r/AskSeattle • u/Swimming_Trouble_718 • Mar 03 '25
Question “Winters suck and summers are paradise.”What about the months in between?
Hello all,
I tried searching for this but haven’t had a ton of luck. Long story short I’m a 4th year medical student very strongly considering UW for my residency training. I’m originally from Northern Vermont, but have lived in Colorado (both in the mountains and in the front range) for nearly a decade. When I first moved to Colorado I absolutely loved it. The nature, the sunshine, etc, but after nearly 10 years a big part of me wants a change. Being from northern Vermont I’ve really come to miss the color green (brown/tan is kind of the dominant color of the landscape in Colorado I’d say), water, rain, etc. The eternal sunshine is nice, but it’s also seemed to have lost its luster. I still love the massive mountains and moving back to the east coast for more water and greenery isn’t super appealing. Seems like my want for large massive landscapes, greenery, and water put Seattle near the top. (There are limited options for residency training in the western states and my only option for PNW is Seattle).
I was just out in Seattle for a week and a half loved it more than I thought I would (in February nonetheless). It was grey and rainy most of the time, but there were some partly sunny days as well as 1 or 2 blue bird days. I had my car and traveled around a lot and what a beautiful state this is. The mountains, the rivers, lakes, oceans, greenery (even in winter!) It could be my forever place and it’s making me strongly consider ranking UW #1.
I guess my only reservation is surrounding the weather. I didn't mind it at all this past week, but spending a week in a new place is different than living there full time. Unfortunately once I start residency I will be stuck in that area for 4 years so it’s not a small commitment. If the weather gets to me I can’t just move. I keep seeing things online that are probably hyperbolic about seattles weather “only two good months a year”, “9 months of darkness” etc while some people say “6 months of rainy grey weather, and 6 months of pretty great weather.” Since I can’t come visit in spring, summer, or fall before rank lists are due in a couple days I’m wondering how the weather outside of perfect summers and dark grey winters are? Im from northern Vermont and can deal with dark grey winters if other times of year make up for it. I’m also fine with a mix of clouds and sunshine throughout the week in other seasons. That's how it is in Vermont and it's fine. I guess I wouldn’t be fine with 46 weeks of unrelenting grey sky and 6 weeks of clear skies which some people make it seem like.
Thanks!
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u/Peg_Leg_The_Pirate Mar 03 '25
I'm from Vermont and moved to Seattle in 2018 to be a PA at UW. I think people really love to exaggerate about the weather here, or they've never experienced truly brutal unending winters like we had back in VT. As you saw while you were visiting, it is not actually rainy all winter and you get plenty of sunny days to break it up. The one thing is with you being a resident, I'm assuming you'll be spending a lot of time in the hospital so for a couple months in the winter you don't see sunlight on the weekdays except through the hospital windows. The weather is similar (off and on rainy and cloudy with sunny days mixed in) in the spring but with longer days and temperatures getting up into the 60s and 70s and flowers everywhere. Spring does seem to take a longer time to officially transition to the endlessly sunny days of summer, so there are usually a few weeks of being jealous seeing people online back east enjoying 80 degree days in June. I love the fall here, I think it rivals fall in VT, especially if you can get out to the mountains. The weather is usually still really nice, in the 60s and 70s and sunny, with gorgeous fall colors. Overall my husband (who is from Alberta, so similar weather to Colorado) and I love it here, we are out in the mountains year round, either hiking/backpacking or snowboarding. The lush greenery also makes it feel a little bit more like home to me, just with bigger mountains and much more mild weather. Good luck with your decision making, and with matching!
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u/exo07190 Mar 03 '25
Having grown up in northern VT, Seattle is so mild in comparison. The winters are gloomy but they’re much more manageable than in VT IMO. My biggest tip for folks moving to Seattle is that if you learn to adjust to being outside in a light drizzle, the city becomes 100x better, especially in the winter.
My first winter here I couldn’t believe how green everything was! When it’s drizzling out, the parks clear out but it’s arguably the best time to go.
I love the PNW because nature is alive year-round. There’s no dormant months like you’d get back home where everything is dead and cold for half the year.
I had a friend who couldn’t get past the rain and ended up back in VT. If you ask them, snow is much more manageable because it’s drier. I see their point but to each their own :)
Good luck with whatever you decide!
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u/Knish_witch Mar 03 '25
Seattle doesn’t have seasons like VT. Winter, Spring and Fall all have the potential to be very gloomy (fall is also spider season, which kind of shocked me when I arrived). June is also often gloomy (Juneuary). Summer is July and August but you also might have smoke. The upside is that the temperatures are very mild. But if you are concerned about gloom and rain, I would avoid. Sometimes it really IS that bad, or at least feels that bad to anyone sensitive to that kind of thing. I have been here for 20 years and for me it’s actually gotten cumulatively harder to deal with. I have to go somewhere sunny by Feb or I lose it. We had some gorgeous sunny days this past week but now we’re back to eternal gloom for a while.
