Detailed calculations regarding difference in sunlight between Seattle and Los Angeles. The conclusion is... (Tacoma: how much, calculated)

[certsevtxert]

So just how much sunlight does Seattle get?

I have taken great care to calculate exactly how much sunlight difference between Seattle, and Los Angeles.

Accounting the following I was able to come up with a real, actual quantifiable number, that explains why people from sunnier climates feel that Seattle gets so little sunlight.
(As the facts show, it get very little sunlight.. less than HALF the true sunlight radiation of Los Angeles, per year.)

• Annual Days of sunlight
• Monthly days of cloudiness
• Angle of the sun

ANNUAL DAYS OF SUNLIGHT/CLOUDS

SEATTLE-TACOMA
CLOUDY: 225
SUNNY: 140

LOS ANGELES CITY
CLOUDY: 74
SUNNY: 291



TOTAL YEARLY HOURS OF ACTUAL SUNLIGHT (NOT OVERCAST) INCLUDING ANGLE DIFFERENCE:

SEATTLE-TACOMA: 1563.769 HOURS
LOS ANGELES CITY: 3570.562 HOURS

Percentage of LESS SUNLIGHT in Seattle vs Los Angeles: 0.562038
Percentage of MORE SUNLIGHT in Los Angeles vs Seattle: 2.283305

Seattle gets 56.2% Less Sunlight Than Los Angeles.
Los Angeles gets 228.3% More Sunlight Than Seattle.


Please see my detailed Excel sheet that I made citing all the calculations and sources.

[DevanXL]

Ok? I don't think anyone is surprised by this.....

[PollyGlott]

I don't dispute your findings - you calculated that we get a little over half as much sunlight as L.A.
So what?

[certsevtxert]

Originally Posted by PollyGlott

I don't dispute your findings - you calculated that we get a little over half as much sunlight as L.A.
So what?

Actually LESS than half.

56.2% LESS

in other words: 43.8% of the amount of sunlight.

Put another way:
Los Angeles gets 228.3% More Sunlight Than Seattle.

[certsevtxert]

Originally Posted by PollyGlott

I don't dispute your findings - you calculated that we get a little over half as much sunlight as L.A.
So what?

Native Seattlites tend to argue that Seattle doesn't get near as much rain or clouds as people say. However, they are wrong. They are just used to it - it's how they grew up.

The reality is, that Seattle gets a MASSIVE amount less sunlight, and comparatively ALWAYS clouds.

By taking away MORE THAN HALF of the sunlight that people from warmer climates are accustomed to, this creates lots of issues like Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Depression, and general sadness and a longing for the sun.

It is important that people are aware of this if they ever want to consider moving to Seattle.

I would probably not moved here if I had known this before I moved. And I definitely would not moved here if I know I would feel like I do in the over two years since I've been here.

So that's why I want to make others aware of this.

For those who already live here, especially those who have lived here for generations, your bodies are more adapted to the weather, and both physiologically and psychologically you are better able to tolerate it than people from other climates.

I would recommend for people to take this into serious consideration before moving here.

[PollyGlott]

Originally Posted by certsevtxert

Actually LESS than half.
56.2% LESS
in other words: 43.8% of the amount of sunlight.
Put another way:
Los Angeles gets 228.3% More Sunlight Than Seattle.

Uh ... yes, O.K., I was just rounding off.
Again, though, I don't believe your findings are any surprise!

Were your calculations an attempt to bolster this comment you made on another thread:

"Yeah, dependent on where you are, Seattle is prettier - when it's sunny. Which is like a few days of the entire year, during June, July and August. The rest of the year it is awful drizzling rain, entirely overcast, and very short days for the winter, which is most of the year. Very short, as in, sunrise at 10am and sunset at 3pm. Dark almost all the time. Unfortunately the few days of nice sunny days are not enough to overcome all the awful days of the rest of the year."

Because the bolded "facts" above are still a ridiculous over-exaggeration!
For ex., if it's only "sunny a few days of the entire year", then L.A. ,with its 2 and a quarter times more sunny days, per your calculations, must only get a handful of sunny days.
2.283 X a few = a few. And we know that's not true!
As for the quotes about winter, "most of the year ... 10AM to 3PM", that's just baloney.

