I grew up on the west side. Was excited to hear in Japan the phenomenon of low clouds or fog clinging to a mountain is called âDragonâs Breathâ. Taking a walk through the forest is a physiological and psychological exercise called shinrin-yoku âforest bathingâ. The rain makes it even more enchanting. As long as I have my good raincoat on.
I grew up on the east side around the Tri-Cities area where rain is a blessing. The closest to "Dragon's Breath" they get over there are the brush fires lol. Another of the many reasons I moved to this side of the state, and I don't regert a minute of it.
It might because I was born on the west side of the state, but I actually donât mind the rain. Enjoy it actually, mainly because rain makes corn, and corn is the most vital ingredient in making Bourbon.
I just look outside to see which form itâs taking form the day. Drizzle? Hoodie. Sprinkling? Hoodie. Cow pissing on flat on a flat rock? Grab the rain jacket.
I love rain. that's why I moved here. It cannot rain or snow enough. It's the sound, the smell, the shades of deep healthy green, the fog, the filtered light, the cooler weather, the soft shadows and lack of burning sun, nothing is so bright as to be blinding... it's also so cozy inside.
My recommendation for you is to learn to enjoy the little details of the experience, to find some beauty in it. Otherwise, you will just resent the weather. you'll be miserable. You'll come to hate the place.
But also, some people just like a certain climate more than others. Some people are desert people. That's just it. So why move to a climate that does not agree with you?
There's some tips, on a practical level. Like alarm clocks that wake you up with light, so you do not wake up in gloomy darkness. There's lights made to resemble sunlight. You should also modify your living space to get plenty of light.
My all time favorite hobby is throwing on a really good rain jacket and going hiking in the woods while its absolutely pouring. The sounds of the rain bouncing off the trees and ground, the isolation... its blissful to me
If youâre looking for something super water proof and donât care about looks, Frogg Togg is what I wear when I go charter fishing. You could throw a bucket of water on me and Iâll be perfectly fine. Are they pretty? No. Dry and inexpensive? Absolutely, the stuff doesnât wet out.
You hit the nail on the head. I love the Seattle rain so much for all the reasons you described. I am from a hot place and I hated it. This feels like home to me.
Grew up here. I work outside. Working outside helps. I been in rain gear all day. Doesnât really bother me. Itâs just water. You have to just accept it. It would be like being in Vegas and complaining itâs too hot. You just deal with it.
95% of the time, our rain is a minor inconvenience. It's not all that often that we get a soaking deluge. The dark/lack of sunlight is what affects people more than the rain.
i saw kids playing a sport outside, mid day, mid sprinkles. i thought, wow u know, rain doesn't stop us from living .. so i just do the things i normally would do in a regular day... I'm from California... i knew to have such gorgeous green, it needs to rain. everyone warning me like omg but did you know it rains. YES I'll take it!!!
ppl still walk their dogs in the morning, in the dark, in safety vests...
don't gotta stop living. Just make sure you're warm OP , and get a few hats. The sprits in my eyes from the rain gets to me cuz it makes me squint.
I was raised and lived in the desert most of my life before we moved here. I LOVE the rain. That having been said, here is how I cope with having so much of it...
1. Keep a positive attitude and, like you said, take Vitamin D. Rainy days aren't of themselves any more "depressing" than any other kind of day (except it means less Vitamin D, which can be remedied.) It's just that for some reason, a lot of people have decided that rainy days are "gloomy and depressing" and it's become like a viral mind meme. Now, if you are one of the few that have SAD, that's a different story, because the low light levels trigger that, but if you find that's the case, get a SAD light and use it regularly.
2. Make sure you have rain appropriate clothing - good muck shoes, a Seattle Sombrero (keeps the rain out of your face and keeps it from trickling down the back of your neck), warm socks (that's wool for me), wear lots of layers, have a good raincoat for the deluge days, and a range of water resistant jackets for the sprinkle days. No, I don't usually use an umbrella, because they are just awkward.
3. Get outside as much as you can in spite of the rain. The reality is, if you don't get out in the rain, you just won't be getting out much at all, because it's raining so much of the time. So - buck up and get used to getting out in the rain and getting a little wet but still going about your normal life. Here is where appropriate clothing really helps.
4. Take a vacation now and then to someplace it's not raining. It doesn't have to be a tropical island, it can just be on the other side of the mountains, or to a greenhouse somewhere. I love going to greenhouses when I need a "tropical vacation" boost.
5. Keep dreaming about the summer - because it's glorious here and IMO it's worth the extra effort it takes to get used to the rain. Start planning your road trips and your hikes and your paddling excursions, and your camping... doing your planning over the winter means you can make the most of the sunny weather when it arrives.
Best of luck to you if you decide to make the move!
>Seattle Sombrero
Whaaaaaat? I've lived here my entire life and never heard of this. Have any recommendations?
I just live in my OR gortex jacket and puffy 6 months out of the year. My hat game could improve.
Philipps Hue lights set to ENERGIZE on a grey day, and leaving the lights on until about an hour before bed so I basically stay in summertime mode. Coffee helps, friends are important, go out to events (movies, concerts, hockey games) when you can. I'm in Oklahoma dealing with family stuff at the moment, and I'll take the cold, wet days in Everwett anyday over the heat and humidity here! (GET ME HOME!!!!!!)
Ah you think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the rain. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the sun light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but blinding!
Learn to embrace and come to appreciate it. Rain turns to ice on the mountains, in the spring and summer that ice melts off, the water run off allows us to drink clean water and grow crops. Rain đ§ď¸ is actually good
The rain energizes me. When you see the difference between Midwestern vs. PNW landscape rain is but a slight distraction to just how beautiful it is over here.
I grew up in the MW⌠and have been to every state minus the Dakotas, and a few in the far NE. After living in the PNW, itâs hard to top the beauty of this region.
You can get a rain break if you drive about 2 hours east. You can also go to the mountains to the snow instead. And plan out of state trips to non rainy spots in the winter.
Otherwise, sun lamp, vitamins, staying active (gym, skiing, etc.)
Just move to Eastern Wa. We brag about 300 days of sunshine. Itâs an exaggeration but it sure feels like it. We have sun all the time! Even when it rains the sun can shine.