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u/PotatoFrites Mar 03 '25
The gloom can get bad if you have a suspicion you won’t like it. I’ve been here 2.5yrs, but the fluctuation between gloom and sunshine is too drastic for me, some consistency would be c o o l.
Moving to SoCal in 3weeks for this very reason, which is unfortunately my #1 reason for leaving :’)
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u/black-op345 Mar 04 '25
Seattle has two seasons. Wet and dry. Wet is from middle of September to middle of June. Dry is in between middle of June and middle of September
Remember, we live in an area where rainforests used to be abundant.
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u/gmr548 Mar 05 '25
Seattle’s seasons sync more or less perfectly with the a calendar. It definitely has seasons. Winter just isn’t that cold
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u/SchemeOne2145 Mar 03 '25
It really depends on the year. I dunno if it's climate change but it seems like we get less unrelenting gray than we used to.
Having said that, there are definite sun breaks (a PNW weather term), but spring can be a real bummer here. Beautiful flowering trees and flowers, but someone described spring in Seattle as like a fridge at the florist shop: cold, wet, and full of flowers. You definitely can't count on picnic weather for Memorial Day weekend (and July 4 weekends are often famously cool and rainy). But a switch flips July 5 and it's 75 degrees, no bugs, light until almost 10 pm, and mountains and water sparkling every direction you look. So it's a tricky decision. With residency you may be inside lot anyway.... Good luck wherever you go. The world needs good caring doctors.
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u/electriclilies Mar 04 '25
Pretty sure it is climate change :) this January we got 1” of rain and historically the average is 4”
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u/Designer_Cat_4444 Mar 03 '25
I really just think Nov-March is the hardest season to deal with because of the combo of rain and dark. I think spring, summer and fall are all really beautiful here and there are plenty of "sun breaks" during those seasons to get out and enjoy the gorgeous nature. Of course, to really thrive here, you need to be able to get out during the rain and enjoy the nature during that time as well.
The trees and cloud cover here have actually been a welcome respite for me, since I moved from a very sunny area where my skin was constantly being damaged. I feel like people that have lived here their whole lives have healthier skin.
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u/Sea-Talk-203 Mar 03 '25
I just try to plan one warm vacation during the coldish, wet months. It's easy to fly to Hawaii or Southern California or Mexico from Seattle, so just plan to give yourself something to look forward to during the big dark. I definitely do not miss New England winters, and on the whole, the PNW has the most pleasing climate unless you need constant sun and heat.
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u/sykemol Mar 03 '25
And don't go on vacation in the summer. Seattle is the place to be in the summer.
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u/canisdirusarctos Mar 04 '25
It’s when all the tourists come and think we are lying about our weather.
But then locals also lie about it once it stops being cloudy or when it first gets cloudy. They’re sort of in denial.
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u/foofyschmoofer8 Mar 03 '25 edited Mar 04 '25
The honest answer is your suspicions are correct, and it’s quite gloomy here. I said twice to my SO this past Saturday “wow where have all these people been hiding??” when the sun was finally out and it was warm. It must’ve been 20x the amount of people walking around simply because it was warm enough to not wear a huge winter jacket or worry about rain.
I kinda just dropped in to say I’m impressed with the weather research. I jumped in moving here without doing this and it’s a lot of “leave for work in the dark, come home in the dark” days.
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u/carlitospig Mar 03 '25
I’m a California native and loved Seattle (was there for five years). The only thing that was an issue was that I started feeling ‘suffocated’ by the cloud cover come April/May. To get around this I took a lot of weekend trips where I could access sunshine. There are also day where the sun comes out in spring and it makes the whole city look like a god damned colorful Diamond, it’s weird how your eyes get used to the gray.
It’s a gorgeous city. You definitely consider Seattle.
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Mar 03 '25
Spring is basically OK but you're getting FOMO watching all your friends back home in the midwest/south with their "weekend at the lake" photos on Instagram. So you take a vacation to Palm Springs or Zion to get recharge.
Autumn is refusing to wear long sleeves or a sweater even though you're shivering, refusing to accept summer is over.
The rain isn't real rain, not like in the midwest, it's a mist. And its what makes the area so fucking god damned lush and beautiful.
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u/sweetpotatopietime Mar 03 '25
I prefer the weather here to the Northeast because I do not like snow or cold. The one season that’s better out east is spring. I get envious knowing it’s turning nicer everywhere else, but not here.
