The Rain in Portland (power lines, moving, car)

[Beyoungyou]

This is a weird question but just have to ask...during the rainy season in Portland, what kind of rain is it? Is it rain like in Northern California, where some days it rains, then the sun comes out, then it rains some more. Or is it a constant downpour or a mix of both? Just wondering cause I'm moving there.
Thanks!

[danwilsonbsee]

Originally Posted by Beyoungyou

This is a weird question but just have to ask...during the rainy season in Portland, what kind of rain is it? Is it rain like in Northern California, where some days it rains, then the sun comes out, then it rains some more. Or is it a constant downpour or a mix of both? Just wondering cause I'm moving there.
Thanks!

Hey - first off, welcome. It's mostly grey and drizzle, rarely heavy rain but it does happen. There are no thunderstorms. Mostly misty and very few sun breaks. The rain can get heavy at times but it is mostly just that constant drizzle. The good news is if it's cold then you see the sun ~40F. If it warms up the rain comes back. There's a saying that it's too cold to rain. It almost never snows in the lower elevations like Portland so if it's cold it's sunny. If you have SAD (seasonal affected disorder) make sure you take plenty of vitamin D and hit the tanning booth or get a sun lamp for your house. I was in Humboldt county for a while and it (at least the year I was there) is much less sunny here. The rain/grey starts to break up in April and gradually improves until it turns into constant sun on July 5th.

[FSF]

Originally Posted by Beyoungyou

This is a weird question but just have to ask...during the rainy season in Portland, what kind of rain is it? Is it rain like in Northern California, where some days it rains, then the sun comes out, then it rains some more. Or is it a constant downpour or a mix of both? Just wondering cause I'm moving there.
Thanks!

danwilsonbsee sums it up nicely. The only thing I would add, in case you didn't already know is that the "rainy season" is about 9 months. Through most of those days, you will not see any sun.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

A word of caution: Clearly state that these are your opinions of Portland weather.

[VTHokieFan]

Originally Posted by Beyoungyou

This is a weird question but just have to ask...during the rainy season in Portland, what kind of rain is it? Is it rain like in Northern California, where some days it rains, then the sun comes out, then it rains some more. Or is it a constant downpour or a mix of both? Just wondering cause I'm moving there.
Thanks!

Forrest Gump answers this perfectly:


Forrest Gump - Vietnam War - Rain - YouTube

[Squidlo]

Originally Posted by danwilsonbsee

Hey - first off, welcome. It's mostly grey and drizzle, rarely heavy rain but it does happen. There are no thunderstorms. Mostly misty and very few sun breaks. The rain can get heavy at times but it is mostly just that constant drizzle. The good news is if it's cold then you see the sun ~40F. If it warms up the rain comes back. There's a saying that it's too cold to rain. It almost never snows in the lower elevations like Portland so if it's cold it's sunny. If you have SAD (seasonal affected disorder) make sure you take plenty of vitamin D and hit the tanning booth or get a sun lamp for your house. I was in Humboldt county for a while and it (at least the year I was there) is much less sunny here. The rain/grey starts to break up in April and gradually improves until it turns into constant sun on July 5th.

I agree. Worked outside for years. Pretty close to my experience of 40+ years in Oregon.

The super cold sub 32 sunny weather, I much prefer to 37 and drizzle.

[rainierman]

Normal Oregon winter - Soft constant rain, 10-minute rain, drizzle, moisture, dew, mist, flurries, slush. The depressing issue is that it can go on... and on... and on... for weeks if not days.

Bad Oregon winter - Freezing rain, black ice, wet snow that freeze overnight. Sheets of ice covering the snow. Pretty rare thing but you'll remember it when it happens.



Original Portland Snow Car Crashes 2007 - YouTube

[VTHokieFan]

Originally Posted by rainierman

Normal Oregon winter - Soft constant rain, 10-minute rain, drizzle, moisture, dew, mist, flurries, slush. The depressing issue is that it can go on... and on... and on... for weeks if not days.

Bad Oregon winter - Freezing rain, black ice, wet snow that freeze overnight. Sheets of ice covering the snow. Pretty rare thing but you'll remember it when it happens.



Original Portland Snow Car Crashes 2007 - YouTube

So why were people driving again?

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by VTHokieFan

So why were people driving again?

They were either from California or Michigan.

[Beenhere4ever]

Seems to me the black ice is the worst. And the silver thaw that breaks off branches and breaks power lines. No worse time of the year to have your electricity interrupted. All the rest of the weather that people complain about are SO easy to adjust to.