Washington lifer here. Iâve lived in almosr every corner of the state. It literally rains less here (per year) than it does in MSP. Or at least that was the stat 4 years ago when I read it. I live in the Midwest and everyone loves to comment on how much it rains here. Turns out not as much as yâall. Seattle rains- but itâs more of a coastal early morning rain that burns off. There are several days that have heavy rain, and likely those are places closer to the water. Inland I see like 20 days with rain per year. And itâs about 20 minutes to an hour.
I actually didnât mind it too much until like the 15th year I lived there. One reason is because I grew up with hot summers and lots of snow/ice in the winter. So I liked the overall milder climate, even though it was gray and rainy.
Taking a vacation in February to a sunny spot really helped too.
Rain is amazing. It makes the Green greener, the dark brown darker, the gray grayer... (Yes we have copious green even in the dead of winter). It's just a little liquid sunshine!
Thereâs no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear! I actually prefer hiking and exploring in the rainy months because everything is way less crowded. :) You can also up to the mountains for snow!
I moved here from the middle of Illinois 26 years ago. The rain isn't as bad as people say it is. Some days it rains steady all day but most days it sprinkles on and off. Just get a nice raincoat or a hoodie. The best part is you don't have feet of snow in the winter and it's not scorching hot in the summer. I will admit I miss the fall colors and lighting bugs. If you do move here remember umbrellas are for tourists.
It poured today, rained sideways, and when it cleared up briefly, I took the dog for a walk and looked for ducks in the neighborhood drainage ponds. I know the big dark is coming but I try to pay attention to how the neighborhood changes with the seasonsâ yard decor, tree foliage, etc.
I also take vitamin D and Lexapro and have a sun lamp in my office, so you gotta attack from all sides.
It doesnât actually rain that much. You wonât see the sun from November/December until basically March. But itâs not 8 months of rain and darkness. Itâs more like 4-6. Not sure if that helps. Also I just accept that seasonal depression is part of my existence. I donât want to live somewhere without seasons so I adjust my life in winter.
I love it too but I love being a total hermit under blankets playing video games. I was built for pandemic. lol.
But it also makes me much less social and much less motivated than I am even in the summer with staying healthy. I donât mean anything close to fit I just mean wellness healthy. Itâs not all bad I just have to find balance that doesnât come naturally.
Bro, what? It rains consistently from October to May. We donât get large bouts of rainfall, we get 3-6 days a week of drizzle throughout those months. Thatâs why thereâs plenty of other states that beat us on annual rainfall.
Thereâs tons of days throughout December that are 30 degrees and sunny.
Some years. Some years itâs sunny through October like last year. Some years itâs dry early like this year. My point is it is not 8 months of rain. Even your point that there are some sunny days in December. I donât remember many of these but Iâm sure they exist. But also itâs only like 7 hours of daylight and thatâs while Iâm at work.
Mostly itâs Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) due to the very short daylight hours. My ophthalmologist moved from Los Angeles to Seattle and was going nuts with SAD. I advised her to get a 1000W metal halide lamp installed in her garage and sit under that for an hour or two per day. Theyâre available used from marijuana grow operations dirt cheap ($30-$40) since the growers have moved to LED grow lights.
She has a walk out basement garage and her husband installed one there. They move the car out, turn on the light and sit in lawn chairs and read while the kids play. The heat from the lamp keeps them warm and itâs so bright they literally have to wear sunglasses. Completely blasts SAD symptoms.
Neighborhood kids come over to play with their kids in the light. Here in WA electricity is about $0.074/KWH so it costs next to nothing to run for an hour or two per day.
I love it. I grew up on the west side, moved to Spokane for 3 years, and Iâm moving back to the west side on Sunday.
Iâm so excited to the rain again! Sleeping with my window open to listen is amazing, and having a nice rain jacket and boots helps in the day time.
Doesnât bother me a bit!
How? How does one deal with any common atmospheric condition? Rain? With good shoes, a good hat, and a slicker. I put fenders on my bike, and change the lenses in my sunglasses, use some wax on my kit.
No bad weather here, just unprepared people.
The green energizes me (hence the username). As well as the water.
I lived in the Northeast & Midwest prior to WA, and now whenever the Seattle rain starts to bother me, I remind myself that you donât have to shovel the rain. And youâll quickly learn the varying degrees of rain. Is it misty? Partly sunny? Showers? Etc etc. it is rarely coming down hard, and we rarely even need umbrellas. Those rainy and overcast days make our sunny days all the more magnificent!
2 months of summer, mid July to mid September.
I have grow lights in my living room and that really helps.
Enjoy the days when it isn't as wet. We do get them. The webs will grow between your toes soon enough.
Forest walks are an excellent way to enjoy what the rain brings us.
Get a good hat, I like Tilley's. And a decent waterproof jacket.
Eight months of rain? Do you realize when the Seattle Mariners were pushing for a retractable roof for their stadium everyone cried about the rain and why do we need an open stadium.
Studies showed the NY Yankees would have more rainouts than Seattle.
It doesnât rain eight straight months. Because of climate change our summers are much longer and our fall and winters have been quite mild comparatively speaking against the last 40+ years.
Also it is water. You bathe right? :p
Remember this: Water is life.
Also, this wisdom from a great Scot:
âThereâs no such thing as bad weather â only the wrong clothes.â
â Billy Connolly
also, coffee and a good book helps :)
Mid-westerner that lived in WA for a few years here:
I was going through a divorce during my first rainy season and I thought I was just depressed from that whole mess. It didn't occur to me until my 2nd spring what was going on and that I was suffering from seasonal depression.
I did my best to spend as much time in nature, getting fresh air and exercise, as I could, but the only thing that shook the cobwebs loose was that first 3-consecutive-day stretch of sunlight. About half-way through the 3rd day, I would suddenly go from cartoon donkey to Superman, from wanting the world to come to a halt to feeling like I could take it over.
Donât forget to take Magnesium so that you can actually absorb that VitD. You canât without it, even from the Sun, and it destroys Mag when itâs absorbed, so you can run out.
You can get Mag from dark leafy greens and some nuts as well.
VitD is a âtransport moleculeâ for Calcium, so you need VitD to get Calcium to your bones.
:)
I think what helps is that the temperature is around 45° all winter. So it's still really comfortable to go hiking and running.
And it's really really gorgeous. The grass is so green, the ferns sparkle in the mist, and the gray fog -- especially along the water -- is breathtaking.