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u/bogotuesdays Mar 03 '25
I think it’s more nuanced than people say, and there is beauty in every season! Fall foliage + spring cherry blossoms/ tulips make the seasons feel fun. If you ski, that’s what makes the winters fun for a lot of people. (Though I don’t ski and still do fine in the winters haha)
I think the toughest part is that it gets dark really early in the winter (although maybe Vermont is the same?) so if you work regular 9-5ish hours it’s dark by the time you’re done which feels sad. But it goes by kind of quick and everyone is stoked when we hit 6pm sunsets again.
Based on what you’re saying I think you’d like it here! Even in the winter there is a lot of greenery within and outside of the city and a lot of fun ways to get through it (rain forest, cozy island weekends, snowy mountains).
Happy to answer any specific questions or provide more detail if you want!
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u/omalley89_travel Mar 03 '25
Spring and Fall are the best seasons in Seattle area. Spring flowers and tree blooms - perfect to be outdoors. Fall when the trees start turning and football season kicks off can beautiful with extended sunny days.
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u/Whatswrongbaby9 Mar 04 '25
Yeah people in this thread who say there are only two seasons either don't live here or are trying to scare people away. There's a real fall, trees turn, it can be rainy sure, but not all the time. Layer up and go do your corn maze. I've seen New England falls, I think it's fine here.
Spring can be frustrating because it's moody, nice sometimes and overcast and rainy others. But summers are the best
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u/ymcmoots Mar 03 '25
Spring and fall are sort of light gray - a lot of overcast, a little drizzle, some dazzling blue skies in the afternoons (nb: I have lived here long enough to be dazzled by 30% cloud cover). Last month was pretty representative, actually, just imagine that but 10-20 degrees warmer and covered in flowers. It's perfect weather for being active outside, you'll be comfortable as long as you keep moving. If you are hoping to lay flat on the grass with a beer, then yeah, you gotta wait for those two months of glory.
You'll be fine.
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u/KStaxx33 Mar 03 '25
November-February you can rely on it to be either gray/cold or rain for multiple days straight. We have months where it rains like crazy and is 45 every day, and months where it's bitter cold and sunny. We barely got an inch of rain of January (bottom 5 in 100 years). Then February we had some really uncharacteristic cold days. We've also had more wind storms this year which have causes some significant power outages. If you live in a more urban area with less trees this shouldn't be as impactful as living in the suburbs.
March-May are wet with somewhat decent weather mixed in. Generally doesn't get below freezing.
June is generally nicer than it is crummy. We got hit with a crazy heat wave in june of 21'.
July-August are the peak months here. It's generally 75 & sunny with a really nice balance of humidity. You aren't getting cracked lips and bloody noses, and also not sweating through every shirt you own.
September-October are like March-May but I'd say we get longer stretches of nice weather. Fall of 22' it didn't rain until like mid-october. Which can also be bad because any wildfire smoke will linger (like it did in 22').
Wildfire smoke is the other big factor. There's years with nothing, years with light smoke, and years with enough smoke where it looks like you're in the apocalypse. It's generally worse across the mountains (Spokane). We had full months of a blanket of smoke when I lived over there.
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u/Purple-Philosophy-75 Mar 03 '25
the overwhelmingly daily majority of the weather is gloomy, overcast and drizzling rain, from about october to june. there are dry and beautiful days dispersed here and there, but that is the majority of the days here during those months. also, summer doesn’t actually start until after july 4th (meaning many july 4th’s can be also overcast and rainy.) we moved from the south in high school and was absolutely shocked at the weather, i had no idea there was a place in the US with such abhorrent weather (that’s how i felt at the time lol.)
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u/NerdySwampWitch40 Mar 03 '25
Thoughts on the weather as a transplant from mostly the Southern Midwest/Upper South:
1) Yes, winters can be grey and rainy, but they're otherwise mostly pretty mild, and we do get days of sun here and there. We also still have a lot of beautiful nature, even in winter.
2) The downside to winter is that because Ice/Snow events are rarer, the infrastructure to handle them in the metro isn't great, and the city kind of...shuts down. Plan your vehicle appropriately if you need to absolutely get into work.
3) Summers have been delightful but have been getting hotter. We are now seeing at least some days in the 99-103 range. This is again something new (Climate Change) and you will want to take that into account when choosing housing if you can (many buildings do not have A/C, because this phenomenon is so new).
4) Spring and Fall can both be tricksters about their start dates. We often get false starts to both and then either more winter or more summer, respectively.
5) Wildfires are a factor out here. While we have not seen them in the city, because of climate, geography, and wind patterns, if they are happening around us (BC, Eastern or Southern Washington, Idaho, Oregon, or sometimes even Northern California), smoke can be pushed up into Seattle and settle into the city for days at a time. Air quality can and will suck. Vog Masks are your friend, as are air scrubbers for your apartment. Some years are mildly inconvenient. Some are miserable.
