that Seattle and San Diego have similar July highs in the mid 70s. However, there difference seems to be that San Diego has humidity during that time, and if someone just goes just a few blocks more inland in San Diego the average summer highs are in the upper 80s-to even 100s+. that seems to be true with Los Angeles and San Francisco as well, but to a lesser extent in San Francisco. If someone goes outside the city limits of Seattle it can be even cooler than Seattle's temperatures for the summer with average highs in the mid 60s-low 70s in the summer near the ocean and in the higher elevations. Some days in summer 2009 there were days in the 50s along the Pacific coast just a week after the Washington coast had 80s-100s temperatures. I prefer temperatures 40-85 degrees and nothing more or less, so Seattle fits that well most of the time.

I had no idea crime was that bad in parts of San Francisco! I thought it was only in parts of Oakland and Richmond and nowhere else in the Bay area. What are the safe areas of San Francisco and the Bay area? Seattle does seem to be safe for a major city, as well as most of the Seattle area. I was in places like White Center and Lake City at 10-11pm a few nights, which some consider to be Seattles "worst" neighborhoods for crime, and I felt incredibly safe even there. I also was on Aurora Avenue, which is considered another dangerous area and felt safe there too at night. However the Seattle area still has some crime, which is unfortunately true for almost every place. Places like Everett, and parts of Tacoma unfortunately have a lot of crime, but those are a few exceptions.

Indeed, it seems like Seattle's weather/climate and the Pacific Northwest's climate in general can be highly inaccurately stereotyped by some people. Some make it sound like as if the sun never shines here(which is far from the truth a lot of the time), and some make it sound like there are no positives about the weather/climate here.

Another highly inaccurate stereotype that seems to exist is the "Seattle freeze."(This term is for a particular social phenomena that some people exists in Seattle, no relation to the weather.) I seriously dont believe it exists and am surprised people think that sociological problem exists here.

Anyways, good luck on moving to Seattle and enjoying your remaining time in San Diego!

To the Rickshawman:

I agree. I actually remember it rain more and rain heavier where im from in New York most of the time than in Seattle. But I like rain as much as sun, so I actually hope it does rain a lot here sometimes, which it seems like it does. It did a few times since February, but not that many days/moments of rain at all. Plenty of days/moments of sun since I moved here.

Why do you hate Indianapolis? I have a friend who lives nearby and she seems to love it there. But she loves Seattle as well. Good luck on the move to Seattle!

[Gentoo]

Im surprised to see that Seattle and San Diego have similar July highs in the mid 70s. However, there difference seems to be that San Diego has humidity during that time,

Yes, when I flew into Seattle last September, the temps in both cities were around 77. However in SD I was constantly sweating and the nights only cool into the mid 60's. In Seattle, the air was refreshingly dry and the nights were in the mid 50's perfect sleeping weather. And it's true that the Seattle areas microclimates are much less pronounced than in SD or especially the Bay Area.

I had no idea crime was that bad in parts of San Francisco! I thought it was only in parts of Oakland and Richmond and nowhere else in the Bay area. What are the safe areas of San Francisco and the Bay area?

You hear about Oakland and Richmond the most because the local media in the Bay Area are mostly located in SF. They do not want to scare anyone away from the city. Richmond is about as dangerous as you hear but Oakland certainly isn't what it's made out to be.
Check the SF forum for a complete rundown on the good and bad of SF.

The climate in the PNW is highly stereotyped and inaccurate. If any of those who speak negatively of it would do a little research, they would realize that of all climates zones, it's closest to most of California one which they seem to love. In fact, some climatologist place Seattle in a Mediterranean zone rather than marine because of it's warm dry summers.

it may be years before I can afford to make the move to Seattle but I am determined to do so. Enjoy your time and take advantage of everything Seattle has to offer!

[green_mariner]

I have always been a Seattle fan. Many things Seattle I learned to love from childhood onward. The first baseball game I remember watching was in the Kingdome when I was about 5 years old. I miss the Kingdome. I grew up watching Ken Griffey Jr. and Randy Johnson. My middle school years I claimed Seattle before I ever claimed the state of Georgia(to this day I don't claim Georgia). While alot of baseball fans I knew rooted for the Braves, I rooted for the M's. I still do to this day. Why do I like Seattle so much? I guess it is something in me. I lived in the suburbs of Seattle of a few years. I started kindergarten there. I enjoyed summer there better than I do in Atlanta. My father likes it. Me and my father had a few talks. He wishes he had stayed in the state of Washington. To me, the rain and overcast is just part of the deal. I don't worry about it.

[pw72]

Originally Posted by Gentoo

San Diego 76 and Seattle 75:

But it feels much better in Seattle as it lacks the humidity that SD has in summer. I know this sounds strange but humidity is created by warm water abd SD has more of this than Seattle. This is what keeps Seattle so comfortable in summer.

Gentoo, you have mentioned a couple of times the humdity is much worse in San Diego than Seattle during the summer. However, the stats don't back that up, with the possible exception of mid-evening.

Outdoor Temperature and Relative Humidity - US Winter and Summer Conditions

According to this, Seattle is almost just as humid as San Diego with similar temps during July. Now if we are talking miles inland, you may have an argument as the humidity would be more oppressive with higher temps.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by pw72

Gentoo, you have mentioned a couple of times the humdity is much worse in San Diego than Seattle during the summer. However, the stats don't back that up, with the possible exception of mid-evening.

Outdoor Temperature and Relative Humidity - US Winter and Summer Conditions

According to this, Seattle is almost just as humid as San Diego with similar temps during July. Now if we are talking miles inland, you may have an argument as the humidity would be more oppressive with higher temps.

I'm not talking relative humidity which does not really reflect the actual amount of moister in the air nor the way it feels to you. San Diego is more humid because dew points are higher than Seattle in summer. Seattle's dew points are usually in the 40's or 50's while San Diego's are in the 60's, sometimes up to 68 or 69 in really bad years in August. When dew points get into the 60's the air starts to feel very uncomfortable, once it's in the 70's (like much of the south) it's oppressive.

The dew points here are higher in summer because the water here is warmer which creates more water vapor through evaporation. This is why the east is so humid in summer. The Gulf Of Mexico simmers at about 85 degrees and the air circulates right up through the eastern part of the continent.

The water around SD is near 70 in summer (not the upper 40's like Seattle) and the very warm Gulf Of California is also nearby.

Relative humidity DOES NOT give an accurate account for how much actual moister is in the air. It tells how saturated the air is at a particular temperature. If the temperature rises but the dew point remains the same, the relative humity goes down as the air is less saturated.

In other words, 55 degrees with 90% humidity (dew point will be near 50) will feel cool and damp but not really humid.
However a temperature of 80 with the relative humidity of 70% will feel awful (the dew point being in the mid 60's or so) and you will feel hotter than it actually is.

[pw72]

Well, this is getting a little too scientific for me, but why would similar relative humidities be that different between two cities if the temperature is similar? Please explain.

As for anecdotal experience, I have experienced many muggy days during Seattle summers. It isn't as if they don't exist. Either way, both San Diego and Seattle are pleasant compared to most cities east of the Mississippi during the summer. I just would argue that San Diego's humidity isn't THAT oppressive at the end of the day, atleast compared with back east!