Rain (Seattle, Tacoma, Vancouver: homes, movie theaters, live)

[rjcjmom]

Growing up, I thought there was only one kind of rain - WA kind. So when I moved to coastal Texas for a year (about 5 years ago), and experienced intense but brief rainstorms and learned that that was what was considered a 'normal rain' I was appalled. Rain so dense you can't see the road when driving? That sounds like hail? That feels like bullets? So I began to see why other areas may actually get more rain - but take a lot less time about it, and see why WA gets it's reputation.

About 3 or 4 rainy days a year - I will simply stay home and do nothing but enjoy looking outside, vegetate, and be glad to be inside. I, too, go without an umbrella most of the time simply because it is too much hassle.

The rest of the time, when it rains, I tune the great outdoors off of my mental horizon and focus on any and everything else but and change my cold, soggy clothes so often that I almost forget about the whole wetness factor in my day.

By the way, does anybody besides me remember a couple of years ago when it rained all day every day for just over a month here in Kelso? Just curious.

[Botev1912]

Now at 12 am we have clear sky, unfortunately it is night . Last 2 weeks we have clear sky almost every night. If this was during the day it would be awesome. But it happens only in the night, sometimes afternoon

[Botev1912]

Originally Posted by rjcjmom

About 3 or 4 rainy days a year

are you talking about Washington state?

[rjcjmom]

Yes - I simply meant I only enjoy about 3 or 4 of the rainy days a year. The rest of the time, I ignore it to the best of my ability.

[Iceberg]

the weather sucks in Seattle outside 2.5 to 3 months in the summer. I like how the local people here talk as though the 9 months of crap weather make the 3 months of descent weather worth the wait. What a trade off! If you seriously are considering moving here visit in December to see just how grey things are on a regular basis. Those born and raised here will defend the weather to the end but someone used to more sun will probably have a hard time.

[scirocco22]

Originally Posted by Iceberg

the weather sucks in Seattle outside 2.5 to 3 months in the summer. I like how the local people here talk as though the 9 months of crap weather make the 3 months of descent weather worth the wait. What a trade off! If you seriously are considering moving here visit in December to see just how grey things are on a regular basis. Those born and raised here will defend the weather to the end but someone used to more sun will probably have a hard time.

I was born and raised in Seattle and I won't defend the weather "to the end," I left!

[allforcats]

Originally Posted by beauty4ashes

Just had to add my $.02 on this one because I think rain is so great. I just love it. Sounds crazy, but after 18 years of living in Washington, I LOVE the rain. I have never used an umbrella here.

Rain makes everything cleaner. The air smells better, the black streets shine. I have had to adjust my hair to suit the weather, so I just let it go curly most days and I'm happy.
My kids love the rain, too. Hubby is not as crazy about it as we are, but he doesn't mind it. He's just more of a snow guy.

No matter what you're doing when it's raining, you can make the best of it.

OH YAY OH YAY OH YAY!!!!! I am so glad to read your comments!

I came from NYC (downpours, and blistering summers), Tokyo (monsoons in June and Sept., and even more blistering summers), western Montana with clear skies and no humidity, and other interesting places. And I just LOVE being here!

I love feeling embraced by the clouds. I love, as you wrote, the smell of the rainy earth and the green growing things. I love the feel of the drizzle on my skin (have you noticed over the years how many words Steve Pool creates to describe our rain? His most recent, I think, was "mizzle" to combine mist and drizzle. Love it!) I love the greenness of the area, and the fact that we start our flowering season in January!

I've often wondered why the complainers just don't go somewhere else where they'd have weather they like. Complaining never changes anything; action does. And my choice to come here is one of the top five best decisions I've made in my life. Thank you, beauty4ashes, for your company!

[seattlerain]

Originally Posted by allforcats

OH YAY OH YAY OH YAY!!!!! I am so glad to read your comments!

I came from NYC (downpours, and blistering summers), Tokyo (monsoons in June and Sept., and even more blistering summers), western Montana with clear skies and no humidity, and other interesting places. And I just LOVE being here!

I love feeling embraced by the clouds. I love, as you wrote, the smell of the rainy earth and the green growing things. I love the feel of the drizzle on my skin (have you noticed over the years how many words Steve Pool creates to describe our rain? His most recent, I think, was "mizzle" to combine mist and drizzle. Love it!) I love the greenness of the area, and the fact that we start our flowering season in January!

I've often wondered why the complainers just don't go somewhere else where they'd have weather they like. Complaining never changes anything; action does. And my choice to come here is one of the top five best decisions I've made in my life. Thank you, beauty4ashes, for your company!

I have often wondered the exact same thing!

[beauty4ashes]

Originally Posted by allforcats

OH YAY OH YAY OH YAY!!!!! I am so glad to read your comments!

I came from NYC (downpours, and blistering summers), Tokyo (monsoons in June and Sept., and even more blistering summers), western Montana with clear skies and no humidity, and other interesting places. And I just LOVE being here!

I love feeling embraced by the clouds. I love, as you wrote, the smell of the rainy earth and the green growing things. I love the feel of the drizzle on my skin (have you noticed over the years how many words Steve Pool creates to describe our rain? His most recent, I think, was "mizzle" to combine mist and drizzle. Love it!) I love the greenness of the area, and the fact that we start our flowering season in January!

I've often wondered why the complainers just don't go somewhere else where they'd have weather they like. Complaining never changes anything; action does. And my choice to come here is one of the top five best decisions I've made in my life. Thank you, beauty4ashes, for your company!

Thanks allforcats!! YAY FOR RAIN!!
Oh what a blessing it is - the drizzle, the mist, the mizzle! Sometimes I like to just stand in a down pour, too. hehee
I loved your post, thank you for sharing!
Reading your post reminded me of a song I heard years ago by Eddie Rabbit "I Love a Rainy Night". (Dating myself a bit, here.) Love that song!
We're not the only ones who LOVES THE RAIN! (Confession: I actually miss it during the summer. ) And Steve Pool rocks.

To the complainers of our beautiful weather here (i.e., mizzle! ) remember: happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have.
Life's too short to ever waste a moment complaining about anything.

[rjcjmom]

I am another born and raised native from WA who won't defend the weather to the end either. In my limited experience, I have not actually found that many natives that love the rain; in fact, I think that more of the people that move here like it than people that are natives. And the biggest feeling I get from the grey skies is suffocation. I have had a few decades in WA to try to like it and still am not able too.

Furthermore, I spent roughly a year and half communting from Chehalis to Seattle and back every day. There were too many rain-related close calls for me during that time to ever want to make me drive in the rain on I-5 at night ever again in life, and I won't pass a semi-truck in heavy rain day or night on the freeway unless forced to by traffic conditions. So, I realize I need to live elsewhere where the weather is better for me.

As I am amongst the working poor, this will not happen overnight. But going on the forums for the places I am interested in is very helpful towards that end. And coming back here helps keep it all in persepective for me.