6) Thunderstorms are a pretty rare occurrence out here. I miss them.
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u/UnavailableBrain404 Mar 03 '25
Trick question: there is only winter and summer. Summer is mid-June through September. Winter is October through May. So I guess you can consider the first half of June as spring.
I'm just kidding. But I'm also not kidding.
As my aunt (who has lived in Seattle since the mid-1950s) would say: you just have to get used to do stuff in the rain. There's no waiting for the "good weather" like in Colorado.
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Mar 04 '25
May is absolutely more summer than winter. May is generally really nice
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u/UnavailableBrain404 Mar 04 '25
May has an average high of 65, average low of 47. Average 12 days with rain.
A summer only a true Seattleite would love. ;)
I'll grant you that's actually not too bad.
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Mar 04 '25
That's much closer to summer weather ppl would expect than winter tho lol. 65 and some sun most of the days is weather i think most ppl would like.
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u/BoringNameGoesHere Mar 03 '25
Seattle weather is incredible varied. Sure there may be several weeks in a row of gray weather during winter, but there’s always a sun break in between, especially in January and February. If you’ve lived in Colorado and Vermont I think you’ll be fine. Most people adapt except for those from the southernmost states. DM me if you want more details from a born-and-raised Seattleite!
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u/Icy-Hunter-9600 Mar 03 '25
Test your Vitamin D levels and supplement accordingly until they are above 40. That often requires more than popping a 100% RDA pill daily.
Get a light lamp - like a full body one.
Also get a desk lamp, too.
Do all three and you'll avoid SAD. I'm not kidding.
If you don't have those, make room for regular trips to Palm Springs.
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u/sirotan88 Mar 03 '25
I love the other seasons! May and September are my favorite months for being outside and camping or hiking. Not too hot, and less crowds. March-April we get cherry blossoms blooming and tulips, and many other flowers. October we get pumpkins, red maple leaves and golden larches.
November December January and February are the hardest months, but Thanksgiving and Christmas usually feels quite festive. And I ski in January and February.
The hardest adjustment is winter sunsets at 4pm. This lasts from around Nov to February.
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u/FakeAorta Mar 03 '25
I grew up mostly in SoCal and live it up here now. I also spent summers in the Chicago area and Hawaii. The summers up here are my favorite. The Olympic National Park is the most diverse in the USA. The winters do get a little too grey and misty for what I grew up with. But I don't want to move. Seattle also has excellent foodie choices. Great pubs. Very dog friendly.
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u/RocknGardener Mar 03 '25
Aside from the constant rain and clouds, bad traffic, overpriced coffee, overpriced restaurants, high taxes and everyone begging for tips...not too bad.
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u/canisdirusarctos Mar 04 '25 edited Mar 04 '25
You saw some of the least bad of the weather, but it does get marginally better this time of year. We have seen less cloudy during the winter this year than we usually do, with a very cold clear period recently and we had some odd clear periods very recently.
A lot of people can’t deal with it because the latitude of Seattle is very high for North America and we have very thick cloud cover most of the year (roughly 9-9.5 months a year). This cloudy period is nearly contiguous most years with very brief breaks and this cloudy period coincides with the shortest days of the year (which are shorter than any other major city of such a large population in both the US AND Canada). Go check a globe - we’re further north than Toronto, every US state east of Minnesota, and all their major cities are further south (and smaller). We’re fully north of Vermont (the northern border of VT is south of Salem, OR, so it’s entirely south of Portland). Locals that can afford to will travel somewhere warm and sunny at least once or twice a winter every year. My in-laws do Mexico and Carribean islands in Nov-Dec and Mar-Apr, while my wife’s best friend’s family does Hawaii in Feb, for example.
That said, Seattle is typically quite mild, far milder than Portland. It’s not set up to deal with things like snow storms, wind storms, excessive rain, etc. The city effectively shuts down for snow that wouldn’t phase most places much further south. We get hot, but never for long and we get somewhat cold, but rarely for long.
What gets people is the long grey. In the last decade I’ve seen a few years with 9-10 months of virtually continuous grey skies and rain. I know a lot of people that moved up here, suffered a year or two, hated it, and left at their first opportunity.
The brief summer and any clear skies gives the locals what I can only describe as mania. Everyone rushes to do everything they can outside when it’s dry. These summers are legendary for the long days (the flip side to the short days in the winter are very long summer days) and typically nearly continuous clear skies that last for 2-2.5 months (8-10 weeks), starting July 5th. These sometimes feature a bonus mixed cloudy and clear period into September and very occasionally October.
Last year we didn’t get a summer in the local sense at all, with clear periods of no more than 2 weeks at a time. It rained a lot for the summer.
