Seattle with Minneapolis weather right now????
 

A good friend of mine is going to Seattle for Christmas and New Years (his new girlfriend is from that area), and he asked me what the weather was like. I told him its usually in the 40's and rain. Then, I checked the weather forecast and it is snowing everyday with highs in the 20's and lows in the teens? (high of 28, low of 15???) I then told him that he should bundle up for Chicago/Minneapolis like conditions.

What's with the weather in Seattle? I remember many posts from many of you on here saying that it rarely gets real cold there and that heating is rarely needed. This seems to greatly contradict the news reports I'm seeing. Snow right on the coast in Washington and Oregon??? Someone from the Northwest explain here..

Global warming

We are having unseasonably cold temps right now here in the PNW. We do normally need heat in the winter, so you are probably thinking that most people don't have a/c for the summer. Anyway, have your friend bring layers and some gloves and a hat and he will be fine.

The extended forecast for Seattle on accuweather.com has highs from ranging from 39 to 46, lows ranging from 31 to 39 over that week (25th through the 1st). Precip is rain mixed with snow.

At least he'll get a white Christmas, huh?

I wouldn't count on a white Christmas. Rainy yes, but most likely not snowy.

Well...if Christmas was today, it would be white. Along with record cold temps (longest coldest spell in 2 decades) we had a massive snowstorm overnight/today. Eastside has almost 12" in some spots, and while Seattle has less snow there is still several inches and ice covered streets and sidewalks.

...which makes my flight to Mexico tomorrow night 10x more appealing. :)

Hopefully it will warm up a little bit for your friend's visit!

We have a foot of snow at our house--it is lovely. DH just headed out to find a battery for daughter's car, which we chained up last night so she can drive to the mall and finish her Christmas shopping.

There is more snow predicted for this weekend, with high winds that may knock out power. But I believe it is supposed to start warming up next week.

As for "it rarely gets cold and heating is rarely needed"---maybe someone was talking about summer????

A "normal" winter here is cold enough (in the 40's) to require heat in our homes.

Author: bkluvsNola
Date: 12/19/2008, 11:03 am
I found this post:



Author: suze
Date: 09/18/2008, 07:24 pm
Obviously this depends where you live. I'm in Seattle and just don't have to use my heat that often or much. I turn it all the day off during the day when I'm at work and when I go to bed at night.

70 would be WAY too hot for me, even if I could afford it.






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Author: bkluvsNola
Date: 12/19/2008, 11:04 am
I found it in this thread:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35157097

I would not turn off my heat in the day if the temperature was in the 20's. I wouldn't even turn the heat off if the temperature was in the 40's or even 50's, but maybe you guys are tougher than I am...

But apparently, and I've seen this before, many Seattle people claim that heating is not needed that much. Now you are contradicting what suze said...

I know when I lived in the Midwest, when the temp was in the 20's and 30's the heat was cranking big time. Actually, the heat was cranking in the 40's and 50's as well... I used to crank the heat in the Bay Area when it was in the upper 50's...

"But apparently, and I've seen this before, many Seattle people claim that heating is not needed that much. Now you are contradicting what suze said..."

Not contradicting at all.

She said she turns the heat off during the day when she is away at work. So do we. The purpose is to conserve energy and save $$$. Most of our homes here are well-insulated, and with outside temps in the 40's, the temperature inside the house doesn't drop much with the heat off for 8 hours. Our house is usually around 60 degrees when we get home. We turn the heat back on to warm it up to 68 for the evening, then turn it off again at night. So does Suze.

That is not the same as saying heat isn't needed.

Tell your friend to be prepared for cold weather (and possibly lingering snow), and he'll be fine.

bkluvsNOla, I'm happy to tell you about the weather here, but I don't understand why you must be so confrontational in your posting style.

It's a friggin' blizzard here right now!!! Yes it is very unusual, but that doesn't mean it never happens.

Seattle is *horrible* when it snows because we aren't prepared for it (like Minneapolis is). We don't have adequate snow plows, sanding & salting, etc. so when it does snow or ice the city comes to a screeching hault.

I had to WALK to work yesterday (2.5 miles) because NO busses or taxis were running in my area.

What I have posted before is true, most of the time. But this week we had a storm. A bBAD one and another on the way Sat/Sun supposedly.

We are snowbound at the moment here on the Olympic Peninsula (near Hood Canal). Walked out in the 25 degree cold today to inspect the county road, and it is an ice rink -- they've sanded, but the sand is just lying there on top of the sheet of ice.

