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Actually, I think the Pacific Northwest would be a good, perhaps overlooked, destination for a British person. Unlike the Sunbelt, the city is appealing looking with decent centers. But unlike the UK, they're very new so they'd feel quite different from home. The weather in the summer isn't bad at all, 70s and rather sunny, sunnier than a British summer and not really any gloomier than much of eastern North America in the summer. And when it rains in the summer it's rather low, so it doesn't interfere with outdoor stuff as it would here. And when it's sunny, you get a mostly clear, deep blue sky. I prefer its summer weather to the Rockies, which tend to have random thunderstorms pop up midday.
Like much of the west, once you leave the populated areas you get long stretches of beautiful nearly uninhabited natural areas. Much of it is covered in thick forest, unlike the UK. The volcanic peaks are neat and some of the mountains (the North Cascades and maybe the Olympics) as dramatic as the Rockies, IMO, and with glaciers. On the other side of the mountains is desert and some more "classic western" scenery. Coastline is nearby, with the Oregon coast having scenic hills and cliffs dropping to the sea. For variety its hard to beat, and it provides the empty natural space that would novel to someone from the UK. California is somewhat similar but it's a bit more on the popular tourist trail.
From a weather standpoint, I can see the Pacific Northwest appealing to Brits. It's the closest thing to U.K. weather you can find in the U.S. And it's absolutely gorgeous.
But I'm intrigued that you feel it's sunnier than the U.K. The Pacific Northwest has the highest suicide rates in the country due to being overcast so much. People get depressed.
And though the West does have more uninhabited land, it can be found in the east also. I live in the mountains of North Georgia right by the border of North Carolina and there's a lot of national forest land here too. It's beautiful.
Last edited by Shooting Stars; 08-09-2013 at 10:45 AM..
But I'm intrigued that you feel it's sunnier than the U.K. The Pacific Northwest has the highest suicide rates in the country due to being overcast so much. People get depressed.
I'm referring to just summer weather. In the summer, Portland or Seattle isn't any cloudier than say, Georgia:
The UK doesn't have a particularly sunny summer, and overall is cloudier than the Pacific Northwest. At its best in the summer, the Pacific Northwest is rather dry and sunny. Rest of the year is a different story, but I'm talking about visiting or living.
And though the West does have more uninhabited land, it can be found in the east also. I live in the mountains of North Georgia right by the border of North Carolina and there's a lot of national forest land here too. It's beautiful.
You can similar uninhabited stretches in northern New England and New York State, but it doesn't feel like the same scale as out there. Plus, the scenery is more dramatic out there.
Question: does New England get frost or snow in the winter months? Answer yes, therefore it is NOT sub-tropical, there are countless places around the world that can get 30+ degrees in the summer months that are not sub-tropical.
If frost and snow were a criterion for temperate over sub-tropical (Mediterranean being a sub-category of subtropical) then would you agree that Rome has a temperate climate? Since Rome has from time to time snow and frosts (Feb 4th 2012 was one such example)? There are countless places that can get snow and frost, and not all of them are Arctic, Sub-Arctic or Temperate.
If highs were a criterion for climate regions I'd be sitting in a tropical climate, since about 4 days ago we had an instantaneous daily high shade temperature of 110F here on my deck. I'm 100 miles from the Arctic circle.
Neither are criteria for climatic boundaries, what is are monthly averages, for a C classification (Sub-tropical) the average monthly low must not be lower than -3C. Average Monthly High (April-September must be above 10C) New York City has a January average low of -3C. New Jersey is east and south of New York City and Atlantic City has a January average low of -2C. Both New York (City and State, and New Jersey are in New England).
New York is subtropical under Koppen's system, but people think it is flawed because of certain places falling under certain climatic classifications, such as New York, a place with frequent winter frosts and snow, and a big difference between winter and summer (26C) being subtropical, or a place like Denver, Colorado being borderline subtropical when it is nothing of the sort.
However, much of North East has very warm-hot and sultry summers, which feel tropical and the entire region has much warmer summers than the UK, with the exception of northern Maine, where Caribou isn't much warmer than London in the summer, and a lot colder in the winter. Also, pretty much everywhere in the US away from Alaska is sunnier by quite a margin, even the PNW, which has reliably dry and sunny summers, unlike the UK.
^^ is that for your benefit or for everyone's? Because I already knew that!
You get a star then!! It was for anyone who didn't already know and, in particular, for someone who will remain unnamed who thought it included New York! I was trying to be subtle and you spoiled it.
California and Florida. New York to a lesser extent, and only because of the city.
Personally, I am interested in the New England states, and some southern states (especially cities like Savannah).
Not to pick on you but I see this occasionally. New York State is about the same size of England and what you said is like someone saying they like England but only because of London!
To me the some of the best parts of England are outside of London in its smaller cities and towns, and its rural countryside. And to a history lover like me, England is a paradise.
Same goes for New York. Less cities and towns but some of them are similar to New England, which you say you are interested. Far far less history than England (although by North Americans standards, NY is not that bad), but what you get instead is a State that has places like Niagara Falls, the Hudson Valley, the Adirondack Mountains and the Finger Lakes. The State is about 50-60% forests, has numerous mountains and more than seven thousand lakes.
Here is one of those lakes, Lake George. Named after George II not the III.
Big Bend NP is wonderful and is one of my favourite parts of Texas. Here's part of the Rio Grande which forms the border with Mexico;
And I see the Blue Bonnets are in full bloom
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It was for anyone who didn't already know and, in particular, for someone who will remain unnamed who thought it included New York! I was trying to be subtle and you spoiled it.