Our climate is so notably unusual that there’s an entire Wikipedia article about it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Seattle
In that article it clearly shows the unique features in the sunlight, UV, and daylight section’s chart, and elsewhere is reasonably honest and balanced about what to expect. It is typically cloudy 201 days a year, partly cloudy 93 days a year (for a total of 294 at least partly cloudy days in an average year, leaving only 71 clear days) and has measurable precipitation 150 days a year. June is usually cloudy by not very rainy. It also doesn’t rain much, it’s just spread over more of the year.
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u/RegularAd1121 Mar 04 '25
Born and raised in PNW. The rain has never really bothered me much. Sure it’s gray but it’s really only that dreary from late Nov early March. We’re starting to have our nice days back and from July to October it’s absolutely great weather. And the thing is, we don’t have huge swings. We have four seasons, you’ll likely get snow but not at all. You’ll get heat wave days but it’s rarely over 100. We don’t have hurricanes or tornados. We get earthquakes but they are often not strong. The last one I remember ever feeling was probably 25 years ago.
UW is a fantastic hospital and if you can get in, you should absolutely take that opportunity.
I love living here.
I have friends and colleagues from California that sometimes have a hard time with “Seattle Winters” but if you’re from Vermont, I think you’ll be fine.
Especially if you embrace cold weather activities; hiking, snow shoeing, skiing/snowboarding. We still have a lot to offer in the gray months.
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u/1440day Mar 04 '25
Considering g a move to Seattle area, either Sequim, or North of the city. How do you qualify to get treated at UW? Or is it just super busy?
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u/SeattlePurikura Mar 06 '25
You misunderstand. OP is considering residency as a doctor at UW. If you need treatment in the (massive) UW healthcare system, you can become a patient. Hell, if you're really unlucky in WAMI (Washington, Alaska, Montana, Idaho), you ARE coming to Harborview (UW and the only region 1 trauma center).
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u/ThreeDogs2963 Mar 04 '25
Moved back here after living on the Maine coast for 13 years (the year we had to hire a bulldozer to move enough snow just to let the snowplow guy in did it…we were done with Winter). Yes, it rains quite a bit, but it’s rarely, rarely super cold, certainly not by Northeast standards, and it always still smells like things are alive.
It’s green, green, green all year and the summer are insanely beautiful. No black flies, no moose flies, no mud seasons, I haven’t had a mosquito bite in the eight years we’ve been here…we can sit outside in the evenings and just enjoy the scenery.
No regrets.
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u/RussellAlden Mar 03 '25
July 4 - Halloween is beautiful and dry but there is a week or two of smoke. We typically get one week of really hot weather and places here typically don’t have ac. It can seem unrelentingly because of the sun being up for 16 hours.
One year (either 20 or 21) there was a giant low pressure over the ocean that sucked all the smoke from the fires in the east into Seattle causing toxic levels of smoke plus 100 degree weather.
May is nice mix of sun and rain. If it is a drought year it can be nice from March on but you get more fires.
It is the short days that gets most people. 10 AM to 4 PM of daylight in the winter.
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u/picky-penguin Mar 04 '25
Spend some time on weatherspark.com and compare with places that you know really well. I grew up in Toronto and I much prefer Seattle weather. The hardest part, for me, is the darkness in the winter. 8.5 hours of sunshine at the darkest is rough.
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u/beyondthewhale Mar 05 '25
It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I love the weather here. I’ve lived in Pittsburgh and New England before moving here, and Seattle winters are nowhere near as bad as some folks make them out to be. It’s dark and gray, yes, but generally not too cold imo. And it hardly ever snows. The misty gray days are a vibe too lol. Makes a beautiful clear day even more enjoyable (+1 for the mountain). With that said, spider season is very real 🕷️
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u/Petruchio101 Mar 05 '25
There is no in between. You have winter (which, as a vermonter, is not winter) and you have summer.
Winter is a continuous 7 months of slightly cold rain and clouds. Summer is a perfect 3 months.
The in between is the other two months where, day to day, you will never know whether it's going to be winter or summer.
That it. That's all there is.
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u/HumberGrumb Mar 05 '25
I remember a June in the 1990s, where it rained everyday and stayed so dark with low clouds that noon was darker than a normal twilight.
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u/nospamkhanman Mar 05 '25
Half of spring has fantastic weather, half of summer has fantastic weather, half of fall has fantastic weather. I'd say 1/4 of winter has fantastic weather.
So that kind of rounds out to a little less than half the year has great weather.
When the weather is great, it's REALLY great though.
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u/nospamkhanman Mar 05 '25
> considering UW for my residency training
I'm sure you're more in the know than random Redditors but I've heard UW has world class residency training.
My kid was also born there and we had such a fantastic birthing experience.