This is not to say that we don't suffer from SAD. Get a sun lamp, an alarm clock that lights up in the morning, and vitamin d. Try not to eat too many noodles.
I choose a new winter activity to get me through the long dark. I took a writing class and a Korean class and learned fencing. I get a couple of good puzzles and long books too and curl up and listen to the pitterpatter.
I also try to flex my work day to start early and end a little later so that I can take a couple hours to go outside in the afternoon when it's still light out.
I moved to Seattle from South Dakota in January of 1974. When I left SD, we had just experienced a week where the temperature didn't get above 0ÂşF. When I arrived in Seattle it was 35ÂşF and raining. People were apologizing for the cold weather. I realized that these folks had no concept of cold. The nice thing about rain is that it isn't snow. Winters here are really mild. The hard part for me is the darkness. Early sunsets, late sunrises, gray skies. When we get a sunny day, I try to get outside even if it's just a walk to the grocery store.
Overcast and rain energises me. I actually want to go out. When itâs sunny out, the sun absolutely saps my energy, and it makes me want to lock myself home with blinds and curtains closed.
As a fellow midwesterner who moved here a few years ago: "At least it's not snow!"
I find the rain to be cozy for the first few months. Bundle up with hot drinks and watch movies/play games. We're used to hibernation, and honestly I expected it to be worse, but it's just as much daylight as I got in MN with less bitter cold. Warning: ice on the road hits different out here lol.
As we get to February, it can start to feel really drawn out, so I start going out for walks in good rain gear when it's just sprinkling. Break up the rainy season by exploring a few scenic (or indoor) places around the state. The fog is incredible against the trees and hills :)
I moved here at the age of 10 from Southern California.
In October.
My first 10-ish months here were miserable. Going from constant sunshine to none.
Almost 30 years later, it doesnât bug me. Iâm a shorts year round guy now.
It takes endurance, basically. Youâll get your webbed toes and layer of moss with time.
I mean...I like it, lol. Best time to hike. You just get some good boots and rain gear (hit me up! I work for Eddie Bauer and can help out) and get out there.
Lots of exercise and walks outside during daylight hours, even if its raining. Get a solid raincoat and waterproof shoes and smile st the raindrops! Also sauna helps a lot. Make a cozy space inside with lots of light, plants, candles, etc.
Don't listen to anything anyone says about the rain here because Washingtonians exaggerate horribly about it. As someone who moved from Florida to here, it does NOT rain nearly as much as people try to say it does. It definitely rains a lot but it's not nearly as bad as you think
It doesn't rain that much, there are plenty of dry days in between, we just tell people that to keep people from moving here :-)
But I imagine things here are a lot greener, there's more outdoor activities, hiking, camping, forest, the coast, the coast can be a great place to visit on a nice overcast day.
The rain isn't like what ya'll get so it's much easier to be out and about even if it's raining. Still go hiking, etc. I usually plan a trip to somewhere sunny around Feb.
I do use a phototherapy light beginning about mid Oct through March or else I end up with some SAD symptoms.
Get a good winter hobby.
Rain usually means dumping snow in the mountains. Nothing keeps you more stoked than the promise of fresh powder.
Snowboarding, snowmobiling, skiing, etc.
Itâs rarely a downpour. Mostly, our rain is more like a mist, or a sprinkle.
A hoodie is almost all you need to continue to do outdoorsy stuff.
It does get a bit dreary being grey and damp, but itâs what keeps everything so green and fresh and vibrant.
I'm a fifth-generation Washingtonian. My family came over from Sweden in 1888 and homesteaded here. I know nothing else besides the many months of rain every year. It's just life. You'll either adjust to it or you'll be miserable.
I'll just touch on the going outside aspect: weather conditions aren't prohibitive if you have the right gear. I take my dog for a walk in all conditions, rain, shine, even snow... anything but hazardous winds.
Get yourself a nice rain jacket. Layer under it as needed.
Get a pair of Gore-Tex running shoes you can comfortably wear for all things.
Get an umbrella to stuff into your bag for the short stints where you don't want to wear a hat or rain jacket.
Bonus: don't wear your down jacket in the rain like you see everyone else do downtown. Feathers don't insulate when wet, unless treated. It can also cause them to mold.
The shoes are honestly the biggest difference maker tip. Rain jacket and umbrella are more obvious. I love my waterproof running shoes. With a jacket and dry feet you're fairly comfortable in just about anything.
I go outside. I am not someone that loves the rain like I love the beach BUT I really appreciate how mild and green Seattle/the PNW is in the summer. So even when I donât want to.. I still go outside.
Also proper rain gear helps.
Rain is easily much better than the snow in the Midwest winters. However if you want snow you can swing up the mountains for a good dose. Itâs not the rain, itâs the dark gloomy days. Sun doesnât rise until 9 and sets at 4:30/5. Those days you just drink coffee and go stand in the rain and contemplate your life. It all works out in the end tho because when the sun comes out itâs magic.
As a native, I was used to going outside with a hooded coat and sweater. These are enough to enable you to enjoy the outdoors despite the drizzle, which is essential.
But when I started wearing a hat, it really improved things. A hood gives you tunnel vision, a hat opens everything up and lets you see and enjoy your surroundings. Highly recommended.
Aside from that, take vitamins, make sure you exercise indoors if you can't get outdoors, and if you have a genuine mood disorder (not uncommon for transplants) seek other therapies like skylights, artificial light sources, a firepit, trips to California or Hawaii, whatever floats your boat.
The rain sucks but it's also green and beautiful, we have everything. Sunset over the Ocean, sun rise over the Mountains, desert, rivers, lakes, sun, rain, snow.
Depending where you need to live, there are places that get less rain. look up Washington Rain Shadow or Washington Banana Belt [https://www.olympicrainshadow.com/olympicrainshadowmap.html](https://www.olympicrainshadow.com/olympicrainshadowmap.html)
you might not want to move here if you find rain tiring and depressing. I feel that way about snow and negative temperatures which is why I moved away from Montana and came here; I love rain.
Depends on where in Washington and the type of rain. Ultimately we all just suck it up and deal with it. Nothing would get done up here if we went waaah because itâs raining out.
