Will I be able to handle Spokane Winters? (Seattle: to live in, dangerous)

[Moon Waffle]

I have a very good job offer in Spokane.

My only hesitancy is the weather. It is always a big factor for me. So big that it has moved me a couple of times already in my life.

I used to live in the Seattle area and despite all that I loved about that place, the weather drove me out of my mind. I didn't get the S.A.D. or have anything like that, but it just felt so restrictive and frustrating. The constant clouds and rain; ugh, nearly every time I visit I quickly remember why I left.

Currently I live in the Tri-Cities. And despite the wind, I LOVE the weather here. Yes, winters are much colder than Seattle but the sun still shines I'd say 50% of the time or more. Snow comes and goes (not as much as Spokane), but doesn't bother me much because Spring hits in full force around mid-March. Summers are great: 90 degrees plus is my sort of thing. Falls are also very nice and you can generally still enjoy being outside until around the first of November. The key thing here is that Winter, while more brutal than the Seattle area, comes around November and leaves around Feb/March. So even though I don't like it, I know there is an end in sight. Much better than the 9 solid months of rain and gloom.

So based on all this, do you think I could handle Spokane Winters? As stated, I think I'm OK with snow if I can see the sun. And I know the past two winters have been worse than normal. I guess I just don't know what a "normal" winter in Spokane is like.

Appreciate your help!

[WendyK]

I think the Spokane winters will be similar to what you've got in the Tri-Cities, except not as windy and more snow. Typical Spokane winter runs from Nov-Feb with signs of spring in March. These past 2 years have been unusual, so who knows if this is what it will be like here from now on or what...We have had some very beautiful sunny winter days with blue skies, but this week has been solidly foggy & gray. I recommend meeting up with friends to share laughs and good times to get you through the winter weather!

[vette-dude]

Originally Posted by WendyK

I think the Spokane winters will be similar to what you've got in the Tri-Cities, except not as windy and more snow. Typical Spokane winter runs from Nov-Feb with signs of spring in March. These past 2 years have been unusual, so who knows if this is what it will be like here from now on or what...We have had some very beautiful sunny winter days with blue skies, but this week has been solidly foggy & gray. I recommend meeting up with friends to share laughs and good times to get you through the winter weather!

Yes, surely don't judge this winter as the normal, as is Tricities colder than normal this year...We moved here for one reason, there are actual seasons here, unlike tricities, it's either "very hot and windy" or "dry cold"...surely even with this bad winter, it's overall a nicer city to live in..definately more things to do here, winter or not...buy a nice heater

[natman]

You will get a lot more sunshine here than in Seattle. I think the difference between sunny days in the Tri-Cities compared to Spokane is pretty minimal.

[Letterhead]

I'm interested in this as well as Spokane is on my list of PNW areas to check out, and I happened to catch a news item a while back about some monumental record amount of snow you've received this winter. But I guess I'm like Moon Waffle in that I don't mind the snow and winter so much as long as the sun pokes through at least half the time...

[509]

We lived in the Spokane area for eight years. You get use to driving in the snow. Just get snow tires with studs and mount them on a seperate set of rims. Snow is not the problem most years it is the black ice that makes driving dangerous.

The weather between Tri-Cities and Spokane is different.

We would go down to Tri-Cities during the summer for the warmer weather. We like hot weather and for a couple of summers it was in short supply around Spokane.

That said we really like Spokane as a city. Tri-Cities is nice, but more a collection of suburbs.

I would move if its a good job and just go down to Tri-Cities on weekends!! It is a short drive.

[David Carty]

We lived north of Mt Spokane in Elk WA for one year. Loved it. Lots of snow but dry and puffy. When it rains or snows, the sun comes out in-between and its glorious. We heard that there is less snow- milder winter south of Spokane, but in some areas, lots of fog socks in for days. We came from a mild southern climate.

[Cahatch]

We're from sunny central CA and have been here 3 1/2 mos... we love it so far... even that huge dumping of snow! LOL snow is lightly falling as I type... and it's quite nippy out... 20 deg... :-o but we are adjusting.... can't wait for a cooler summer than we always had... not sorry we moved yet.. but ask us in a few winters... LOL

[Letterhead]

For us out-of-staters, which cities comprise the "Tri-Cities" area?

[WendyK]

Originally Posted by Letterhead

For us out-of-staters, which cities comprise the "Tri-Cities" area?

Maybe a moderator can move this thread to the Tri-Cities forum....