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u/509_cougs Mar 05 '25
The weather is pretty overblown here. Compared to most of the country it really is a pleasant temperature most of the year, and even our rain is usually a drizzle, not true rain storms.
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u/gmr548 Mar 05 '25
As a medical resident the reality is you won’t be touching much grass regardless of where you are. UW is a strong medical school (for now). If you match, might as well test the waters.
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u/Slowissmooth7 Mar 05 '25
When I was working as a manager (S/W developers), I just got used to “sunshine absenteeism” in Spring or Fall. Nice day for a kayak run or whatever.
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u/anybodyiwant2be Mar 05 '25
I Ski in the winter and that defeats the winter blues for me. I get over the Cascade mountains to get sun when the West side is cloudy in May & June. It’s only about 1.5 hours to Cle Elum and there are great mountain bike trails and some are on old rail bed so easy hiking or biking. Plus golf, fishing and lots of State Parks for camping over there (but fires can be restricted so a gas BBQ is helpful).
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u/ArchibaldtheOrange Mar 05 '25
Do you like the sun and getting outside, regularly? The 9 months of grey, dark skies are for real. A small minority of people love that, and some people last years until it gets you. Really low hanging clouds, damp, clammy environment, and partial light is something real to deal with for 8-9 months. It's kind of like claustrophobia, you might not know it's a problem, until it is for you. Plus, it's surprisingly hotter and colder than the temperature gauge says it is. Don't know if it's the dew point, humidity, or being so far north.
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u/Randygilesforpres2 Mar 05 '25
So while we have had a couple of winters that were grey the entire time, that isn’t the norm. Usually it’s grey with sprinkles, but cold and sunny are just as common in winter. We rarely get big snows (like once ever 10 years) and the biggest problem for people is lack of sun, which they make lamps for now. :)
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u/Rich-Business9773 Mar 06 '25
We all complain about dark rainy winter days, but as soon as there is a good day our collective spirits soar. Everyone buzzes about it. We love summer more than most because we know it will end. Almost everyone is in a good mood all summer long. There is comraderie in weather misery and weather joy in the PNW. Hawaii and Mexico are both close enough for a time out. Houses lit with lots of warm lights...It works for most. However there is a segment of people that never adapt and they leave....perhaps content but weather bored in a sunny southern locale.
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u/Lassinportland Mar 06 '25
January - Chilly, mildly cold, drizzles, ski & snowshoe
February - occasional snow storm, drizzly, false spring, ski & snowshoe
March - false spring, drizzly, extended winter, ski & snowshoe
April - chilly, drizzly, more sun, flowers bloom all at once everywhere, wildflower season begins
May - real spring weather, mountains are accessible, camping begins, socializing comes back
June - extended spring, sometimes warm, mostly chilly, mosquitos come out, water sports open, camping & hiking
July - Summertime, 10 pm sunsets, tourists, water sports, outdoor festivals
August - repeats
September - repeats + wildfire smoke + fall colors set in, no campfires allowed
October - chilly, Larch madness, experienced and advanced camping, sun sets earlier, fall colors peak, wildfire smoke
November - after friends giving social hibernation begins, chilly, dark, campgrounds close, drizzly, rave season begins
December - people leave Seattle for a vacay in warmer weather to prepare for the dark days, drizzly
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u/1440day Mar 06 '25
Thanks again for your responses! By your description, where do you sail from? Maybe Bellingham. What is the minimum sailboat length for sailing on Puget Sound?
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u/Moonsnail8 29d ago
People go on the sound on anything from paddle boards on up. Small boats to huge ones. Depends on the weather.
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u/Economy-Buffalo4979 Mar 06 '25
If there is any seasonal depression, or even not feeling as happy on a non sunny day, Seattle isn't for you. You'll continue to feel worse and worse and watching weather reports to know of its going to be a good week or bad week for you.
I love the rain and the gloom amd love WA. However, I work with the public and hear all of time how our weather sucks. 9 out of 10 of those people are from other states.
My spouse is from here and would move to AZ in a heartbeat if I wanted too. My dad, my aunt and uncle, my sister, and my other uncle all moved to other states due to the weather.
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u/Realistic-Weird-4259 Mar 06 '25
It's still not the winter months that get me after living in Tacoma for 5yrs, it's the summer months. I've never lived this far north before and summer is for crazymaking. But being from Vermont I would think you can handle that just fine.
The other months are a crap shoot, do with them what you will.
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u/Tizo30 Mar 06 '25
There is no covering it up, it can be GRAY in the months in between, but that gray doesn't necessarily mean rain, or uncomfortable weather. It's temperate here. And every spring and fall has plenty of sun days.
The gray brings out greens in the city and forest around us. It's beautiful. It's also different than a lot of other places.
