Does it really rain ALL the time?

Question

Is the weather in Seattle really as bad as people say it is? Is there anything that offsets the bad weather and makes it worth living there?

Answer 1

For those who live here..the Summer is amazing. It's dry, sunny, and warm (not too hot like Cali and florida in the summer). It's perfect in Seattle during summer. It only really rains a lot late fall through winter and early spring. And even then it's hardly even a harsh rain, just usuaully a light drizzle..but it lasts all day or for hours on end..which yes can be depressing for some..but it just makes you stay inside and cuddle with your significant other alittle more. So yeah..it's not really that bad..if it was that horrible here..no one would live here..and believe me the summer is beautiful here...but housing prices aren't going down..so yeah.
~G

Answer 2

Ap had a great answer. It is true that we have many overcast days, but the benefit of that is that people in the Seattle area can go to the zoo, the park, a concert, etc all in the rain and it doesn't bother us. Generally it's drizzle or light rain and why would that stop you from enjoying the outdoors? Housing prices in the greater Seattle area are very high, but if you get outside the city, it's not bad at all. Many have mentioned the views and it's totally true. We have two volcanos that stand tall (Mt. baker & Mt. rainier) that you can see all along I-5 (n-s freeway) for hundreds of miles. In addition we have the Cascade Mountain range on the east (two volcanos in there) and the Olympics to the west. These are often covered in snow and all along the sound you can see them. It's beautiful. Add to that the abundance of lakes and rivers and we do have a very lush green area wonderful for hiking, skiing, camping, mountain biking and water sports (except for surfing). Seattle has great night life and in general strong school systems. There's lots to recommend Seattle. I do know people who do get depressed here because of the gray days (similar to what people in Alaska complain about), but there's the old song, "The bluest skies I've ever seen are in Seattle" and that's because with the amount of drizzle/rain we get, the skies are free from polution unlike other cities in California and the Southeast....

Answer 3

I live in and love Seattle. People say it rains all the time and it does!! lol. In my opinion fall and spring are the worst because its constantly raining and windy its horrible. But, OMG our winters and summers are amazing! It's snows sometimes in the winter and the mountains are beautiful. I think anywhere you look in Seattle the view is breathtaking. In the summer though its around 70-80 and sunny, it only rains every once in a while during the summer. But, I love the summers here. IT's gorgeous out, not a cloud in the sky, warm, but not to hot. If you never been to SEattle in the summer you need too. Of course if you live in states like California or ARizona you would think our state was cold and would proabably never want to come back if you came during the fall or spring.

But, once again the view of the mountains and the water is breathtakingly beautiful. Its amazing, even just driving in your car you get a spectacular view. Plus, we have cool landmarks like the Space Needle, EMP and tons of other stuff. But, honestly I love the rain. Especially if its raining and bright and sunny out. It makes you feel on top of the world. People in Seattle dress and feel cozy because of the weather and I love that! Thats why so many coffee places have come out of here, because people in Seattle just love that warm and cozy feeling of sitting in front of a fire with hot chocolate. SEATTLE ROCKS, you need to come visit. or live ;)

Answer 4

It doesn't rain ALL the time at all. Matter of fact, it rains less (accumulative) here than most places. We just have scattered showers and overcast more often, which doesn't last all day.

We do have our moments where we will have a week of pouring rain, which some people from drier areas are not use to, but the mild climate, diversity, and overall Seattle scene is well worth buying an umbrella.

How to deal? Purchase about three small compact umbrellas - one for home, one for work, and one for the car. This way if at anytime you find yourself in a shower you have one handy. Sharper Image has a few great umbrellas that will last forever, regardless of the wind force.

Hope you find this helpful - and if you decide to move out here, welcome to Seattle! =)

Answer 5

I think this is probably one of the biggest misconceptions about Seattle. I am looking out my window the ground is dry there is no rain! Seattle natives have a better appreciation for nice weather, since it does rain often (there are many different types of rain, sprinkle, pour, blustery, etc) but it does not rain constantly like you would think it does.

Answer 6

It doesn't rain all the time, But there are long periods were it rains for days straight. And it is overcast a lot. When it is sunny its beautiful though. the big offset to living here is that people are horrible drivers for some reason.

Answer 7

I think the answers already given give you a well rounded answer to your questions. You have to be able to live with many consecutive days of cloudiness from about late September until late May. July and August are almost totally sunny and rain free. We often do have some form of moisture falling, but about 90% of the time when that happens, it isn't really wet enough to even need an umbrella. I know it isn't possible, but it seems to me that it evaporates from your clothes and your hair almost as soon as it hits you. When we have a rare sunny day during fall, winter or spring, we want to stand or sit in it and absorb every drop we can.

Answer 8

No it does NOT rain all the time! Its a great city, the weather can be bad but it can be nice too! Its a fun and lively city always something going on! never boring!!

Answer 9

I hope my answer answers this once and for all and the world will know the truth. "Despite being the northernmost city of over half a million in the United States, Seattle has a mild climate that is usually classified as a Mediterranean climate (Csb).[28] However, due to its cool summers, it is sometimes classified as an oceanic climate (Cfb) instead.[29] Temperature extremes are moderated by adjacent Puget Sound and Lake Washington as well as the more distant Pacific Ocean. The region is partially protected from Pacific storms by the Olympic Mountains and from arctic air by the Cascade Range. Despite being on the margin of the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains, the city of Seattle has a reputation for frequent rain.[30] In reality, the so-called "rainy city" receives an unremarkable 34.3 inches of precipitation a year, which is much less precipitation than New York City, Atlanta, and Houston and most cities of the Eastern Seaboard of the United States. Seattle's inaccurate worldwide reputation for rain derives from the fact that it is cloudy (not rainy) an average of 226 days per year (vs. 132 in New York City). Most of the precipitation falls as drizzle or light rain, with downpours happening only occasionally. Snow is rare, and only falls in significant amounts every few years. Snowfall of less significance occurs about twice a year. The spring, late fall, and winter are filled with days when it does not rain it usually looks as if it may because of cloudy, overcast skies. As for temperature, winters are cool and wet, but generally not cold, with average lows around 35-40°F (2-4 °C) on mid-winter nights. Summers are dry and warm, with average highs around 75-80°F (24-27°C) on mid-summer days. Seattle's hottest official recorded temperature was 100 °F (37.8 °C) on July 20, 1994; the coldest recorded temperature was 0°F(-17.7°C) on January 31, 1950.[31]". Now, does Seattle have more rain than cities in California or the Desert Southwest yes but keep in mind, these places i.e. Socal, Vegas, and Phoenix are DESERTS and have ARID climates. By the way, check out this website to see what happens when you don't get any rain in terms of air polution.
http://www.citymayors.com/environment/polluted_uscities.html

But hey who cares about air polution or being green right

Answer 10

For me it is being overcast all the time that would really get me down. I have lived in places that have sunny days most of the year all my life and I just need it.

But Seattle and Washington itself is a beautiful state it is certainly worth living there just for that.