Weather in Portland

What are the seasons like in Portland? How do Portland dwellers cope?

I'm wondering the same thing. I know from experience that living on the West Coast that rain can go on for a loooonnnngggg time. I've spent many years living in Vancouver B.C. Now I'm in Edmonton Alberta and my wife who is from the U.S. wants to move back to the states. Personally, I'm sick of winter (-35f) and rain doesn't bother me. Can someone please let me know what to expect?

Host said: What are the seasons like in Portland? How do Portland dwellers cope?

Hi, I've grown up in the Portland...Gresham, Sandy, Vancouver area. And yeah it rains. And Oregonians and Washington people are simply...used to it. But if moving from another climate...you will have to dress warmer for a couple years and you will most likley be completely miserable. (I moved up from California after spending several years there and had to readjust.) Believe it or not...the biggest hazard is not the rain. Its depression. Because of lack of sunshine here...everybody is depressed. I think we all survive on coffee. So we are overcaffinated and depressed. lol. Some say we are all a little crazy. We complain of the rain..but it truly is beautiful here. And sometimes that makes up for it. With the exception of a few flooding areas usually in the Mts or the hills an umbrella and a rain coat or ski jacket ought to do it. Don't like driving in the rain? Plenty of busses and MAX train to get you around.

Katherine in Vancouver, Washington said: Hi, I've grown up in the Portland...Gresham, Sandy, Vancouver area. And yeah it rains. And Oregonians and Washington people are simply...used to it. But if moving from another climate...you will have to dress warmer for a couple years and you will most likley be completely miserable. (I moved up from California after spending several years there and had to readjust.) Believe it or not...the biggest hazard is not the rain. Its depression. Because of lack of sunshine here...everybody is depressed. I think we all survive on coffee. So we are overcaffinated and depressed. lol. Some say we are all a little crazy. We complain of the rain..but it truly is beautiful here. And sometimes that makes up for it. With the exception of a few flooding areas usually in the Mts or the hills an umbrella and a rain coat or ski jacket ought to do it. Don't like driving in the rain? Plenty of busses and MAX train to get you around.

P.s. you get 3-4 mos of sunshine here. Its not that cold, and in Portland...at the most about 2 weeks of snow. Mosly just 2 days of snow days where you really truly are snowed in.

Thanks for your reply. It sounds like home to me. I am a Canadian, who has lived most of his life in Vancouver B.C. and the last 12 years in Edmonton Alberta. Now, here we get winter. 7 months of it. Cold (-35f), snowy and icey. You have to plug your car into an electrical socket to keep the engine from freezing over. I'm not too concerned about the rain, although my wife is. She was born in Honolulu. She was able to get used to the winter, but the rain can be depressing.
Thanks again for writing.

You're more than welcome...good luck to you.

Having lived in Portland,Or for a few years. I would say the weather is terrible. It rains alot !! And if it is not raining it is usually cloudly ! It just seems to never dry out! A lot of people here are depressed! Another thing I noticed was that when you talk about the rain People that grew up here gets mad at you !! Everytime you go for a drive in your car, the windshield wipers are always going! Sometimes you wont see the sun for Days,Weeks And Months !!If you do see the sun it will only be for 15 mins or so .. This is the winter very gloom months NOV TO BEGINING OF JUNE !! 6 to 7 terrible months !! And I Wish I Was Joking about this !!

Oregon is beautiful indeed but I can't stand the rain and cold weather any longer. I'm planning to move somewhere sunny soon. It's amazing how the cloudy days can affect my emotions so much. Summer here is very nice. Too bad it doesn't last longer.

I lived in Oregon for almost 12 years. Though it was very beautiful, that state almost entirely did me in. I was house bound for (2) years due to severe winter depression. I got divorced about 6 years ago where I than escaped to Florida. There is so much sunshine here. I love it. I now can enjoy the great outdoors. I no longer feel like a hamster on his treadmill high on coffee trapped in a cage. Oh yes, Portland, Oregon summers lasted exactly 1 ½ months. The rest of the year was rainy and/or dark gray clouds. Couldn’t hike, because of the wet clay trails. Couldn’t garden, because you’d be soaking wet or, freezing. Basically ones life was either spent in a mall, coffee shop, reading a book or, at work. Like living on the moon.

Yes Portland the worst weather state that I ever lived in, lived here 5years now...
And the natives that live here know that this rain and clouds are not right!!
The last time that we didnt see rain in a week was September 2007 !!! Everyone is Depressed, Everyone Drinks or Does something Else to try to Feel Better !!
The Rest Of The Country Are Having Nice Weather 80's @ 90's and SUNNY!! They have nice cookouts,and DON'T go swimming in freezing ice water!!
Here In Oregon You Can It will be Raining or Cloudy >>ESPECIALLY If The Day Is A Holliday!! Now Dont Get Mad Because it is The Truth !! This is Some Of Oregon's Weather Reports >>>> Haze,Overcast, Partly Coudly , Mostly Cloudy,Chance Of Rain, Light Rain,Rain, Partly Sunny Skies etc.....