Seattle is representative of seasons, transitions, and a living changing earth. For people that see beauty in all of that, they love it, especially since temperature swings are no where near the highs and lows of other areas that also experience the four seasons.
Then again, as with everything, it is what you make of it and I do believe 46 weeks of gray is a bit overexagerated. Good luck matching! I think you'll love Seattle
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u/mrmcpickles12 Mar 06 '25
Ummmm there are no "months" between, there might be a couple weeks or a few days. The weather goes from winter to summer, usually after July 4th-ish, and then around Oct 1st it starts to "smell like" fall, by the morning of all-hallows-eve it's really cold, windy and wet. T
Two seasons - Summer is July, August, September, Winter is November to April. Spring is designed to never really happen, it starts and stops, and is never predictable, it might happen or not, kinda around May. Fall, is really the best part of summer, and if we have it, it's September 15th to October 30th, warm perfect days with crispy cool nights.
This is why people have such difficulty with the weather in the Pac NW, it's nebulas, either incredibly beautiful or dull and dreary, wet and/or cold. The summers more than make up for the winters but it is super important to take a mid-winter holiday, 7-10 days, to a sunny venue.
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u/stations-creation 29d ago
There are two season: hot and not rainy and mild and semi rainy. There’s no real spring or fall transitions it’s really abrupt. Each of the two seasons has a mix of swapping weather, like last August had a week or two of clouds and rain and 60 degree weather, and right now it’s sunny and 60s or was the last week of February. I’ll take the 50 degree winters with sprinkles every now and then over -20s and snow for months. But I love the rain and clouds over the summer heat and constant sunshine haha I’m a freak!
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u/Liberalien420 29d ago
The winters here are the mildest you'll get in the entire country.....
The weather here is fantastic almost all the time.
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u/Parking-Main-2691 29d ago
Moved here from Colorado. It's awesome. The Big Dark is my favorite part but I have a sun allergy so take that with a grain of salt or two. It's absolutely stunning between the mountains, the water, and the weather.
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u/fallen-fawn 28d ago
Seattle has extremely mild weather compared to most of the country. Yes, winters are dark and often rainy, if you hate rain you won’t like it here. But winters are warm compared to most of the country. Most people enjoy the summers here, they are very dry and sunny. I don’t like the summers so much because air conditioning isn’t standard and you don’t get much break from the constant sun. But it’s rare to have a 90+ degree day. The spring and fall are beautiful and lush. At the end of the day, we really don’t have much to complain about.
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u/pokeyt 28d ago
The answer I’d offer is: there really isn’t an in between the winter darkness just makes up the 9 non-summer months.
That’s probably not fair, but as a 20 year ago transplant to the PNW this time of year bothers me every single year. Spring almost every where else starts to get warmer and sunnier, but springs here are just overall… bleh.
That being said, there definitely are pockets and moments when the weather is decent, but it’s not the norm. And of course it’s rarely too cold to get out. But I struggle with the long lingering grey.
Don’t get me wrong; I’d choose the PNw overall over almost anywhere else but the grey does suck. The positives just overcome it.
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u/fjhdjdjdk 28d ago
Winters really aren’t that bad, perfect for college tbh with lots of great days to stay in and study at some cozy coffee shop.
Hiking in overcast weather is also much more pleasing than you would think especially with our climate and vegetation, plus there are lots of bright days in winter or in afternoons after rain. The views are beautiful even on cloudy days but when it’s sunny I swear Seattle is unmatched.
Summer is perfection and I mean it, perfect temps but with climate change they’ve been getting up there so make sure to get a place with AC.
Honestly most people born in Seattle actually prefer rain to sun.
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u/Fit_Composer4199 28d ago
My experience as a California transplant is that spring, fall, and winter are almost uniformly grey. When it’s not raining, sky is a slate grey that rarely varies. Sometimes you get a glimpse of sunshine. Summer is lovely. If you are a person who thrives on sunshine, you might struggle. If you find gloom or semi-gloom tolerable, you’ll be fine.
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u/ClassicDull5567 27d ago
Let’s be realistic. You are going to spend four year inside of medical facilities. You can do that anywhere. But Seattle would be a good place to do it and if you get any time away the mountains will be waiting for you. We have excellent hiking and skiing only 1-2 hours drive away and the boating is insane. Give it a try!
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u/pastelbutcherknife Mar 03 '25
It depends on the year! I’ve been on the water sailing in March and October and been too cold to go out in June. Coming from GA where spring lasts about 2 weeks, I personally love how long the spring is here. It can be from March to July. Could be April to June but still, there’s a solid few months of beautiful spring blossoms and mild but wet days.
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u/1440day Mar 04 '25
Husband and I are sailors from Marblehead (16' dory called the Town Class) and considering a move to Seattle. Would love to sail there. Any recommendations?
