Question about Portland and Eugene OR

[haha]

I've known people wo move up here, sleep for 6 months, then go back to California. Many do stay however; one attractive thing is the extreme politeness of so many of the people who live here.

Ha

 

[Johnphx]

I grew up in Portland and now live in Phoenix.

I would take Portland's weather any day of the week. The winters are really not that bad but then again seeing as how I grew up there my perception is biased. People moving in from other areas of the country do comment on how depressing the weather is.

I actually LOVE overcast days. I think the weather in Portland is very very good. Mild summers, mild winters, and low humidity. There are four distinct seasons in Portland unlike here in Phoenix.

Here we get summer Oct - April, and Hell May - Sept

 

[LRS]

Once I flew from Oregon to Arizona in November. When I left the airport in Phoenix I could not keep my eyes open--the sun was too bright. It took a couple of days to get used to the bright light ... then it was time to fly home.

 

[calmloki]

Sure a great Oregon day here today - sunny and 62 degrees, the lawns have dried and are growing like mad, people have their doors open to let out the old air. Kids are biking, Mr. Bill Clinton just drove by our apartments in Monmouth, I'm back from making a young lady's hangover more painfull, doing a little roof and window patching (Vulkem - good stuff!), and off to buy a couple new toilets. Sun: a welcome visitor after the 42 and rain a day or so ago.

 

[Brat]

Once I flew from Oregon to Arizona in November. When I left the airport in Phoenix I could not keep my eyes open--the sun was too bright. It took a couple of days to get used to the bright light ... then it was time to fly home.

Oh, and the air quality in Phoenix could be another reason why you couldn't keep your eyes open.

 

[RetireeRobert]

Lifelong Northwesterner here. Last 34 years in Willamette Valley--home of Eugene/Salem/Portland.

To your original question------most of the cloudy grey days are in the winter early spring. Late spring, summer, and early fall have lots of good weather without rain/overcast.

As you stated, if you take a couple months travel, say Jan/Feb, or Feb/March, you can eliminate a large chunk of the really rainy/overcast time here. Generally, climate is moderate. Not many days much below freezing most winters, maybe down in the 20's. Snows enough to stick maybe 3 or 4 days a year, and soon melts.

And some of the "best" days in my book, are when it is cold and clear in the winter. Mt Hood, Mt Jefferson, Mt Adams, Mt St Helens, the Three Sisters intriguing your views.

No sales tax in Oregon. The price label you see is the price you pay. There is state income tax, but SS exempted.

Try it. You'll like it.

 

[Niko]

And some of the "best" days in my book, are when it is cold and clear in the winter. Mt Hood, Mt Jefferson, Mt Adams, Mt St Helens, the Three Sisters intriguing your views.

If the OP likes to spend time outdoors during the winter (skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, etc.) you can often get above the winter time clouds by simply driving up into the mountains, where it is often clear even though the valley is socked in. When heading to the mountains from Eugene on Hwy 58, about one-third of the time I get above the clouds within 30 minutes (as you pass the dam), one third of the time I get above the clouds somewhere between Oakridge and the pass, and one third of the time it is cloudy in the mountains and easter Oregon.

 

[Shabber2]

Listen to me I have lived in upstate NY, Ohio, Florida, San Fran and now Seattle. Stay away from Portland and Seattle. THE WEATHER IS HORRIBLE! I am not exagerating. People that say otherwise either haven't lived anywhere else as an adult or are just trying to tow the line making themselves feel better. This is not an exaggeration.

If you are confused by looking at the weather charts of temperature and rainfall I understand. I was fooled too. Now I live here and the key stat you need to be concerned about is "# of sunny days". This area is real nice for the summer which is about 6-8 weeks long. The rest is a gray mess of misting rain everyday. Tomorrow will be yet another gray Saturday with a 56 degree high and rain all day. Not hard rain like the rest of the US, just a drizzly rain that lasts forever.

I am being serious and really trying to save people the hassle.

 

[RetireeRobert]

Stay away from Portland and Seattle. THE WEATHER IS HORRIBLE! I am not exagerating.


This area is real nice for the summer which is about 6-8 weeks long. The rest is a gray mess of misting rain everyday.


I am being serious and really trying to save people the hassle.

You ARE exagerating. Summer is 14-16 weeks long. Lots of good weather in spring and also many excellent stretches in fall too.

Try it, you'll like it.

 

[haha]

You ARE exagerating. Summer is 14-16 weeks long. Lots of good weather in spring and also many excellent stretches in fall too.

You must have moved here from the North Pole. I would say that for most people anyway, if sunny or warm weather is important to you, Western Washington or Oregon would not be a good choice. I have lived here over 30 of the last 40 years. IMO, Shabber is right. Summer starts around July 4, and ends around Labor Day, though there are nice fall days well beyond that.

I like sunbathing, and after I retired I tried to spend a short time in the mid-day sun every day that is wasn't blowing or raining or too cloudy and cold. I never managed as many as 2/3 of the days between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Many days it might clear up in the late afternoon, but it was too chilly or buggy by then.

Lately the weather has been better than in the 70s and 80s. We have wonderful summers as long as swimming isn't a big thing for you. And after long enough, I got used to it so that I really didn't mind too much that it was almost always gray. But if California hadn't become the hellhole that is has, a person would be more of less nuts to choose here over there. I confess to being nuts, as I moved from there to here, twice. Once from Venice Beach, and once from Berkeley.