We do have chains for the car so could get out in an emergency, but I've not been able to convince my husband that finishing the Christmas shopping is an emergency.

And we are supposed to really get socked again on Saturday/Sunday....I may not be leaving home for quite a while. Getting a bit cabin-fevered already...at least no power outages (yet).

don't fret suze. perhaps ours is not to understand. some people are born that way, other it's an acquired skill.

suze,

Have you left the heat off during the day this past week?

With high temps in the 20's, your house could be in the 40's when you return from work. Brrr!!!

suze,

Sorry if I came off as confrontational. It wasn't the intended result. All I wanted to know was why people tried to sugarcoat what the weather in Seattle really is like, saying you can turn the heat off at night when its in the teens is not really going to wash with me. I lived in the Midwest before and I was there once during an ice storm and I know how fast the temp in the house declines (and we had a raging fire going in the fireplace).

I usually don't turn off the heat, just down, but since I work from home, I need it cozy all day so I only turn down the heat when I'm on vacation. Turning the heat down to 60 during the day achieves the same thing but without the worry of frozen pipes (which I've experienced before and I swore I'd never experience again.)

If the thread was about not needing air conditioning in Seattle in the summer, I'd wholeheartedly agree, as I've been there in the summer and it's truly paradise.

But I feel the postings about Seattle in the thermostat thread have overstated the mildness of the climate. It's really not a mild climate in the winter and people should know that. These latest weather episodes show that. If I lived there, I would not be able to turn the heat off at night - it would be just too cold for me. Especially with lows in the teens and highs in the 20's, I would be running the heater day and night.

I can state this as I just came from my deck where I was sipping an iced tea in a short sleeved shirt. Temp reads 75.7 F in the shade right now. Sorry to rub it in :). You can start a thread in July about how beautiful it is in Seattle then and rub it in on me then when the temp where I am is in the 100's, okay ;)

Seattle - beautiful: yes, mild summer: yes, mild winter: NO

That's all I was trying to point out.

Obviously YOU do not live here, and we do.

And yes in fact I do put the heat all the way off most times when I leave the house (because it's most often 40's or above even in winter).

Why would we exaggerate the normal mildness of our climate? To what personal gain or benefit?

Sometimes we have very bad storms (like now, but this is the worst in 44 years for this date or some such record) but not very often. Some entire winters go by without snow or freezing cold.

You make it sounds like we're all habitually telling lies about our weather on purpose, which is ridiculous.

Except for a slight exaggeration about the amount of rain (to keep people from moving here) WHY WOULD WE LIE?

I no longer live in Seattle, but I lived on Queen Anne for 10 years. I never turned my heat off on 40-degree or colder days/nights. (I think I've heard that you use more energy if you yo-yo your temperature settings.)

Although I did have neighbors -- a couple who were originally from Maine -- who piled their bed high with quilts and left the windows open while sleeping during the winter.

When we first moved to Seattle, we were quite pleased with the winter temps -- but then we moved there from Chicago.

suze,

Have you been turning the heat off at night when it's 15 like it has been the past week?

islebethere,

Thanks. I'm like you in that respect - couldn't turn the heat off when it's 40.

suze,

I'm very sorry if I offended you in any way :(. It seems you are getting defensive, and that's normal for people about their hometowns. However, rest assured that I think Seattle is a great city :)

I also know that Seattle is generally more mild than Minneapolis, and this cold snap is a rarity. But it does get cold in Seattle *every* winter, right?

I think your thermostat habits reflect your personality rather than the fact that the climate is mild in Seattle, that's all.

I know that when I lived in California, I had a roommate who turned the heat off each night, and it really bothered me. I couldn't sleep well and then he would crank the heat to 70 each morning, and some rooms were smaller compared to vent size, so some rooms would overheat compared to others. So one of the bathrooms would end up being 90 degrees while the main room was still 65. I think this tends to happen with the "yo yo" effect of changing the thermostat, whereas a constant temperature causes the house to become evenly heated, IMHO. Usually I have my heat on 68 at night, 70 in the day.

I guess my point is that it's all personal preference, not climate. I could not live in your climate and keep the heat off at night.

We DO have mild winters--what's happening now is very unusual.

I grew up in the Northeast--and by comparison, Seattle winters are quite mild. Usually, daytime temperatures are in the 40s and heavy snow like we've had this week is rare. I don't even own a winter coat any more and had to wear hiking boots today because I no longer own any sort of snow boots.