I agree! I'd rather die than continue living here, no joke! We moved here 2.5 years ago from Arizona (I'm a native). The first week we were here I realized I'd made a BIG mistake. The air is constantly thick with wetness, even if it's not raining. If it's not raining, then 77% of the time it's dark and gloomy with no sunlight, except maybe 15 minutes 2-3x per week (if it's not november to march). this year we didn't get spring so we still have rain/clouds/winter temps til June so far. Last year we didn't get much of a summer so we had half rain/clouds, half sun. I have had extreme neuroses/psychoses develop from living here. The people are tense and so am I and I find other stay-at-home moms to be judgemental and hard sometimes. We sold our car to move back to arizona and i can't wait to be home. I HATE THIS PLACE.

Thanks for your honesty, although I'm still finding every reason to justify my leaving. There is only so much winter and snow a man can take. Up here in Northern Alberta, we can get down to minus 40f. With a good strong wind it can feel like -70. The good part it it only lasts about 7 months.
I grew up in Vancouver B.C. Nice place, if you can get used to the rain. I don't mind it compared to what we have here. In the summer it can get up to 90f. Too friggin' hot.
My wife is from Hawaii. So like you, she hates the rain. She wants to go back to the states but is having a hard time deciding where to go.
Thanks for writing,

Some of these people may be dramatizing conditions to discourage newcomers. Oregonians tend to distrust newcomers.

It depends on what makes you comfortable. Depressed people tend to blame the weather. If they lived in Phoenix something else would depress them--the traffic maybe.

I lived in Portland for several years after growing up in California. The weather in Portland is mostly mild and pleasant. Sometimes in the winter you have icy conditions but not for prolonged periods. It is a damp climate, which will cut down on the need for moisturizers and sinus sprays. The dampness is what produces the inspiring greenery.

I would encourage anyone to give Portland a try.

Katherine in Vancouver, Washington said: Hi, I've grown up in the Portland...Gresham, Sandy, Vancouver area. And yeah it rains. (I moved up from California after spending several years there and had to readjust.) Believe it or not...the biggest hazard is not the rain. Its depression. Because of lack of sunshine here...everybody is depressed... but it truly is beautiful here. Don't like driving in the rain? Plenty of busses and MAX train to get you around.

I spent some time in Albany, Salem and Portland last summer and all I can say is inspite of all the negative remarks about rain and racism, I am IN LOVE with Oregon! My God, the coast the generally friendly people, the cleanliness and that breat takinge Williamette...!!! I assure you, I wasnt depressed at all. I grew up in Los Angeles and I will take ANY part of Oregon over my hometown or California.

I lived in Portland for 8 years and am really homesick. It is a beautiful region and a city full of vitality and quirkiness! All the positives are worth putting up with the rain. I found the best way to cope with the rain is to dress appropriately and get outside and do whatever you would normally do - jog, hike, rake leaves - whatever. I would walk daily and was never depressed. In spite of the clouds you still benefit from the light. The winter is the worse, not because of the rain, but the short days, and that's only for about 2 months. But, at the end of January, the crocuses begin a procession of a long blooming period. First the crocuses, followed by daffodils - everywhere!, then tulips, rhododendrens, roses, irises, and more color than any other region. If ever you need to dry out, just head to Bend where they claim the sun shines 300 days per year. It's about a 3 hour drive.
I'd strongly advise having a good job lined up before moving there. The economy is usually behind the rest of the US. I'd return in a heartbeat if I had a job there. Good luck.

Steve in Portland, Oregon said: Yes Portland the worst weather state that I ever lived in, lived here 5years now...
And the natives that live here know that this rain and clouds are not right!!
The last time that we didnt see rain in a week was September 2007 !!! Everyone is Depressed, Everyone Drinks or Does something Else to try to Feel Better !!
The Rest Of The Country Are Having Nice Weather 80's @ 90's and SUNNY!! They have nice cookouts,and DON'T go swimming in freezing ice water!!
Here In Oregon You Can It will be Raining or Cloudy >>ESPECIALLY If The Day Is A Holliday!! Now Dont Get Mad Because it is The Truth !! This is Some Of Oregon's Weather Reports >>>> Haze,Overcast, Partly Coudly , Mostly Cloudy,Chance Of Rain, Light Rain,Rain, Partly Sunny Skies etc.....

I MOVED TO HILLSBORO OREGON AT THE END OF JUNE 2008, JOB AT INTEL,IT IS NOW NOV.
IM SO HOME SICK FOR BACK EAST,PEOPLE HERE ARE NASTY AND RUDE, I'M THINKING ITS LACK OF SUN AND ALL THIS RAIN,AND DEPRESSION HITTING THEM IM PRAYING ONE OF MY OLD JOBS BACK EAST COMES UP CAUSE I WILL BE OUT OF THIS GOD FORSAKEN STATE IN A HEART BEAT. I DO HAVE HEAD HUNTERS HELPING ME. IM SO DISAPPOINTED IN OREGON!