If you have the money I would recommend the LA and Orange Count Beach Cities, from Malibu south to Huntington Beach, or San Diego if you don't need the big city.

If beach and ocean doesn't turn you on, you can't beat Berkeley, Piedmont, San Francisco, San Rafael, or even parts of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties in the East Bay. San Francisco can be foggy and cold.

For country living head almost anywhere into the Sierra Foothills.

Stay the hell out of Seattle; rents are already too high up here. And remember, they sell a lot of rubber golf shoes up here.

Ha

 

[Maurice]

Thanks for the continued replies.

Shabber - we've lived in many of the same places - NY, OH, FL. I'm curious, where in upstate NY did you live? Parts of NY have as little sun and as many days of precipitation as Portland/Seattle it seems (Rochester where I lived comes tom mind).

Anyway, for various reasons we're no longer seriously considering the Pacific Northwet as a FIRE destination. I definitely still plan to visit Portland some day (been to Seattle already).

 

[LRS]

No sales tax in Oregon, but check out the property taxes. Also check out how many counties are in trouble due to lack of funds. Lane County is closing their animal control agency. Other cuts to follow.

I LOVE Oregon, but Shabber2 is NOT exaggerating. If you are not used to miserable weather, you will be shocked. We had snow in the Willamette Valley two weekends ago. The temps at night are still in the upper 30s, most of the days are still rainy and in the 40s. This is our spring weather. Once in a while the sun breaks through, but you can't count on it until late June. Most folks around here don't bother starting their gardens until after Memorial day.

 

[Niko]

Listen to me I have lived in upstate NY, Ohio, Florida, San Fran and now Seattle. Stay away from Portland and Seattle. THE WEATHER IS HORRIBLE!

This statement is way off base. The weather in the PNW is really one of the draws to the area. "Horrible" weather is Florida in August, Minnesota in January, Chicago in August or January. The PNW has no extremes and few days of truly horrible weather. I've been in other parts of the country, and the weather is frankly what keeps me here. Different strokes . . .

This area is real nice for the summer which is about 6-8 weeks long. The rest is a gray mess of misting rain everyday. Tomorrow will be yet another gray Saturday with a 56 degree high and rain all day. Not hard rain like the rest of the US, just a drizzly rain that lasts forever.

I look out my window right now (beginning of May, not within your 6-8 week nice weather window) and see mostly sunny skies. I was out walking twice earlier today -- mid 60s, nice breeze, perfect weather for gardening, walking, running, playing, hiking, sitting, painting, driving, skiing (yes, slopes are still open in the mountains), mowing, etc. Forecast for tomorrow is 72 with sun. Monday's forecast is 75 with sun. Tuesday, mostly sunny, mid 70s. Wednesday, partly sunny, mid 60s. Chance of showers late next week, but sun likely returning sometime next weekend. This weather pattern is very typical for this time of the year.

I am being serious . . .

Me too

 

[haha]

Definitely a case of horses for courses. To help you decide if Western WA or OR is your course, here is today's weather:

AccuWeather.com - Seattle, WA - Weather Forecast - Local Weather Forecasts

or

Seattle Space Needle Webcam - Live View
Ha

 

[flipstress]

I have been to Portland and Seattle once, in 2001, and only for two or three days for each city. It was perfect that week, the first week of June.

We visited my cousin and her family who all live in Vancouver, WA, and my BF's sister who lives in Seattle.

My cousin says she suffers now from a lot of allergies. I guess there are so many more grasses/plants/weeds that grow in the moist, humid environment there and release pollen/spores than can be found here in Wisconsin.

 

[Niko]

I guess there are so many more grasses/plants/weeds that grow in the moist, humid environment there and release pollen/spores than can be found here in Wisconsin.

That's true. Linn County (between Portland and Eugene) is the grass seed capital of the world. I'm told that bad allergies are made even worse in the Willamette valley. I'm fortunate in that I don't suffer allergies. My wife has terrible allergies, but she still thinks the weather here beats anywhere else she's been (except Hawaii . . .)

 

[Brat]

Residents of the former Oregon Territory... hush your mouth!!! The sun NEVER shines, we all suffer from depression from grey skys.

 

[Lakedog]

I lived in Corvallis, OR, (south of Portland) for three years, and I enjoyed my time there more than any other place I have called home (and I have lived in several states in every geographic region of the country). I plan to relocate to either western OR or WA within the next year. There are a lot of overcast days in the winter but the weather is very mild compared to most of the US. Everyone has their own perception of the ideal climate but the PNW is the best I have found. I'm wondering if folks are taking the REWahoo approach and trying to discourage relocation!

 

[calmloki]

it's possible... Here in Independence you plant tomatoes on Mother's day if you want them to do well. Weeds start earlier. Oregon resident for the last 55 years, and thinking that a place in the sun would work well from 10-15 to 4-15. I like the color green.

 

[Brat]

Humm, must of my progenitors arrived in the U-Haul of it's day in 1845, the other a Norwegian who kept going after arriving in MN. With rare exception they would liked to have closed off migration after THEIR arrival.