Most likely, when your friend is here, it will be back to normal--40s and rain, like you said in the first place.

NWWandered,

I do not consider 40's and rain to be "mild".

<<do not consider 40's and rain to be "mild">>

...well in Seattle we do :-)

I'm not "defensive" about my home city, just trying to share what is our reality here.

I agree it is what you are used to. Since I lived in Vermont previously, yes I find Seattle weather "mild" 95% of the time.

No we do not get this kind of weather every winter. As I already said before, sometimes we get thru with nothing dramatic.

<<Have you been turning the heat off at night when it's 15 like it has been the past week?>>

Of course not. I never said I did. I set the thermostat to ~40 degrees at night.

suze,

40 degrees! Man, you are one hardy gal :)

Maybe that's 40 degrees Celsius?

It's NIGHT-TIME dude! I'm in bed, asleep, under a cozy quilt ;-) I turn up the heat when I get up in the morning, then back down again when I leave for work.

For anyone who's still wondering(!) we had 3-5 inches of snow last night and it's 29 degrees here in Seattle today.

Weather is still cold (30's in day and colder at night) and friend is leaving today.

I said prepare for Northeast style cold, but the possibility that buildings may not be heated to the level they are in the Northeast and salting/sanding may not occur to as thorough as the level in the Northeast (bottom line - I told him to let his gf drive around). I also prepared him for the possibility that his girlfriend's family may not heat their house to what he may be used to. I'm sure his girlfriend can find a way to keep him warm at night though ;)

Unless they are renting a car with front wheel drive, 4 wheel drive, and/or studs or snowtires they may not be going anywhere unless the weather warms up over the next few days.

It is definitely warmer today, but it is snowing again.

DD went to the Seahawks game with her boyfirend. We gave them lots of warm stuff to take and wear.

So right, suze. I heard on the radio this morning that cabs were not accepting fares to Capitol Hill, Kent, Renton, or the east side. And of course the few buses that are running are jam-packed. OTOH, I just heard a radio ad for Shuttle Express that made getting around sound like a piece of cake (bet they are regretting that spot today).

Yesterday morning here in Monroe our digital indoor/outdoor thermometor read 2.7 degrees. (Yes, that's 2.7, not 27!) I don't remember it ever being this cold. This winter is definitely turning out to be unique, sigh! I would much rather stick with 40 degree weather! Snow, Snow, go away!

Serendipity42

Yup still no taxis will come to Capitol Hill (last Thursday thru today, Monday) and the bus on my street, well let's just say I've only seen 1 go by in the past few days!!

I'm flying out tomorrow and do have a reservation with Shuttle Express, so I'll report back in how that works out!

If they don't come get me my back-up plan is to walk downtown (hauling my little rolling suitcase) and try to get Metro express to SeaTac or catch the Greyliner at one of the hotels (it is running but not on schedule is what they told me).

Best of luck, suze. I'm hearing the same kind of things about cabs and buses from relatives who live on Queen Anne. They were planning on going to Portland for Christmas, but I'm guessing that's off, unless I-5 really clears up.

Nope, it's not I-5 that is the problem. It's getting OFF the hills in the neighborhoods, like for us on Queen Anne or Capitol Hill. If you can walk downtown, then in the central core things are somewhat more normal (some busses, taxis, Greyliner, etc. running).

Canceled our Hanukkah party last night as the only people that appeared able to make it were ones we weren't all that keen to be alone with. Does that sound mean? Fortunately the holiday is eight days long so we have recovery time.

Just came from the Roosevelt Whole Paycheck and it looked like they were giving money away (as if.) Many humans present.

We have a <b>12-foot</b> snowman down the street. I am a bit pooped from helping neighbors dig out/un-stick/straighten their vehicles in the inclined alley behind our house.

Humbug.

We are stuck at home in Bellingham. Supposed to go to Portland for Christmas but I'm rethinking that. The next storm is due tomorrow night.

Suze - good luck getting downtown! My daughter was 1.5 hours getting a bus from downtown to the U District. This storm is a great example of why Seattle needs light rail.

rosetravels--I would stay put. We are down in Portland, but family is just north of Seattle. We have been on the phone with them comparing notes;) We are bad off down here right now. Stay put and enjoy the scenery right around you.

Thanks for the good wishes. I'll let everyone know how things turn out for me today.