You won't see the sun for 10 months out of the year they said... (Seattle: living in, photos)

[Botev1912]

Originally Posted by rkcarguy

Scraping the windshield is pretty much a daily chore this time of year. So far I've been lucky because we've had these sunny mornings and most of it is melted by the time I get in my car, but those days are drawing to an end as daylight hours get shorter and shorter. We had a family friend who came to see us and say goodbye because they had sold their farm for development and were moving south. When we asked where, he held up a ice-scraper and said "I'm going to keep going south until they don't know what this is anymore" haha.
Stealth is right regarding working outdoors. Everything gets so waterlogged at times that it's all just mush.

This doesn't make sense. Scraping ice is only needed when the sky at night is clear because the temperatures are lower. When it's cloudy/rainy, there is no ice because it's milder and you don't scrape water.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by Botev1912

This doesn't make sense. Scraping ice is only needed when the sky at night is clear because the temperatures are lower. When it's cloudy/rainy, there is no ice because it's milder and you don't scrape water.

I had to scrape my windshield at times even while living along the central CA coast in Monterey. And the weather there is near perfect year round, seriously - 50s-70s most of the year with lots of sun except for summer foggy season. Though some nights would get cold in winter. The problem is if one keeps going south they are going to eventually be dealing with scorching temps in the summer and dried out, fire prone lands as well. We have family who lost their home and almost their lives in one of the big CA firestorms. Drought can be a very serious problem, more so than too much rain, IMO. Bottom line is no place is perfect. And yes, sometimes a change of pace and climate can be good to experience. Lots of retirees head to AZ and FL for that reason.

Derek

[Tall Traveler]

People do exaggerate but it is gray for long stretches....depresses me every winter. Some are sunnier especially El Nino winters.

[StealthRabbit]

Note the date of this post, October - one of the BEST months of the yr for Vancouver, WA. (mellow transition - not too hot, not too cold, not too wet, not too dry)
https://weatherspark.com/m/720/10/Av...-United-States

Mid Nov is coming, (most probable Wet day is Nov 30, + one -5 yrs as a newcomer with a recreational schedule (pick your days outside), this place is a breeze (and is for many (mild climate)).

Hopefully it will stick, as if it doesn't with the primary people in the family, things could be testy in 5+ yrs. We had a very high divorce and Flee Home rate when our Colorado division opened a plant in Lake Stevens, WA. Only about 40% of the transferees made it over 5 yrs. Fortunately the OP kids are resilient and coming of age (to escape if necessary).

For those stuck outside everyday, some can deal with it, some dislike dealing with it, many can't deal with it. You can very easily schedule your days to avoid WET / soggy, just have everything delivered and hibernate.

Fall season is really the best / ideal season in PNW. Come end of Nov most yrs will have turned to Dark and damp (especially at night). You like stars in the winter? You might need to venture 1 hr east for a sure bet.

Try to have everything under cover by mid-Nov.
https://www.weather-us.com/en/washin...#rainfall_days.

The average rainfall days in October: 13 days
The average rainfall days in November: 25 days

I expect 2019 will be a record dry November due to current weather patterns / shift.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by Tall Traveler

People do exaggerate but it is gray for long stretches....depresses me every winter. Some are sunnier especially El Nino winters.

Do you ever travel in winter to sunnier locations for a little break? Just curious since travel is apart of your username?

Derek

[Tall Traveler]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

Do you ever travel in winter to sunnier locations for a little break? Just curious since travel is apart of your username?

Derek

Always, just got back from a trip to Arizona where we have a winter home.

[Frihed89]

Try your bad luck anywhere in Denmark!

[Hemlock140]

I have not had to scrape the windshield yet this year despite being as low as 28F. This morning it was 30, no frost but fog that was not bad until about Bellevue-Mercer Island when it was hard to see the road on I90.

[rkcarguy]

This morning my truck was iced up (tan), my car (dark grey) was not. All it has to do is drop condensation onto the glass and then get cold enough to freeze it doesn't have to be clear. Up here we are exposed to the Frasier river valley outflow which is basically arctic, and it freezes the heck out of everything. It's not that uncommon to have it rain, the wind shift from the NE, and come out to find your car looks like a glazed donut. I agree that the Vancouver area, WA/OR border isn't exposed to that and weather is more mild.

[fluffydelusions]

That stretch of sunny weather for the past week wasn't really the norm for late October but every year is different. Looks to be gone now though and nothing but clouds and some rain in the 10 day forecast but who knows. I checked the forecast yesterday and it said we were supposed to get like 3/4 days of rain this week and now it's nothing but cloudy weather instead.