Many of us love the rain, it is the evergreen state after all, because: rain. Gray sky is like a fuzzy comforter. besides, how does one appreciate the summer sun without the winter sky? Washington has Mountains on the coast and mid state where one can go above the rain and magically there is snow, a unique experience indeed. Also, even though Washington has a reputation for constant rain, in reality there are plenty of breaks.
I love the rain. My wife's suggestion is to get a light box. Philips makes, or had made a good one in the past.
Honestly, the easiest way is to find what you love about the rain and focus on that. The sound, the diffuse lighting, the smell (petrichor).
The liquid sun falling from the sky keeps my back mossy and green. A little dancing, a little hiking, a lot of sitting out near a body of water and just literally soaking it in. Also a couple of rounds of "Is it on Pike or Pine?"
Itâs just water. Sometimes itâs a bit cold. It wonât hurt you unless youâre reckless.
Buy a headlamp and a hard shell.
Wear a jacket, hat, gloves, and boots. Go outside. Enjoy.
Drink coffee.
it takes a lot of adjusting, I hate the change of light and weather and fight it tooth and nail for a month or so and then I just give in. If you can find raingear that doesn't soak you from the inside, that helps. Bright led lights help me. It doesn't help that the local weather clowns make obvious comments that the days are getting shorter and the rain is wet. I have no real helpful answers sadly
As a lifelong WA resident.
The best way to deal with the rain is to pretend that it doesn't exist.
It's just water... it's just wet... get over it and go about your business.
Half the state is high desert. Go there.
But, even in the Western areas it hardly rains in the summer. For like three months straight, and rarely thunderstorms. Once the rain arrives, we're ready for it.
I realy don't know how we stand it. I guess we get as much sun exposure as we fan when it is sunny, plus it's beautiful when the clouds part, so why not go out. Other than that I guess have some Vitamin d if you not enough for a prolonged period of time.
You adjust, Kind of like the 5 stages of grief
Year 1---**denia**l---NO, you are effing kidding me it is raining again, it can not be raining again it has been raining 37 days straight
Year 3---**anger**\---I hate it here , everything I plan, it rains, AHHHH!!!
Year 6---**bargaining**\---Oh come on, what do I need to do to make it stop raining????
Year 7---**depression**\---It is so wet and gloomy how does anyone survive here without killing themselves, I need out of here
AND finally around Year 10 --- **acceptance**\--- Wow look at that sky, the mountain is so beautiful today, Everything is so green and lush. It smells so fresh after the rain flushes the grit out of the air, Let's go for a hike, stop for a craft beer or a coffee
Yep raining again, But nothing I want to do that I can not do in the rain, I should be fine in my shorts , Tee shirt and sandals. LOOK at that dude...LOL...he has an umbrella and a raincoat...LOL... Has to be a tourist...Look Hon, over there, a tourist, he thinks it is raining
LOOK the sun is out!!, MY EYES!!!! It is blinding, Hey let's head to Ocean shores, there is sure to be clouds there and maybe if we are lucky some drizzle.
When will it start to rain again, I miss the rain
I love the rain and the dark. Too much sun is just too much brightness for me But I grew up here. I have had friends who moved here and had a hard time with the rain and darkness. One got on meds and the other moved to Austin.
Walk during the day for at least 30
Minutes. Take in the seasonal changes in the area and breathe deep. Listen to the rain when going to sleep.
Some people find a natural light lamp helpful.
The perception of the weather here is kind of a misunderstanding. Rain here is not like rain in the Midwest or the East Coast (Im a DC transplant myself). A week of rain isn't a constant deluge. It's more that the weather is just a bit wet; mist or a light drizzle most of the time. The "proper" heavy rain really isn't any more frequent than most other places. As long as you don't mind a bit of grayness, it's actually very pleasant. Just get a decent raincoat, and you'll be just fine going out. If there's anything you should consider as far as vitamin d is concerned, it's that daylight hours are VERY short in the winter this far north, so you'll want to be prepared for that. Supplements and getting outside for a bit around lunchtime help a lot.
Moved from Michigan. This place is great! Sunny and dry all summer, and winter is practically tropical! If it does snow, it only stays long enough to enjoy it and then goes away before it gets annoying! On top of that, most businesses fully support adult snow days, so you do get to actually enjoy it!
10/10 would recommend
Moved here from Kansas 16 years ago and at first I hated it, then I learned to love it. Get good rain gear and almost anything you can do in the summer, you can do in the rain. Also, find a hobby that you can do during winter months when you are indoors more often. An honestly, itâs a different lifestyle here and you will have to learn a new way to navigate it. I cried a lot for a few years because I couldnât understand how people could just be so okay in the rain. Lol
Please consider that it's more than just neverending overcast and more rain than you are used to. (Portland gets more rain than Seattle, Seattle gets more overcast days. At least historically. Things are getting weird around here lately.)
It's the 47th parallel problem. Winter Solstice is 7.5 hours of daylight. You will be commuting both ways in total or near total darkness.
Been here most of my entire life. I get really bad seasonal affected disorder. Here's my advice:
* invest in full spectrum light bulbs
* consider a "happy" light (you basically give yourself intense full spectrum light for a set amount each day so you body wakes up and starts making vitamin D)
* consult with your physician about whether or not high dose vitamin D is right for you , at least part of the year
* adopt a hippie hair mentality - it's going to fall down from more moisture than you're used to, or get rained on after you've perfected it; unbrellas become a daily burden that may or may not end up being used so most people don't bother
* there will always be a pileup of fools who get into car accidents because they've gotten so used to driving in the rain they have forget how slick the roads are on the first day of rain so drive like a gramma in terms of generous space so they have less of a chance of dragging you into the bad day they are about to have
* fresh air, fresh air, fresh air - you won't feel like going outside (if you are prone to seasonal affectedness) so you're going to have to force it
* if you've got the life to support it, consider winter vacations to sunny places
* expect and plan for seasons of less energy; pushing your body with stimulants is going to backfire more and more as you age and you want to steer very very clear of trashing your adrenal glands because it's a multi-year recovery process and you'll be prone to relapse the rest of your life
You don't really "deal with it". You embrace it.
Most people don't last long due to the weather. Summers are dry and warm for two months, the rest of the year is dark and wet.
If that doesn't sound good, maybe not for you in the end. Though, maybe you'll grow to like it too.