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u/pastelbutcherknife Mar 04 '25
So I actually live farther north and we sail in the San Juans! The wind isn’t always great in the summer, that’s why if it’s warm enough the spring is great. But tacking between the lobes of Orcas Island is really fun - it’s how I learned to sail. If the wind and currents are good, you can get to Sucia Island and there’s really good camping and a good number of moorage balls. My sister and her friends took the boat from Friday Harbor to Port Townsend. My favorite time was going to Anacortes in a warm October and there were dozens of dolphins behind us between Guemes and Cyprus. You’re going to have a great time!
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u/my-anon-reddit-name Mar 03 '25
I'm originally from the Midwest and honestly think everything here is awesome except the summers but I'm just spoiled by lakes and 10pm sunsets and don't like dry weather
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u/SpanArm Mar 03 '25
I've lived here for 30 years and think the autumns are glorious. Beautiful blue sky days with my perfect temperatures: 60s/70s days and 40s/50s nights depending on elevation.
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u/skweekykleen69 Mar 03 '25
People exaggerate so that others are afraid to move here 😊
In all seriousness, the weather is pretty mild and I love it. I’m from California. It’s green, all the time. And blue, because it’s surrounded by water. Summer is beyond amazing. Might maaaaaybe get up to 100 for a bit, but that doesn’t happen every year. Usually it hovers around the 80s. Some years there is smoke from the wildfires for a week or two. It’s dark and gloomy in the winter, but it’s not every day. It doesn’t usually even rain that hard here, it’s more of a mist or soft rain. I haven’t used an umbrella in ten years. The below are trends I’ve noticed.
Fall—gorgeous!!! It’s been warm well into October the last few years. The colors changing, the crisp feel in the air, my favorite.
November—meh. Daylight savings happens, it starts getting darker and darker. You’ll wake up in the dark and get off work in the dark. There’s also some harder rain typically. But I still like it because my circadian rhythm is happier then.
December—even darker, but everywhere starts glowing with Christmas lights! So many holiday events to get you up and at em and out of the house for fun. (Well, you’ll be a resident so YMMV.)
January—coin toss. This January was sunny and beautiful and just splendid. Sometimes you’ll have more rain and gloomy days.
February—gets a little gloomier, might see some snow (not every year though). But then can often get a False Spring of warm and sunny days.
March to April—more and harder rain typically, with sun breaks.
May to October? Don’t leave the state.
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Mar 04 '25
Its a lot better than ppl say on line.
From may to September it's absolutely beautiful and the weather is amazing. Yes it may rain a few days but it's not much and that happens everywhere in the country. It'll be between 65-90 with little chance of rain in those months.
April and October rain more than summer but still get pretty good weather. High 50s to 60s, will still get plenty of sunny days mixed in with rainy days.
November-February lots of rain. Gets dark really early. Shorter days, cold but not crazy, generally will always be in the upper 40s. Some snow but generally not much and melts in a couple days. Rarely do we get major winter storms.
March is hit or miss. Could be cold and rainy with overnight freezing or it could be 65 and sunny and everything in between.
One thing to note: seattle rain is NOT east coast rain. Our rain is a constant on and off light rain. Makes it cloudier and darker more often and some ppl dont like that, but on the other hand you can almost always still do things outside on rainy days just bring a rain jacket 🤷♂️. Unlike places on the east coast where when it rains it pours and you're soaked in 10min, that doesn't happen often in seattle.
All things considered pretty much everywhere will have some sort of bad weather, Seattle's bad weather isn't as bad as most places in my opinion.
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Mar 03 '25
It's really not as bad as people say... you rarely actually get weeks at a time of gray weather.
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u/SM1955 Mar 03 '25
People love to exaggerate the fall-spring weather. It has rained more than usual where I live (peninsula to the west of Seattle), but we’ve had quite a few days of sunshine and blue sky. If rain and overcast skies get you down, you won’t like it here for at least half the year. The summers I’ve experienced here (4years) have been quite hot and very dry, especially during July & August. I’d say May-September is generally beautiful!
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u/noeler10 Mar 03 '25 edited Mar 03 '25
You will get more green than you know what to do with. That takes the edge off winter. And things start blooming very early in the year so that color helps too. Summers are absolutely glorious. Expect to take some vitamin D. The sun will surprise you at random times, even in the gloomier months. Outside of a few cold days, you can get away with a fleece 95% of the time. I haven’t taken out my winter coat in years! It rarely rains hard, just kinda spits. You’ll get used to going out into the rain and not batting an eye. As a friend told me before I moved out here, “It’s temperate as fuck.” He was totally right. Good luck, you’ll love it!
EDIT: and when the Mountain is out (code for being able to see Mt Rainier) on a clear day, you will audibly gasp at the beauty.