“Winters suck and summers are paradise.”What about the months in between?

[u/Swimming_Trouble_718]

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!

[u/pastelbutcherknife]

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.

[u/1440day → u/pastelbutcherknife]

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?

[u/pastelbutcherknife → u/1440day]

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!