Ann said: I MOVED TO HILLSBORO OREGON AT THE END OF JUNE 2008, JOB AT INTEL,IT IS NOW NOV.
IM SO HOME SICK FOR BACK EAST,PEOPLE HERE ARE NASTY AND RUDE, I'M THINKING ITS LACK OF SUN AND ALL THIS RAIN,AND DEPRESSION HITTING THEM IM PRAYING ONE OF MY OLD JOBS BACK EAST COMES UP CAUSE I WILL BE OUT OF THIS GOD FORSAKEN STATE IN A HEART BEAT. I DO HAVE HEAD HUNTERS HELPING ME. IM SO DISAPPOINTED IN OREGON!

I hear you all. I have been here for almost 2 years and I am in misery. I moved to return to a great job I had back in Utah. (the only position was here is portland). I am in the process of selling my house and going to store my stuff and rent until a position opens up for me...if i can wait that long. I really don't think Portland would ever even be a place I would love to visit, letalone live. I think the city is dirty, politics are dirtier. and yes, people are rude! Friends who have visited me here understand. The weather is unbearable, unless you were born and raised in it. It's not the rain...it's the darkness. Good luck to you and your job search to GET OUT OF HERE : )

Rufus Quail in Las Vegas, Nevada said: Some of these people may be dramatizing conditions to discourage newcomers. Oregonians tend to distrust newcomers.

It depends on what makes you comfortable. Depressed people tend to blame the weather. If they lived in Phoenix something else would depress them--the traffic maybe.

I lived in Portland for several years after growing up in California. The weather in Portland is mostly mild and pleasant. Sometimes in the winter you have icy conditions but not for prolonged periods. It is a damp climate, which will cut down on the need for moisturizers and sinus sprays. The dampness is what produces the inspiring greenery.

I would encourage anyone to give Portland a try.

Oregonians do not distrust newcomers, they are unwelcoming to newcomers and loathe those who moved here from Cali. I heard this from local clients for 8 months straight. There is something called SAD, many are affected by it. I understand many locals love it here. They can have it. I have seen many beautiful things since moving here, but nothing as beautiful as waking up to the bright sun ...even in Feb. : )

No one is exaggerating the weather. It is dismal. Summers are nice, but we are talking about 3 months out of 12! The other 9 are damp, cold, and either drizzley or outright raining. Dark skies for 9 months. Gloom. It's either raining, just stopped, or fixing to rain. That's Portland weather. Don't underestimate the way sun, or lack of it, can affect your state of mind. There's a reason Oregon and Washington state are the suicide capitals of the US. The people are rude, but not in an East coast way. They are just unfriendly and low grade depressed. The only place I have seen that is more hostile to outsiders is Hawaii, and at least there you get decent weather. I'm from the South and as soon as I opened my mouth I was branded as an ignorant racist. There are no liberals in the place, at least no real liberals. The Politically Correct Nazis will be constantly telling you what to say and how to say it. Portland is probably the most uncosmopolitan city I have ever lived in. I once asked a yuppie (place is full of the creeps) about a particular part of town and he said (oh, you mean where the ethnics live?). The ethnics? He meant anyone that wasn't lily white. The place is good for a one week visit in the summer, but you do NOT want to live there.

Karin in Glenallen, Missouri said: I lived in Oregon for almost 12 years. Though it was very beautiful, that state almost entirely did me in. I was house bound for (2) years due to severe winter depression. I got divorced about 6 years ago where I than escaped to Florida. There is so much sunshine here. I love it. I now can enjoy the great outdoors. I no longer feel like a hamster on his treadmill high on coffee trapped in a cage. Oh yes, Portland, Oregon summers lasted exactly 1 ½ months. The rest of the year was rainy and/or dark gray clouds. Couldn’t hike, because of the wet clay trails. Couldn’t garden, because you’d be soaking wet or, freezing. Basically ones life was either spent in a mall, coffee shop, reading a book or, at work. Like living on the moon.

Yes, I agree with Rufus.. Read Rufus' note here.. The rest of you can bite it.. Steve from Albuquerque, you haven't got a clue.. But that's on par for Albuquerque.. Come on, Albuquerque's better than Portland?? What the heck are you smoking??? Yeah, there are a LOT of movies and national magazine articles featuring your town, and naming it the best in the U.S.. NOT. Get a clue. Oregon is the most beautiful state in the country, period.. And the people are not rude.. Maybe they are to people like YOU. So, buy a clue and please stay out of our gorgeous state. We have enough people moving here every day (countless), that's why our real estate market is one of the top in the nation, while every other place is hitting rock bottom.. Please, do us all a favor and stay in your beloved (horrible, compared to Portland) hometowns!! ; )

OH yeah, and Oregon rules the country for outdoors.. It's called "The Outdoor Mecca" by many magazines, including Outside magazine, for a reason.. Mountain biking, skiiing, snowboarding, windsurfing, hiking, cycling, water skiing, fishing, boating, etc., etc.. Portland is the river capital of the country, the festival capital of the country, the coffee shop capital of the country, the microbrew capital of the country, The Rose City (there are a LOT of flowers here, unlike the rocks in New Mexico!!).. Get a clue, people.. Why the heck would so many movies be filmed here and people be moving here in the hundreds every day? The real estate market here is one of the best in the country.. DUH.. Must be for SOME reason.. Please stay out of Oregon if you can't appreciate the countless wonders and beauty of it.

