Has anyone turned down a job offer in another State because of weather concerns.? (Seattle: sales, school)

[DZT2022]

I'm thinking about moving from Texas to Vancouver WA for a job offer but have concerns Seasonal Affective Disorder will get to me. Moving from Texas to Washington State will be a drastic change weather wise. I've never visited WA before to get a feel of what the weather will be like, most likely will need to be there Jan 2022, which is not the best time to go. I'm undecided at this point and don't want to regret turning it down. Anyone here been in a similar situation before and who could share their experiences.?
Thanks!

[lunetunelover]

If you weren't sure, why did you apply for the job?

If I apply for a job, I'm planning to move if I get the offer.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Winters are dark because days are short and often cloudy or raining. SAD can be treated if you know you have it. There is light therapy and vitamin D therapy to keep it under control.


Living in Vancouver is going to be really different than living in Texas. It's not just the weather that is different.

[Hemlock140]

We came from California, and love it here after 27 years of the rain and clouds, but not everyone is the same. Currently here it's not light until about 8:15am and is dark by 4:30, with low at 32 and high 41. We are 180 miles north of Vancouver, but not much difference in weather. There is no way to know whether you will be affected by SAD until you live here, unfortunately. You will probably find the political climate to be just as different as the weather. The big plus in Vancouver is no state income tax, and easy drive across the bridge to Portland to avoid sales tax.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by DZT2022

I'm thinking about moving from Texas to Vancouver WA for a job offer but have concerns Seasonal Affective Disorder will get to me. Moving from Texas to Washington State will be a drastic change weather wise. I've never visited WA before to get a feel of what the weather will be like, most likely will need to be there Jan 2022, which is not the best time to go. I'm undecided at this point and don't want to regret turning it down. Anyone here been in a similar situation before and who could share their experiences.?
Thanks!

Have you researched the COL in the area, to make sure your pay would be enough to cover expenses? It's a very different world in the NW than in TX. On the plus side, you won't need A/C except during the odd heat wave anomaly, and nature all around is beautiful.

Are you worried about SAD as just a hypothetical, or do you know you're prone to that? Most people who move to the NW don't encounter that problem. One way to inoculate yourself against it, is to spend time on the weekends outdoors (if it's not raining too hard). Get out there and ski or snowshoe, or hike, or just take nature walks.

Aside from light therapy, I've read that some doctors successfully treat SAD in their patients with air ionizers; they send negative ions into the air at home, which makes the air feel like it does right after a spring shower, or at a waterfall-- that exhilarating feeling. It's an effective pick-me-up.

[Diana Holbrook]

There's lots of places I wouldn't want to live because of the weather, including Texas! It's way too hot there, for me. I find I can spend more days outside HERE than I can in a hot climate where no one can live without air conditioning. It's easier for me to bundle up, than cool down. But that's me, and why I love it here.

We have posted a weather thread here, where we actually report daily on the weather to try to get a broader perspective than weather statistics typically show. If it rains somewhere in a day, the day gets counted as a rainy day, even though in reality it was a passing shower with sun breaks. I hope to show a more nuanced perspective over time with that thread. I think we have a reputation for being gloomier than we are. Yes, we have a lot of grey and rain, but we get a lot of surprise sun breaks too. I see our weather as being more changeable in winter... less predictable, but not always bad.

People's ideas of what is ideal varies widely. Obviously it's best if you could come and check it out first, but I get that's not always possible. I think the root of the answer is, can you adapt to whatever comes and think change is part of the fun in life, or will you likely be stuck wishing this place was something else if it rains a lot in January? Are you open to new things, or do you hate the unfamiliar? How you approach change makes the biggest difference, because n the end, your happiness will depend on you, not the weather. Can you see yourself liking fair share of cooler, cloudier, rainy days and greener, mossier scenery? Or will you be unhappy if it's not like you're used to?

Anyway, that's the crux of the issue for me, and my two cents

[Arcos]

A lot depends on how rooted you are, and how easy it would be to move. If you are fairly mobile (don’t have to sell a home, take kids out of school, etc.), it shouldn’t be that hard to give it a year in WA and see what you think. You could always just move back if you didn’t like it.
The ideas above about getting outside are good ones. Also, during the day, if the sun pops out, just go outside for a few minutes… take a break. Makes a big difference.

[Transmition]

I don't even consider jobs in places where I know I won't enjoy the climate (anywhere that gets humid, hot, lowland inland).

People seem to overstate SAD. PNW gets far more sun than most of Europe north of the Mediterranean, so unless you have dark skin, spend all of your time indoors while here, or have become used to constant sunbathing you shouldn't have a physiological issue (psychological is more possible).

[ejisme]

Being an Air Force retiree, when active duty I moved to places I would never consider living if it was my choice. I grew up in the Portland suburbs, still have family there, and until recently family just east of Vancouver. I had to live in Oklahoma City, with god awful humidity and heat. People were very nice and we liked the city and area, but the heat and humidity were killers for several months a year. We also lived in Williamsburg, VA. I'd go back there. Yes, heat and humidity were still high in the summer, but not nearly as oppressive as Oklahoma and other southern states. I had to do training for several months each in San Antonia (beyond basic training), Biloxi, MS, and Montgomery, AL. I would never move back to the Southeast (to include Texas), and try not to spend any significant time there during late spring to early fall.

So, Vancouver, WA. Very nice area across the river from Portland, and not too far up the freeway to Seattle that you can't do a weekend visit for events, exploring, etc. I'd be more concerned with the cost of living change than worries about SAD. After you adapt a bit you'll find you can do most things outside all year round. I read on someone else's post: "there are no bad days outside, just bad clothes." That's pretty good advice for living in the Northwest. Good Luck and I hope the Vancouver job works out.

[fluffydelusions]

If you're someone that enjoys hot sunny weather and rainy/cloudy weather depresses you, realistically you'd probably hate it here. Summers are rather sunny but that is only 2-3 months of the year in this part of the country.