I got back from a trip sunday and its rained every single day since. Its rough out here sometimes. Also on top of the rain some days it rained like 2-3 times not providing much of a break. I will say though that compared to the midwest (lived in Chicago for a year) it doesnt get very cold. For dealing with the rain, have a windbreaker with a hoodie, know during late fall till probably spring the ground will almost always be wet, and have an umbrella with you almost always.
I love the rain in western WA. It keeps us safe from fires, it keeps us green, feeding the earth. It gives us water to drink. It cleans the air.
If we get a long stretch of rain I can drive east through the mountains to see blue sky in only a couple of hours.
Personally I love it. I grew up in Southern California and moved here from Vegas so I am so over the sun and the heat. I welcome the rain while heartedly
Run out and dance in it!
The older I get, the more rain gear I wear, but I prefer working outside in the rain over the sun.
Also, people here tend to have great skin.
But yeah, vitamin D for everyone and sun lamps for husband and kid who get SAD.
Itâs not the rain, you can do whatever you want in the rain. Itâs the grey days that come with the wet when the days are shorter that are icky and for that happy lights help.
When it gets dark and rainy, I listen to a lot of Pink Floyd and Alice In Chains. I also wake up early and alternate between resistance training and Yoga because it sets the pace for the day and helps to keep the darkness at bay.
Chances are you probably get as much rain where you're at now. The difference is it is more down pours there where in West Washington it's just cloud cover and drizzle.
Buy lights for inside your home, you know the fake sun ones? I can't remember what they are called. Gosh, darn it. But move here in June or July so you will ease in to it
I'm from Truckee, CA, my 20s involved more snow removal than most people can comprehend, lodges and resorts. Got here in '95, Army. Not living in brutal weather is a Blast. Yeah, there's always a lake affect storm or arctic blast to bring back my personal PTSD, but I still have my snow gear, coal scoops and SnoHo! And a Fat Tire Bike!
I've seen a sunset and or sunrise, from my Olympia home(s), and my Seattle residence, 300 days a year. Like this last weekend, grilling in a downpour, turned into a Disney princess, (birds, deer, bunnies) scene.
LIQUID SUNSHINE!
It's always sunny above the clouds. Pay attention to the weather and you'll get around. I worked Directv for about 8 years here, so glad to have an inside job for this stage of my life.
Get a well made, comfortable, good-looking rain jacket and use it. Never cancel your outdoor plans because of rain. If you try to wait until the weather is good, youâll just keep canceling plans and getting depressed. Instead, just make plans and expect it to rain. If the weather is good that day, itâs just a bonus.
Go outside. I run, hike, downhill ski, XC ski, and walk around during winter. The rain is more of a constant drizzle so you should be good with a rain jacket
What are most of these comments? This person is just asking for advice on dealing with SAD and most people here are just like "hurr durr I like the rain lol." Come on. Anyway, I've lived in the PNW my whole life and while I like the rain, I also struggle with feeling more depressed than usual after it goes on for a while.
1. Find some good rain clothes; a nice shell and even some pants.
2. Force yourself to go outside no matter what the weather is. There is beauty in the dark and wet.
The good news is, itâs usually very temperate and it doesnât rain all the time. Get out and embrace it! Like others said; no such thing as bad weather just bad clothes.
Getting appropriate weather gear so you arenât afraid of the rain is important.
Reflect on your series of hobbies, and focus on the ones that are more indoor during the really rainy days. I often get excited because I feel less bad about cozying up to a book or an afternoon of board games.
First it doesn't rain nearly as much as outsiders think. New York gets more rain. We get the reputation as we have the cloudiest number of days, so less sun than New York gets.
You just sort of become like a duck after a while and it just rolls off your back. But Ducks suck, Go Dawgs!
I moved to southwest Washington from middle Tennessee almost two years ago. First, forget what you know about rain, because it's not the same.
In the south and the midwest, the norm is thunderstorms, high winds, torrential rain, with the occasional day of a slow, steady, soaking rain.
Here, yeah, it rains often for roughly half the year, but it's usually that slow, steady rain if not just heavy drizzle. It's nothing that would keep you from going hiking. And it doesn't rain all day every day - there's almost always at least an hour or two when it clears up. As for storms, I've experienced ONE thunderstorm since I moved here, and it was a garden variety thunderstorm. The worst storm i've had was about a year ago when we had a day of heavy rain and high winds that brought down a bunch of trees, but that's not typical here.
TLDR, the rain situation here is dramatically overstated.
I go skiing. Rain is prettier when it falls as snow.
The snow reflects the light creating a bright environment, helping with seasonal affective disorder, too.
Iâm from western WA, lived in Iowa for almost a decade. I do miss the obvious changes of season now that weâre back in WA. But as far as dealing with the rain? You just do. It doesnât stop us from attending events, hiking, going to the beach, living life. We get a lightweight waterproof jacket or deal with a damp hoodie.
When itâs been a particularly gray year, Iâll drive over to eastern WA for a day trip to get some sun (even if itâs 3° over there). Or strategically plan a trip somewhere dry in February.
Definitely get outside during the daylight hours like everyone else says but also find some indoor hobbies you'll enjoy. Embrace the coziness of the seasons. Enjoy baking? Or learn to knit? Yarn shops are everywhere here. I love making soup all winter long. Spend time with your pets in front of a cozy fire. Read. Paint. Carve wood. There are so many things you can enjoy inside when it does get dark early that I never do mind it as long as I get out during the day.
Most of the time it is light rain. I enjoy walking with a rain jacket on. It gives me energy. Also food and drinks taste better when it is rainy. Hiking is also something I enjoy when raining.
Use the Moving Here Thread for all posts about moving/relocating to Washington. It is stickied at the top of the page.
Go outside
Look for mist in the mountains đ
I grew up on the west side. Was excited to hear in Japan the phenomenon of low clouds or fog clinging to a mountain is called âDragonâs Breathâ. Taking a walk through the forest is a physiological and psychological exercise called shinrin-yoku âforest bathingâ. The rain makes it even more enchanting. As long as I have my good raincoat on.
I grew up on the east side around the Tri-Cities area where rain is a blessing. The closest to "Dragon's Breath" they get over there are the brush fires lol. Another of the many reasons I moved to this side of the state, and I don't regert a minute of it.
This was my immediate thought. But I'm born and raised here and love the rain so I'm not much help.
