Moving back to WA: Coping w/ overcast (Seattle, Spokane: middle-class, crime)

[KidBlue]

I have to thank TommyG for making me laugh with the winter weather forecast of showers turning to rain to showers. I live in NorCal near Sacramento and we have a similar summer forecast (for the 6 months of summer we have here) that is hot turning to **** hot. So we never need to look at the weather forecast--it's just plain hot.

[Steve97415]

Here's my advice: don't let anyone else tell you what a good climate would be for YOU.
I moved to Oregon from Arizona 17 years ago. In terms of my cognitive appraisal of Oregon, I prefer everything about it to Arizona. But the seasonal affect does get me down. Don't underestimate how much this can diminish your quality of life. I, myself, am quite torn. I love where I live, but I don't really FEEL good here. It's as if I have some horrendous vitamin defficiency, but it's really just the lack of bright sunshine.

[Rastaman74]

My wife and I have elected to buy a home in Central Arizona where it's sunny and cooler and are about to close on a house. I still think there's an excellent chance that we'll move to Western Washington in the years to come if I can find the right kind of teaching position in a desirable location. I just love Gig Harbor and Kitsap Peninsula and I can only hope that these places don't become totally cost-prohibited. It seems that GH is already and I doubt that property values will ever go back down there. Again, I want to thank you all for giving me your "two cents." There are a bunch of great people on these forums and I'm glad I found this feature of the city-data site.
Regards,
Rastaman

[Grass Is Greener]

That's a good choice, perhaps a bit too hot but there's always AC.

Gosh I could never live in WA. It's really nice overall but the overcast and rain all the time would make me miserable. I didn't even include the area in my list of potential areas I want to live.

[MegAsh]

I moved from sunny nor california to Everett, WA. I have seen the sun maybe a total of 10 days since my move here. The adjustment has been too hard for me and I will be moving back to California. I will be moving to Monterey, where at least I will have the sun and some life in me again. I have felt like a walking zombie the last 8 months! I physically feel ill and tired all the time. Never again!

[compltlyme]

I have had the opposite effect. I moved here just under a year ago from ALWAYS SUNNY So Ca. and I love it up here. I live on the east side and I can't say it is always grey. We have days but then the sun peeks out and then goes away and comes back. We had 8 days with no rain and I was missing it. On the 9th day I was thrilled to wake to overcast wet skies!

[timetogo]

Originally Posted by bookielady

Not all of washington is wet. Yakima is very dry and we have 300 days of sunshine.

How are the summers and winter snows?

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by Steve97415

It's as if I have some horrendous vitamin defficiency, but it's really just the lack of bright sunshine.

Interestingly enough, a lack of exposure to sunshine can lead to a Vitamin D deficiency.

[Rastaman74]

We've settled on Payson, AZ for now. It still gets near 100 on hot sunny days, but unlike the Phoenix area, it starts to rapidly cool down about 3:00pm and usually dips into the mid to upper 50's on summer nights. It's a beautiful place.

Tommy G: Your response was especially insightful and indicative of the quandry I find myself in. I love the beauty of the area in the summer and the presence of the oceanic beauty; however, I am very concerned about seasonal affective disorder (SAD) kicking in during the long, rainy winter.

Take care everyone,
Rastaman

[Lehi]

In case anybody is interested, there are various companies that sell light boxes and such for people who suffer from S.A.D.