Move to the desert, or even Florida (where most of the state rains MORE than Portland, by the way.. Look it up!) if you hate it here so much.. Please, do us all a favor.. Have fun living where there are no mountains, rivers or an ocean! ; ) Get the heck out of our gorgeous state, people. YOU are the rude ones..

I grew up living all around the world.My father was a diplomat.I lived in different parts of Europe,South America,Asia and 7 different States,so believe me when I say that Portland is very green and beautiful BUT the people are cold,rude and arrogant.Not to mention the most racist place I have EVER lived !!! No one I've met so far has ever lived outside of Oregon but yet they say it is the best place to live !The affluent people are plain snobs ....I live in Lake Oswego and people don't even know where the Andes Mountains are.They don't even know the history of their own Sate! At the same time they feel so international because they go to Mexico for spring break to drink Pina Coladas in an all american resort. It's a joke ! I am moving back to the East Coast until my chidren are in college and then I will retire over seas !! I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND THIS STATE TO ANYONE who WASN'T BORN HERE.....NEWCOMERS ARE NOT WELCOME !!! I was excluded for being raised in another country.I have blue eyes,blondish hair and I am white,speak 3 fluent languages, but as soon as anyone asks (they will right away) "where are you from"? Then it is amazing how in a second everyones changes their attitude because your not a Beaver or a Duck !! Don't waste your time or money coming to this place ! You will regret it !! Take it from me I've been here 11 years! Also lived in Beaverton and Tigard ! same thing !!!!

Steve in Portland, Oregon said: Having lived in Portland,Or for a few years. I would say the weather is terrible. It rains alot

!! And if it is not raining it is usually cloudly ! It just seems to never dry out! A lot of people here are depressed!]

Try Tucson where it is 100 plus for 8 months a year - talk about awful! My skin looks like mottled leather! Rain is better than 115 degree heat any day.

Ann said: I MOVED TO HILLSBORO OREGON AT THE END OF JUNE 2008, JOB AT INTEL,IT IS NOW NOV.
IM SO HOME SICK FOR BACK EAST,PEOPLE HERE ARE NASTY AND RUDE, I'M THINKING ITS LACK OF SUN AND ALL THIS RAIN,AND DEPRESSION HITTING THEM IM PRAYING ONE OF MY OLD JOBS BACK EAST COMES UP CAUSE I WILL BE OUT OF THIS GOD FORSAKEN STATE IN A HEART BEAT. I DO HAVE HEAD HUNTERS HELPING ME. IM SO DISAPPOINTED IN OREGON!

GIVE ME YOUR JOB!!!!!!

lake oswego in Portland, Oregon said: I grew up living all around the world.My father was a diplomat.I lived in different parts of Europe,South America,Asia and 7 different States,so believe me when I say that Portland is very green and beautiful BUT the people are cold,rude and arrogant.Not to mention the most racist place I have EVER lived !!! No one I've met so far has ever lived outside of Oregon but yet they say it is the best place to live !The affluent people are plain snobs ....I live in Lake Oswego and people don't even know where the Andes Mountains are.They don't even know the history of their own Sate! At the same time they feel so international because they go to Mexico for spring break to drink Pina Coladas in an all american resort. It's a joke ! I am moving back to the East Coast until my chidren are in college and then I will retire over seas !! I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND THIS STATE TO ANYONE who WASN'T BORN HERE.....NEWCOMERS ARE NOT WELCOME !!! I was excluded for being raised in another country.I have blue eyes,blondish hair and I am white,speak 3 fluent languages, but as soon as anyone asks (they will right away) "where are you from"? Then it is amazing how in a second everyones changes their attitude because your not a Beaver or a Duck !! Don't waste your time or money coming to this place ! You will regret it !! Take it from me I've been here 11 years! Also lived in Beaverton and Tigard ! same thing !!!!

HOWCOME YOU WONT RETIRE HERE IN THE US? JUST WONDERING, WHERE WOULD YOU RETIRE? MY FRIENDS AND I ARE ALSO CONSIDERING WHERE TO RETIRE IN ABOUT 2 DECADES. I WANT A NICE PLACE WHERE I CAN PRACTICE MEDICINE AND STILL HAVE A LIFE AND MONEY TO ENJOY (DELAYED GRATIFICATION).