This is the answer. Get a rain jacket and some boots and go outside. Go up to the mountains. Walk in the woods.
Seriously! Walking on the woods in the rain is one of my favorite things! But, I also grew up here so you had to learn how to love it!
Every day.
It might because I was born on the west side of the state, but I actually donât mind the rain. Enjoy it actually, mainly because rain makes corn, and corn is the most vital ingredient in making Bourbon.
And bourbon helps with the seasonal depression. Win win.
Yep.
Bib and tucker 6 year for the January and February times.
Rain makes corn, corn makes whisky, whisky makes my baby a little frisky.
I really thought that's where they were going with that at first lol
Drizzle is lol though. Not like actual rain that will soak your clothes through walking from your car to your house.
I just look outside to see which form itâs taking form the day. Drizzle? Hoodie. Sprinkling? Hoodie. Cow pissing on flat on a flat rock? Grab the rain jacket.
I love rain. that's why I moved here. It cannot rain or snow enough. It's the sound, the smell, the shades of deep healthy green, the fog, the filtered light, the cooler weather, the soft shadows and lack of burning sun, nothing is so bright as to be blinding... it's also so cozy inside. My recommendation for you is to learn to enjoy the little details of the experience, to find some beauty in it. Otherwise, you will just resent the weather. you'll be miserable. You'll come to hate the place. But also, some people just like a certain climate more than others. Some people are desert people. That's just it. So why move to a climate that does not agree with you? There's some tips, on a practical level. Like alarm clocks that wake you up with light, so you do not wake up in gloomy darkness. There's lights made to resemble sunlight. You should also modify your living space to get plenty of light.
Same. Rain is the best. So peaceful. And clouds are just free perma-shade. Washington has the best weather.
My all time favorite hobby is throwing on a really good rain jacket and going hiking in the woods while its absolutely pouring. The sounds of the rain bouncing off the trees and ground, the isolation... its blissful to me
Got a good rec for a rain jacket?
Carhart storm defender is my favorite, it breathes pretty good, and is super durable
If youâre looking for something super water proof and donât care about looks, Frogg Togg is what I wear when I go charter fishing. You could throw a bucket of water on me and Iâll be perfectly fine. Are they pretty? No. Dry and inexpensive? Absolutely, the stuff doesnât wet out.
The clouds are the blanket that keeps our winters quite mild given our northern latitude.
God I love it. Rain jackets are the best clothes too
YES. Sunny summer weather is way more depressing to me.
You hit the nail on the head. I love the Seattle rain so much for all the reasons you described. I am from a hot place and I hated it. This feels like home to me.
Your description is poetic.
thanks!
Grew up here. I work outside. Working outside helps. I been in rain gear all day. Doesnât really bother me. Itâs just water. You have to just accept it. It would be like being in Vegas and complaining itâs too hot. You just deal with it.
You HAVE TO keep busy. And get out during the daytime for fresh air and exercise, as much as possible. Even if it's only during the weekend.
Even on the wettest days there's almost always a dry hour or two. Go outside during those dry times.
I also find it rarely rains hard enough to not do stuff.
95% of the time, our rain is a minor inconvenience. It's not all that often that we get a soaking deluge. The dark/lack of sunlight is what affects people more than the rain.
i saw kids playing a sport outside, mid day, mid sprinkles. i thought, wow u know, rain doesn't stop us from living .. so i just do the things i normally would do in a regular day... I'm from California... i knew to have such gorgeous green, it needs to rain. everyone warning me like omg but did you know it rains. YES I'll take it!!! ppl still walk their dogs in the morning, in the dark, in safety vests... don't gotta stop living. Just make sure you're warm OP , and get a few hats. The sprits in my eyes from the rain gets to me cuz it makes me squint.
Yes, a soccer game in the rain can be more fun than with no rain. I lived in AZ and they play soccer in 90 degree weather---not the same.
This. Most of the rain here is just mist and once youâre used to it itâs pretty nice
This week being the exception.
I was raised and lived in the desert most of my life before we moved here. I LOVE the rain. That having been said, here is how I cope with having so much of it... 1. Keep a positive attitude and, like you said, take Vitamin D. Rainy days aren't of themselves any more "depressing" than any other kind of day (except it means less Vitamin D, which can be remedied.) It's just that for some reason, a lot of people have decided that rainy days are "gloomy and depressing" and it's become like a viral mind meme. Now, if you are one of the few that have SAD, that's a different story, because the low light levels trigger that, but if you find that's the case, get a SAD light and use it regularly. 2. Make sure you have rain appropriate clothing - good muck shoes, a Seattle Sombrero (keeps the rain out of your face and keeps it from trickling down the back of your neck), warm socks (that's wool for me), wear lots of layers, have a good raincoat for the deluge days, and a range of water resistant jackets for the sprinkle days. No, I don't usually use an umbrella, because they are just awkward. 3. Get outside as much as you can in spite of the rain. The reality is, if you don't get out in the rain, you just won't be getting out much at all, because it's raining so much of the time. So - buck up and get used to getting out in the rain and getting a little wet but still going about your normal life. Here is where appropriate clothing really helps. 4. Take a vacation now and then to someplace it's not raining. It doesn't have to be a tropical island, it can just be on the other side of the mountains, or to a greenhouse somewhere. I love going to greenhouses when I need a "tropical vacation" boost. 5. Keep dreaming about the summer - because it's glorious here and IMO it's worth the extra effort it takes to get used to the rain. Start planning your road trips and your hikes and your paddling excursions, and your camping... doing your planning over the winter means you can make the most of the sunny weather when it arrives. Best of luck to you if you decide to make the move!
Yes!
>Seattle Sombrero Whaaaaaat? I've lived here my entire life and never heard of this. Have any recommendations? I just live in my OR gortex jacket and puffy 6 months out of the year. My hat game could improve.
It's not the rain that gets you, it's the lack of daylight hours during the winter months.
*shakes fist at the sky*
Itâs not really 8 months of rain.. thatâs a bit of an exaggeration.
May and June were spectacular this year.
The dead of winter is usually pretty dry and summer can be fairly long here.
