Is winter something you tolerate, can't stand or enjoy? (Seattle: movies, tax)

[StealthRabbit]

I love winter.

Not the PNW we_tside winter.

Outdoor projects in the mud (for 6+ months) are not pleasant.

Too much of a 'good thing' can be too much for some people.

For those who can dash-in and dash-out at will, unpleasant weather is a totally different experience. (and really is not 'material' to their lifestyle) They can pick-and-choose. For that life... having a chalet in Switzerland and a coastal home in Monaco could make for a really sweet winter. (with a few trips down-under scattered in). We really enjoyed our winter in Switzerland, an overnight train would have you to a totally different climate by daybreak. Trains and ski slopes were within walking distance of chalet.

Similar in NZ and Hawaii. Totally diferent climates within a short drive. (Plenty of hot springs helps too)

Colorado was very enjoyable for winter. Drive around in your terrarium auto (Shirt sleeves). Snow at night may be gone by noon (sunshine or chinook winds)

[DallasYankee]

Since I am not an outdoorsy person (I much prefer indoor "gym rat" activities like pilates ,Barre, yoga, Zumba, fast walking/light jogging (on an indoor/high school outdoor /track), I don't mind the mud and frequent Washington rain because I don't want to get out in it at all and can usually avoid being in it.
I seldom wear a raincoat nor carry an umbrella and I like to wear a hoodie with shorts in Winter (Colorado /Washington) and t-shirts, shorts and a sunhat in Summer (Colorado /Washington). Unfortunately, there are few indoor/outdoor tracks to be had in Washington, but if we are willing to drive far enough, we can find Pilates/Barre, etc.
I think Colorado's brutal schizophrenic Winter wreaked havoc on my internal myofascial muscular tissues and created most of the conditions I am still being treated for as I write this. I am slowly getting better, but that state left invisible scars which may never go completely away.
Some do enjoy real frigid Winter while others like me, physically need a "boring," cloudy, mild, semi-humid, maritime climate to feel healthier.
Thank heavens for different climates and the ability to finally be able to relocate!

[StealthRabbit]

BTW.... 28 yrs winter in Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, SD (many years as overnight truckdriver). Loved that job! Very exciting driving conditions, no boss.

~40yrs PNW winter domicile (but leave as often as possible). Every month commute to Asia during career, and having roses and orchids @ 88f is a nice sight in January.

As for exercise, as a farmer and builder, I don't really need more exercise, but
I swim my 70+ lengths daily (which was a lot easier and much cheaper in Colorado). $0.75 choice of 4 pools . town of 30,000. Moved to WA and rented a house next to a HS, showed up to swim laps, and they pointed to the parking lot. No pool here, only that puddle in the parking lot. . 2 public pools ($9) for 200,000 regional population. Only a couple lanes reserved for swimming laps. No 50m pools in SWWA, must drive to Oregon, where they have plenty of 50m pools. Even Hood River has a 50m pool (it's as close as Beaverton).

I don't know anyone else who regularly swims or gyms, and glad PNW does not share the obesity I would expect with a lot of folks stuck indoors for months. Spouse does not gym, so they do all the firewood toting. (7 cords / winter up a very steep hill) about a pickup truckload / week ... hand carried. Been shoveling daily and using the tractor to move snow this month.

[04kL4nD]

I'm still new to the PNW but I do have to laugh at all my friends whining and crying about all the rain they are in getting in California, while Seattle has gotten less rain than even San Diego this year.

That said, winter has always been my least favorite season, so I'm happy we're either in Spring or just a few weeks away. Summer is my favorite season by far, but I will learn to either to enjoy PNW winters by either heading east on I90 and relearning how to snowboard, or flying south to Mexico/Hawaii/SoCal for a week (or two) to escape and get some sunshine.

PNW winters are infinitely more pleasant than NE winters, but from what I understand November is the worst month because of the darkness and rain, so I will have to mentally prepare myself.

[Transmition]

Winter is fine. The weather is rarely so bad that I won't be able to do anything. It doesn't rain as often as people make out, and most of the time it isn't heavy enough to be a bother if you have a good hood or hat. At worst, I get back from a hike with muddy boots and wet legs below the knees. I avoid hikes in deep snow, but there's so many others to choose from that it doesn't really limit options for most of the year. For general every day activities, the weather and temperature aren't a bother at all, easy to keep warm and dry with the right clothes - the heat in the summer is much more restrictive and for longer.

[MechAndy]

We raised our family 35 miles east of San Francisco in the Tri-Valley Area.
A good portion of our friends asked us why Washington?
Doesn’t it have several feet of snow all winter and rain every other day the rest of the time?
I just smile and say oh it’s not that bad.

The weather was one of the main reasons the wife and I relocated up here.
I love the cooler weather here.
Anything over 85 degrees is downright uncomfortable for me and forces me to turn on the air conditioner.

Cold weather wise it is colder than our area of California during the winter for sure but not all by that much.
There is snow right up our hill in California about every year and freezing temps are common.
The engine block of my boat even cracked one year when it froze and that wasn’t cheap.

One odd thing is that our place in California has more rain.
It gets 6 or so more inches of rain per year, maybe 20” this year.

We all know what happens during the first rain in other areas right?
Where I’m from it is major gridlock with all of the traffic accidents.
It is very common to have your commute time doubled on rainy days.

I guess my point is that even though I may find myself tolerating Washington winters at times I consider myself lucky that I don’t have to put up with tolerating other places during the winter.
YMMV .

[Indy1982]

I would say right now that I tolerate winter, and it's mostly because of the rain and low cloud ceiling. I love hot, arid areas, and the last few summers where it's been hot and dry with nary a raindrop for several months on end have been lovely to me. I didn't even mind the smoke for the most part.


However I'm old enough that I recognize the differing phases of my life, and can anticipate that someday I may enjoy WA winters like I did as a child. When I was younger, the rain and chilliness didn't seem to bother me. I didn't know anything else, and winter was what it was. Then I went through a time in my life where I realized other beautiful places exist (albeit with their own issues), and it unfortunately caused me to lose appreciation for Washington. I'm naturally an outdoorsy person, and I spend a lot of time in the North Cascades, so I'm relearning to enjoy Washington winters, and learning to continue enjoying hobbies and activities despite it being cold, dark and rainy.

[mayfair]

I miss more clearly defined seasonal changes, like snow that stays on the ground longer so you can cross country ski without driving all the way to the mountains. You get used to the gray, mud and lack of change in the weather and it is easier to hike here so I'd say I tolerate winter.

[87112]

Winter is pure evil.

[Glenview94602]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

On this last day of winter, I'm curious about WA CD'ers experience is with it. Do you go into hibernation of sorts with the various activities you normally enjoy? Since we have a wide variety of participants from natives, to long time residents and newbies, it would be good to know how many winters you've lived here.

This is my fourth winter and I generally tolerate winter for the most part. There are certain things I enjoy such as paddling on the glassy waters of our lakes and rivers on the nicer weather days. When the sun comes out, its feels glorious even if only for a short time. The longer periods without sun and colder temps combined with shortest days are the part I dislike the most. And while I wouldn't say I experience SAD in a extreme way, I think it definitely affect my mood. I'm also not a psychologist, but have read it affects the general population to varying degrees. My coping mechanisms really help which include getting outside as much as possibly even if raining along with winter warm-up trips.

All this to say, I always appreciate the end of winter as spring approaches and things begin to warm up.

Derek

I enjoy it. I wonder what the breakdown would be on the west side vs the east side.
I know for Summer, I on the east side of the state would vote to tolerate with borderline dislike.