I would not retire here in the USA because 1)the COST of health insurance.2) There are a lot of other methods and drugs used in Europe and Latin Amrica that are not approved here by the FDA.
I have a lot of stories of friends that are alive today because they were treated overseas. A dear friend who had MS and was cured in South America with methods not approved here.My father who was loosing his sight, now is close to his 80's and is still a proffesor at a local University thanks to an injection (treatment) NOT approved here by the FDA.3)Quality of life for the elder.Society here just seems to put aside the sick and old.4)In latin america is very affordable to pay for a 24 hour nurse in your home , a maid to come and cook for you healthy,fresh,made from scratch meals,clean your house,do your laundry and still have left over money to travel and for example,belong to a private club.Great weather,fantastic,fun loving people in a society that will respect you more and more as you age.5)Everything is a lot cheaper and in many ways a lot better quality; health insurance,real estate,education,food and like I mentioned just quality of life when you age.
I wil retire somewhere in Latin america.Along the Andes Mountains or "EL Mar Caribe". There are a lot of americans retiring also to Central America...you won't regrett it.Take it from me who has seen and lived it.I see my parents and oooh boy...they are truly living their GOLDEN YEARS !!!
Also, I would like to mention that latin americans accept and love americans so you will always be welcomed wherever you are. Do some research, visit some places,talk to retired americans abroad and you can decide for yourself..! Good luck .. If you go,I know you will love it !!

Well, the weather is pretty tough for someone from the desert (like me) and I can't really handle it....I moved here 6 years ago, and I am torn, because it really is beautiful here and the people are great!!! and as soon as the sun comes out the people get all manic and are all over the place doing crazy things, so it is really like a paradise. But as soon as the winter rains start, things just don't "feel" right and I too feel like a hamster in a cage hyped up on coffee while reading books. It's a downward spiral. Any way, that being said, there are remedies to the winter blues. Many people go on that treadmill of beer/coffee... but the best thing to do is to eat right,cut down on the beer/coffee(thats tuff) take st johns wort(it really helped me) exercise-esp. Yoga, stay social, go to a sauna or hot tub, and generally just stay active. The great thing about portland is that it is really easy to do all of these things, but it is also really easy to get cracked out on coffee and then go get drunk to counter the jitters. there are coffee shops and bars EVERYWHERE..... It all depends on what you decide to do with yourself.

I HEAR YOU PEOPLE (those aren't from here)!!!!!!!!!
I'm not actually from here. My family and I moved here (3 yrs ago)(from a hot tropical island far west from here. I tried not to be homesick, but it's not easy. I DO get homesick but I'm sucking it up. Oregon is beautiful in it's natural way. But I do agree that certain <not all>, only certain people are, rude, impolite and they love to STARE like you're not HUMAN at all. WOW!!! That hurts. Not only that, they think you're what they think you are. Example, I told these people that we're asian/pacific islander. Not Hawaiian native. But they persume we're mexicans, but we're not. I'm not racist or what. I love different culture but certain people can get under my skin because they think they know who or what you are. HELLO, PEOPLE!! There are others outside the united states, like some islands out there. Pls, do not over look like we don't exist. We're there, just look closer. We welcome outsiders, not matter who or where you come from. We just want everyone to enjoy their stay. Not only that, the local fiesta foods and scenery that we love to share with others who comes our island way.

So glad I found this discussion! I moved here about 6 years ago for my husband's job, and have hated it ever since. Am currently desperately trying to find him a job on the East Coast, where we moved from. I actually had to get on an anti-depressant when we first moved here because the people are so unfriendly! Being from the south originally, where a high value is placed on treating people in a friendly and genuine manner, I was shocked by this. What is up with the comment "native Oregonian"??? Geez, that must be something to be proud of! People are proud of being hateful toward outsiders (esp from California, what did those people ever do?) and of course who wouldn't be proud of the lovely rain, so depressing, almost all year long. I went to Morton's Steakhouse for my anniversary one year, expecting an upscale evening, and I see this older man, looking like a homeless person, dressed in beaten up jeans and an old t-shirt. Why do they admit someone who is dressed like that to an expensive restaurant??? Guess it would have killed him to wear some dress pants and a normal shirt. I worked at a place where the doctor looked exactly like a homeless person, tattered beard, ripped flannel shirt and dirty jeans. Had no idea he was in fact a psychiatrist! Our only friends are people who have moved here from other parts of the country, most of them moved back where they came from. Wish I could join them! The downtown area is as unvibrant and boring as any I've seen. Well, maybe if you're a "native Oregonian" redneck white trash hick, from a town of 200 people, it's the "big city".

And they say people in the northeast part of the US are rushed and unfriendly, that was not my experience at all when I lived in various cities in PA. None of our neighbors invite us to do anything, we invite them over but they don't want to be friends. Such a sterile environment! Wish there was a group of transplants so we could support each other.

Allison88,
Peolple from the south ARE the friendliest people I have ever met !
You are right,they are tought manners and hospitality from the time they are children.Oregonians brag about how progressive they are but look at their basic manners and values.Sad.....