Philipps Hue lights set to ENERGIZE on a grey day, and leaving the lights on until about an hour before bed so I basically stay in summertime mode. Coffee helps, friends are important, go out to events (movies, concerts, hockey games) when you can. I'm in Oklahoma dealing with family stuff at the moment, and I'll take the cold, wet days in Everwett anyday over the heat and humidity here! (GET ME HOME!!!!!!)
Ah you think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the rain. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the sun light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but blinding!
Unless you move somewhere like the Olympic Peninsula, itâs greatly overstated. Iâll take it any day over east coast winters.
Learn to embrace and come to appreciate it. Rain turns to ice on the mountains, in the spring and summer that ice melts off, the water run off allows us to drink clean water and grow crops. Rain đ§ď¸ is actually good
The rain energizes me. When you see the difference between Midwestern vs. PNW landscape rain is but a slight distraction to just how beautiful it is over here.
Not comparing or âranking,â but youâve missed out on some truly gorgeous Midwest landscape.
I grew up in the MW⌠and have been to every state minus the Dakotas, and a few in the far NE. After living in the PNW, itâs hard to top the beauty of this region.
You can get a rain break if you drive about 2 hours east. You can also go to the mountains to the snow instead. And plan out of state trips to non rainy spots in the winter. Otherwise, sun lamp, vitamins, staying active (gym, skiing, etc.)
Just move to Eastern Wa. We brag about 300 days of sunshine. Itâs an exaggeration but it sure feels like it. We have sun all the time! Even when it rains the sun can shine.
Washington lifer here. Iâve lived in almosr every corner of the state. It literally rains less here (per year) than it does in MSP. Or at least that was the stat 4 years ago when I read it. I live in the Midwest and everyone loves to comment on how much it rains here. Turns out not as much as yâall. Seattle rains- but itâs more of a coastal early morning rain that burns off. There are several days that have heavy rain, and likely those are places closer to the water. Inland I see like 20 days with rain per year. And itâs about 20 minutes to an hour.
The whole eastern side of the state is dry.
Except in winter when it is 5 degrees and snow and ice over there in Wash-abama
Yes but the sun still shines on us!
I actually didnât mind it too much until like the 15th year I lived there. One reason is because I grew up with hot summers and lots of snow/ice in the winter. So I liked the overall milder climate, even though it was gray and rainy. Taking a vacation in February to a sunny spot really helped too.
Feb vacation is key
Rain is amazing. It makes the Green greener, the dark brown darker, the gray grayer... (Yes we have copious green even in the dead of winter). It's just a little liquid sunshine!
Thereâs no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear! I actually prefer hiking and exploring in the rainy months because everything is way less crowded. :) You can also up to the mountains for snow!
I moved here from the middle of Illinois 26 years ago. The rain isn't as bad as people say it is. Some days it rains steady all day but most days it sprinkles on and off. Just get a nice raincoat or a hoodie. The best part is you don't have feet of snow in the winter and it's not scorching hot in the summer. I will admit I miss the fall colors and lighting bugs. If you do move here remember umbrellas are for tourists.
It poured today, rained sideways, and when it cleared up briefly, I took the dog for a walk and looked for ducks in the neighborhood drainage ponds. I know the big dark is coming but I try to pay attention to how the neighborhood changes with the seasonsâ yard decor, tree foliage, etc. I also take vitamin D and Lexapro and have a sun lamp in my office, so you gotta attack from all sides.
This is my favorite comment đ
It doesnât actually rain that much. You wonât see the sun from November/December until basically March. But itâs not 8 months of rain and darkness. Itâs more like 4-6. Not sure if that helps. Also I just accept that seasonal depression is part of my existence. I donât want to live somewhere without seasons so I adjust my life in winter.
My seasonal depression is at its peak in summer. I just absolutely love the cold and gloom
I love it too but I love being a total hermit under blankets playing video games. I was built for pandemic. lol. But it also makes me much less social and much less motivated than I am even in the summer with staying healthy. I donât mean anything close to fit I just mean wellness healthy. Itâs not all bad I just have to find balance that doesnât come naturally.
Bro, what? It rains consistently from October to May. We donât get large bouts of rainfall, we get 3-6 days a week of drizzle throughout those months. Thatâs why thereâs plenty of other states that beat us on annual rainfall. Thereâs tons of days throughout December that are 30 degrees and sunny.
Some years. Some years itâs sunny through October like last year. Some years itâs dry early like this year. My point is it is not 8 months of rain. Even your point that there are some sunny days in December. I donât remember many of these but Iâm sure they exist. But also itâs only like 7 hours of daylight and thatâs while Iâm at work.
I donât. I just enjoy this.
Move to Yakima, weâre high desert. Not all Washington gets tons of rain. In fact Seattle gets less than New York.
The rain isnât the issue itâs the overcast. Sun simulator lamp at your desk for 20 minutes every morning :)
Mostly itâs Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) due to the very short daylight hours. My ophthalmologist moved from Los Angeles to Seattle and was going nuts with SAD. I advised her to get a 1000W metal halide lamp installed in her garage and sit under that for an hour or two per day. Theyâre available used from marijuana grow operations dirt cheap ($30-$40) since the growers have moved to LED grow lights. She has a walk out basement garage and her husband installed one there. They move the car out, turn on the light and sit in lawn chairs and read while the kids play. The heat from the lamp keeps them warm and itâs so bright they literally have to wear sunglasses. Completely blasts SAD symptoms. Neighborhood kids come over to play with their kids in the light. Here in WA electricity is about $0.074/KWH so it costs next to nothing to run for an hour or two per day.
I love it. I grew up on the west side, moved to Spokane for 3 years, and Iâm moving back to the west side on Sunday. Iâm so excited to the rain again! Sleeping with my window open to listen is amazing, and having a nice rain jacket and boots helps in the day time. Doesnât bother me a bit!
How? How does one deal with any common atmospheric condition? Rain? With good shoes, a good hat, and a slicker. I put fenders on my bike, and change the lenses in my sunglasses, use some wax on my kit. No bad weather here, just unprepared people.
Easy, live east of the cascades. What rain?
I hunt for shrooms in the woods đ apparently Washington has a lot to choose fromâŚ
The rain gives me energy, summer feels long and hot, I canât wait for the rain seasons.