[Steve Bowen]

Originally Posted by certsevtxert

Native Seattlites tend to argue that Seattle doesn't get near as much rain or clouds as people say. However, they are wrong. They are just used to it - it's how they grew up.

The reality is, that Seattle gets a MASSIVE amount less sunlight, and comparatively ALWAYS clouds.

By taking away MORE THAN HALF of the sunlight that people from warmer climates are accustomed to, this creates lots of issues like Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Depression, and general sadness and a longing for the sun.

It is important that people are aware of this if they ever want to consider moving to Seattle.

I would probably not moved here if I had known this before I moved. And I definitely would not moved here if I know I would feel like I do in the over two years since I've been here.

So that's why I want to make others aware of this.

For those who already live here, especially those who have lived here for generations, your bodies are more adapted to the weather, and both physiologically and psychologically you are better able to tolerate it than people from other climates.

I would recommend for people to take this into serious consideration before moving here.

A cursory perusal of climate data would show that Seattle is much gloomier than LA, or most of America. I really don't think the issue is that the information isn't out there.

[certsevtxert]

Originally Posted by PollyGlott

Uh ... yes, O.K., I was just rounding off.
Again, though, I don't believe your findings are any surprise!

Were your calculations an attempt to bolster this comment you made on another thread:

"Yeah, dependent on where you are, Seattle is prettier - when it's sunny. Which is like a few days of the entire year, during June, July and August. The rest of the year it is awful drizzling rain, entirely overcast, and very short days for the winter, which is most of the year. Very short, as in, sunrise at 10am and sunset at 3pm. Dark almost all the time. Unfortunately the few days of nice sunny days are not enough to overcome all the awful days of the rest of the year."

Because the bolded "facts" above are still a ridiculous over-exaggeration!
For ex., if it's only "sunny a few days of the entire year", then L.A. ,with its 2 and a quarter times more sunny days, per your calculations, must only get a handful of sunny days.
2.283 X a few = a few. And we know that's not true!
As for the quotes about winter, "most of the year ... 10AM to 3PM", that's just baloney.

Yea, I exaggerated exact sunrise/sunset in that other post in the other thread. This post however states cold hard fact. In fact, taking into account all details, there are about:

1563.769/365= Average 4.28429863014 Hours of sunlight per day.

There are about 4 hours of sunlight per day in Seattle, on average.

SO IN FACT IT WAS AN UNDER EXAGGERATION TO SAY THERE ARE AS MUCH AS 5 HOURS PER DAY. WHEN THERE ARE ONLY 4.

With 4 hours of sunlight on average per day, then that means there are 20 hours of darkness per day.
Thus it's safe to make the claim "It's dark all the time"

[west seattle gal]

The photo of Seattle is a true portrayal for many months of the year. We are many shades of grey, a cloudy fishbowl. People like to state that Seattle gets less RAINFALL than other areas, but that's not as significant as the number of OVERCAST days. Our skies can be overcast for weeks, sometimes months -- and this is what contributes to SAD. The rain is a light drizzle, no big deal at all. So thank you for your calculations.

Could you compare Seattle to Pittsburgh and Minneapolis? Those two cities are often described as similar to ours. I considered moving to either at one point, but the overcast skies problem was a deterrent. Would you have any data?

[PollyGlott]

Originally Posted by certsevtxert

Yea, I exaggerated exact sunrise/sunset in that other post in the other thread. This post however states cold hard fact. In fact, taking into account all details, there are about:
1563.769/365= Average 4.28429863014 Hours of sunlight per day.
There are about 4 hours of sunlight per day in Seattle, on average.
SO IN FACT IT WAS A RIDICULOUS UNDER EXAGGERATION TO SAY THERE ARE AS MUCH AS 6 HOURS PER DAY. WHEN THERE ARE ONLY 4.

There are only 4 hours of sunlight per day???
Which leaves 20 hours of darkness per day.
Riiiiiiiiiight...