Allison88

Hang in there. I/we feel your pain! I actually laughed when i read your message. It was just today that I talked with my friend from Denver who was born and raised in Portland, and I was telling her one of the things I miss about my hometown is I actually had neighbors! you know, people who actually come outside more than just 3 months out of the year! The weather is beyond anything I could have ever imagined. I work in sales and can say I have never met more miserable people. I also work here with another rep who moved from the TERRIBLE California!!! (gasp!). Yep, she wants to go back too, with her husband. He doesn't like the weather either. When I first moved here I was told all about the glorious downtown area. I think it is worth missing, it's dirty, old, narrow streets, no parking, and way, way too many "clogs" stores. Do any women wear heals here? :) can't wait to go back home one day. Hope you can too.

I am one of those natives, I went to Boring grade school, college, and now I work for Intel all in Orygun. I have been here for 40years. I HATE IT...The rain SUCKS...you WILL get depressed here...it is called cabin fever. We might not have the most rain, but we have the MOST CLOUDY SKIES, which means depression. I want to leave so bad but it is not the right time...I was thinking either Colorado, or Montana. Our summers are great here..but they do not last very long around 4 months max. Portland politics are the worse..did you know we just spent $80K to strip a seperate bike lane as an experiment. We are cutting teachers, police, and the homeless funds...but we can spend money on striping? WTF???

Thanks for all the comments, reading them has truly made my day! I had the new messages delivered to my email inbox, and was terrified to open them, thanking I'd get some hate mail from the infamous "native Oregonian".

Oh, I have to talk about that phrase just a little more; I had seen that phrase in a yellow pages ad, and it was in huge lettering, and also in bold. You can bet I will NEVER use their business, not if it was the last business in the world. Guess they want to make it crystal clear just who they expect their clientele to be! Or rather, they expect a gold medal to be hung around their precious necks, since they were born here. Who can help where they were born? No one. (unless you're a REALLY talented baby in utero, willing your mother to move to a certain location). I guess it'd be cool if you were descended from someone famous, who knows, but definitely nothing to brag about.

I've heard definite bad things about the politicians; am I right in remembering there was a governor once who approved a billboard on the interstate that said "California, go home!" Wow. Talk about bad manners. I had a job here once where I talked about that to my coworkers, and they just laughed and laughed about it. Doesn't seem funny to me. Guess that governor didn't mind the "out of towners" spending their hard earned money on local businesses, though, or buying houses here.

Could not agree more about all the clog stores! haha Also agree about the summers, they are definitely nice and mostly milder from where I've lived in the past. Oh yes, I saw on the news about deleting a lane for cars, and turning it into a bike lane, WTF is the exact phrase to use in describing that! I have nothing against bikes whatsoever, but think it seems dangerous to ride so close to cars, haven't seen that anywhere else either.

I wouldn't recognize my neighbors if I saw them in the stores, the women hide indoors even in the summer, so unfriendly!!!!

It seems like people are one of two types when it comes to rain. Either they don't want to go outside until it stops raining; or they couldn't care less about the rain, and continue their lives around it. That could be a very good reason there are so many depressed people here. They stay inside where it's warm and dry, instead of going outside regardless. Yes it rains here a lot, but it's not even in the top 10 for being the wettest city in the US. Not even Seattle is on this list!
www.livescience.com/environment/070518_rainy_cities.html
My advice....if you don't have a substantial reason to move here (girl/boyfriend, job, etc) don't. Just being a beautiful place doesn't make it worth it when you end up hating it because of the rainy weather.

I have lived here for seven years and I really can't take the weather anymore. It is now mid-July of 2009 and it is still raining. I hope to get out of here by spring of 2010. A wonderful town and beautiful flowers and nature and all of that, but the weather - and a few other factors - are driving me away. :(

I don't blame you. Been here 2006,want to move back home where it's tropical hot. beaches are not far. OR go somewhere else.

Jami in Portland, Oregon said: Move to the desert, or even Florida (where most of the state rains MORE than Portland, by the way.. Look it up!) if you hate it here so much.. Please, do us all a favor.. Have fun living where there are no mountains, rivers or an ocean! ; ) Get the heck out of our gorgeous state, people. YOU are the rude ones..

Uh,..you just made me not want to move to Portland. No seriously though, I'm really finding it funny how the majority of people who continue to defend Portland on not being racist or dumb (which inevitably goes hand in hand), end up showing how racist and dumb they are in their defense! So keep on defending, so that we may all get an idea about how your mind works..

Karin in Glenallen, Missouri said: I lived in Oregon for almost 12 years. Though it was very beautiful, that state almost entirely did me in. I was house bound for (2) years due to severe winter depression. I got divorced about 6 years ago where I than escaped to Florida. There is so much sunshine here. I love it. I now can enjoy the great outdoors. I no longer feel like a hamster on his treadmill high on coffee trapped in a cage. Oh yes, Portland, Oregon summers lasted exactly 1 ½ months. The rest of the year was rainy and/or dark gray clouds. Couldn’t hike, because of the wet clay trails. Couldn’t garden, because you’d be soaking wet or, freezing. Basically ones life was either spent in a mall, coffee shop, reading a book or, at work. Like living on the moon.

I agree with everyone. I grew up in sunny Southern Oregon and moved to Portland five years ago. It has slowly taken its toll on my husband and I. We can't stand it. You can't hike because its so wet and there's so much moss and mildew and HUGE trees that always block out the sun. If the sun actually does come out for a few minutes you want to walk in the sun not in the dank shadows. There's nowhere to swim around here even though there is a ton of water. The Columbia and Willamette Rivers are huge and polluted and its too cold to ever swim anyway! The past two to three weeks (late August mind you) have been cloudy and cold! My dad came to visit from Hawaii three weeks ago and it was in the 60s in August! We've had it. We are planning a move to a sunnier climate. Oh, and the job market is terrible here. Second highest unemployment in the nation. There are no good companies. I have a Master's Degree and have a hard time finding jobs. Ugh, don't move here.

Wow! Reading all these post already makes me depressed. My wife and I are moving to the Portland/ Vancouver area in late Oct. Are the people really that rude? We live in SUNNY Arizona and love the outdoors. We have the mindset of we will just have to dress for the rain and do everything we would normally do otherwise. We are thinking of living in Washougal or Camas area. Any info on these places? I'm in the Kitchen design business. Does anyone know how the remodeling business is currently doing?

Nathan in Chandler, Arizona said: Wow! Reading all these post already makes me depressed. My wife and I are moving to the Portland/ Vancouver area in late Oct. Are the people really that rude? We live in SUNNY Arizona and love the outdoors. We have the mindset of we will just have to dress for the rain and do everything we would normally do otherwise. We are thinking of living in Washougal or Camas area. Any info on these places? I'm in the Kitchen design business. Does anyone know how the remodeling business is currently doing?

Hey Nathan, don't listen to the naysayers. If you are a happy person, you will be happy here. If you are a miserable person, the same. Everyone knows it rains a lot. Some people can't handle it, and for others, like me, the beauty the rain brings in the form of ideal gardening conditions, huge trees, waterfalls, amazing winterscapes in the mountains, etc. makes it worth it. The Oregon coast is amazing. We have world-class wine, cheese, beer, and food, all grown and made locally. The city is easy to get around, and the people are plenty friendly. Washougal and Camas are both pretty areas with a suburban feel.

Wow, you guys need to get a clue.. WHY in the world do soooo many people move here (hence, the huge population boom in the last 30 years to the PNW, namely Portland and Seattle, and hence, the reason why, per supply and demand, Portland is still rated 4th in the nation for highest property valuation).. Well, DUH--- Portland rocks.. If you don't like it, please leave! It's those that don't like it that are being rude around town and giving it a bad name.
I was born in Portland, grew up in Cannon Beach (the most photographed city in the state, with Portland rated a close second), and have lived in Portland for the last 15 years, only to see it booming with population.. Many countless out of state license plates quadruple every day because of the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
Portland gets less rainfall than Boston and many E. Coast big cities.. Look it up.. It also gets less rainfall (avg. annually) than most of the whole state of Florida.. Again, true! Looooook it up..
The roses and flowers here are blooming like crazy and like no other place on Earth (except maybe for Hawaii, which also has many countless cities that, overall, get more annual average rainfall than Portland).
Everywhere I go I talk to and see nice people in this town.. And everywhere I go outside of OR (and I travel a LOT!!!), Portland has a great name and a great reputation (and leads the country in countless categories, like hikes, bridges, rivers, beaches, vacation destinations, mountain ranges, festivals, the downtown shopping/walking blocks, coffee shops, microbrews.. the list goes on and on and on and on.. )
Please leave if you find it unpleasant! It will decongest some of our traffic, which has gotten out of hand in the last decade because sooo many people have moved here! ; )

And Arizona?? Please! It's got absolutely NOTHING on Oregon, but a big, black mark.. Get a clue and move to the "retirement" and skin cancer states, if you so wish! Please leave Portland if you find it so unpleasant. Those who love it here (and that number grows every day, as the secret is out of the bag of how awesome Oregon is) way outnumber those of you who don't and who are being rude jerks around the town.

Nathan, so what brings you to the Pacific Northwest from Arizona, may I ask??? FYI-Portland is an outdoor mecca and is named as such in countless leading categories (as in, rated #1), such as Outside Magazine, along with many other magazines and travel shows. It leads the country for the outdoors, period; including mountain biking, hikes, parks, windsurfing and many categories in mountain sports. But please stay in AZ if you are having qualms about moving to the PNW. Arizona can't compare, but be our guest to stay where you're at. These naysayers are doing us all here a favor.

Nathan,

You have quite a bit of difference in opinion here, and you will be the only one to decide what is best for you. But as you have been reading, even those who are from Oregon and tell you to stay in AZ, or "leave Portland" if you don't like it here, goes to show the inconsiderate climate of people here. Let me put it to you this way. If you are Liberal, you might like Portland, in fact the mayor Sam Adams who is currently fighting for his job after having an "affair" with a 17 year old BOY would love for more liberals to rally around him and his stupid policies that helped put Portland in the slump it is in. But even if you are liberal, it still may not be enough to keep you content in the darkness of winter. BTW Jami, everyone knows that it is not the rainfall in portland that most people have a hard time with, it is the darkness, and there is a lot of it, hence the countless coffee shops!

I have never in my life seen so many homeless people wandering the highways and streets. I travel throughout Oregon for my job, and this just amazes me. Seattle is even worse.

Yes, Oregon is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts, but so is CO, UT,.. and many, many other states. And yes, Oregon has beautiful flowers, but I would rather take a trip to Maui to enjoy that. Here the beautiful green is mostly english Ivy that is out of control and choking many trees and other flowers.

Please do your own research on the economy in Portland, you will find that 12.2% unemployment, highest minimum wage in the nation (which is why many low-wage workers moved here), and a very unfriendly small business and I am not talking corp. tax--OR does quite well there. can make your decision more clear. It's the other bills/fees/penalties that can devestate a small business.

My suggestion to you is please stay in Oregon for an entire winter (dec-june) yep, that long, and then decide if you can handle it. My grandmother did this 4 years ago and lasted less than 2 months.

Umm.... the real estate market here is HORRIBLE! Why are you people saying it's the best? Our house WAS valued at $400K and now we'd be lucky to get $230K for it!

Talking about the weather - HORRIFIC like most people said! Someone said that we are probably lying to keep outsiders from moving here? That's a joke - check out our weather here on a daily basis or find an online web cam - you will see for yourself this wet, depressing, cold, cloudy weather! HATE IT and would never have lived here if my parents wouldn't have dragged us up here in the early 80s! As soon as our kids are off for college, we're out of here - some of them even said THEY were moving away from this horrible weather!

Oh, and it gets dark about 4:15pm every day! Nice, huh? Be prepared to either join a gym or gain 100 lbs because outside is off limits! July through Sept. are the only awesome months - then the weather is wonderful, sunny, blue sky (not grayish-blah like L.A.) - so you get 12 weeks a year of fun in the sun.

Don't even get me starated on the JOB MARKET UP HERE!!!! Oh, and in Portland, hope you like strip bars because there is one on every corner!

Hopefully if you have kids, also, they don't get too attached to their school because schools in Portland close their doors all the time because of no money - elementary schools turn into schools that are grades K through 8! Next it will probably be K-12! They say there is not enough $ in the state budget that that's garbage - the people running the show just are greedy and make sure their salaries are through the roof!

Allison88 in Hillsboro, Oregon said: I went to Morton's Steakhouse for my anniversary one year, expecting an upscale evening, and I see this older man, looking like a homeless person, dressed in beaten up jeans and an old t-shirt. Why do they admit someone who is dressed like that to an expensive restaurant??? Guess it would have killed him to wear some dress pants and a normal shirt. I worked at a place where the doctor looked exactly like a homeless person, tattered beard, ripped flannel shirt and dirty jeans. Had no idea he was in fact a psychiatrist!.
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All I have to say is WOW! You are upset because people are treating you like an outsider, yet you are ripping on someone's clothes saying they ruined your upscale yuppie dinner? If I make it to Portland, I hope I don't have the privilege of running into you during my dinner experiences. Your attitude is in far more bad taste than any tattered flannel ever could be.

I too lived in Alberta (near Calgary) for several years and then moved back to Portland. Honestly, I would take the snow again over the constant rain and gloom here. I was always tired of winter by about January, in Calgary, but here the rain lasts until the first week of July, normally.
It is all about what works for you. If you can handle the rain, then Portland is great because it is so beautiful and an interesting city. But, for your wife's sake, I would advise against moving here. It might be too hard as I know from first hand, how hard it is to fight depression here every winter. I love Oregon, but for my mental health, my husband and I are planning to move out of the state. It is just too much for some people. If I was from Hawaii, and needed sunshine and to be state side, I would try a place like Boise, Idaho or Colorado. Nice, beautiful summers and seasons, with a couple months of nice snowfall, but not freezing cold like in Alberta. Just a thought- or a place like Northeastern Oklahoma, near Arkansas, where there is lots of green, sunshine and rolling hills that are gorgeous. Good luck!

Thank you AmyE! We have been reading the replys and very thankful. Everyone's advice is being listeded to quite intently. Especially from my wife's point of view.
Northern California is looking pretty good!

Portland's a real nice city to live, i lived in the east-side 3 times! Real nice and hot summer too, i also lived in Phoenix and Las Vegas and they got real nice winter but summer can be almost too hot? Also, i lived in Seattle and some other States as well and in Seattle it was nice too, Pacific NW gets some rain but at least they don't get snow witch is like about the worst weather around!
I also like Florida weather a lot, some say it's muggy but not really, it's more humid than desert but not too much! I'd say overall Oregon's a great State to live but then again so are the other ones too!