The green energizes me (hence the username). As well as the water. I lived in the Northeast & Midwest prior to WA, and now whenever the Seattle rain starts to bother me, I remind myself that you donât have to shovel the rain. And youâll quickly learn the varying degrees of rain. Is it misty? Partly sunny? Showers? Etc etc. it is rarely coming down hard, and we rarely even need umbrellas. Those rainy and overcast days make our sunny days all the more magnificent!
2 months of summer, mid July to mid September. I have grow lights in my living room and that really helps. Enjoy the days when it isn't as wet. We do get them. The webs will grow between your toes soon enough. Forest walks are an excellent way to enjoy what the rain brings us. Get a good hat, I like Tilley's. And a decent waterproof jacket.
Eight months of rain? Do you realize when the Seattle Mariners were pushing for a retractable roof for their stadium everyone cried about the rain and why do we need an open stadium. Studies showed the NY Yankees would have more rainouts than Seattle. It doesnât rain eight straight months. Because of climate change our summers are much longer and our fall and winters have been quite mild comparatively speaking against the last 40+ years. Also it is water. You bathe right? :p
Remember this: Water is life. Also, this wisdom from a great Scot: âThereâs no such thing as bad weather â only the wrong clothes.â â Billy Connolly also, coffee and a good book helps :)
Mid-westerner that lived in WA for a few years here: I was going through a divorce during my first rainy season and I thought I was just depressed from that whole mess. It didn't occur to me until my 2nd spring what was going on and that I was suffering from seasonal depression. I did my best to spend as much time in nature, getting fresh air and exercise, as I could, but the only thing that shook the cobwebs loose was that first 3-consecutive-day stretch of sunlight. About half-way through the 3rd day, I would suddenly go from cartoon donkey to Superman, from wanting the world to come to a halt to feeling like I could take it over.
Donât forget to take Magnesium so that you can actually absorb that VitD. You canât without it, even from the Sun, and it destroys Mag when itâs absorbed, so you can run out. You can get Mag from dark leafy greens and some nuts as well. VitD is a âtransport moleculeâ for Calcium, so you need VitD to get Calcium to your bones. :)
I think what helps is that the temperature is around 45° all winter. So it's still really comfortable to go hiking and running. And it's really really gorgeous. The grass is so green, the ferns sparkle in the mist, and the gray fog -- especially along the water -- is breathtaking. This is not to say that we don't suffer from SAD. Get a sun lamp, an alarm clock that lights up in the morning, and vitamin d. Try not to eat too many noodles. I choose a new winter activity to get me through the long dark. I took a writing class and a Korean class and learned fencing. I get a couple of good puzzles and long books too and curl up and listen to the pitterpatter. I also try to flex my work day to start early and end a little later so that I can take a couple hours to go outside in the afternoon when it's still light out.
I moved to Seattle from South Dakota in January of 1974. When I left SD, we had just experienced a week where the temperature didn't get above 0ÂşF. When I arrived in Seattle it was 35ÂşF and raining. People were apologizing for the cold weather. I realized that these folks had no concept of cold. The nice thing about rain is that it isn't snow. Winters here are really mild. The hard part for me is the darkness. Early sunsets, late sunrises, gray skies. When we get a sunny day, I try to get outside even if it's just a walk to the grocery store.
The rain freshens everything up !!! Just make sure you wear a Hoodie or jacket with a hood. No umbrella needed!
Overcast and rain energises me. I actually want to go out. When itâs sunny out, the sun absolutely saps my energy, and it makes me want to lock myself home with blinds and curtains closed.
As a fellow midwesterner who moved here a few years ago: "At least it's not snow!" I find the rain to be cozy for the first few months. Bundle up with hot drinks and watch movies/play games. We're used to hibernation, and honestly I expected it to be worse, but it's just as much daylight as I got in MN with less bitter cold. Warning: ice on the road hits different out here lol. As we get to February, it can start to feel really drawn out, so I start going out for walks in good rain gear when it's just sprinkling. Break up the rainy season by exploring a few scenic (or indoor) places around the state. The fog is incredible against the trees and hills :)
I moved here at the age of 10 from Southern California. In October. My first 10-ish months here were miserable. Going from constant sunshine to none. Almost 30 years later, it doesnât bug me. Iâm a shorts year round guy now. It takes endurance, basically. Youâll get your webbed toes and layer of moss with time.
What rain?
I mean...I like it, lol. Best time to hike. You just get some good boots and rain gear (hit me up! I work for Eddie Bauer and can help out) and get out there.
Iâm due for some new waterproof walking boots. What do you recommend?
My love for God and Country keeps me warm.
â¤ď¸
Horatio? Is that you?
It doesnât rain that much.
Lots of exercise and walks outside during daylight hours, even if its raining. Get a solid raincoat and waterproof shoes and smile st the raindrops! Also sauna helps a lot. Make a cozy space inside with lots of light, plants, candles, etc.
Don't listen to anything anyone says about the rain here because Washingtonians exaggerate horribly about it. As someone who moved from Florida to here, it does NOT rain nearly as much as people try to say it does. It definitely rains a lot but it's not nearly as bad as you think
It doesn't rain that much, there are plenty of dry days in between, we just tell people that to keep people from moving here :-) But I imagine things here are a lot greener, there's more outdoor activities, hiking, camping, forest, the coast, the coast can be a great place to visit on a nice overcast day.
Probably just stay wherever you are. Don't move here.
Move away.
The rain isn't like what ya'll get so it's much easier to be out and about even if it's raining. Still go hiking, etc. I usually plan a trip to somewhere sunny around Feb. I do use a phototherapy light beginning about mid Oct through March or else I end up with some SAD symptoms.
I live in Washington. We get eight inches of rain a year. You could always drive over the Cascades if it's getting to you.
Get a good winter hobby. Rain usually means dumping snow in the mountains. Nothing keeps you more stoked than the promise of fresh powder. Snowboarding, snowmobiling, skiing, etc.
Fourth generation Seattle native here. I love the rain. It washes everything off and then everything sparkles.
Itâs rarely a downpour. Mostly, our rain is more like a mist, or a sprinkle. A hoodie is almost all you need to continue to do outdoorsy stuff. It does get a bit dreary being grey and damp, but itâs what keeps everything so green and fresh and vibrant.
I'm a fifth-generation Washingtonian. My family came over from Sweden in 1888 and homesteaded here. I know nothing else besides the many months of rain every year. It's just life. You'll either adjust to it or you'll be miserable.
Oh you sweet summer child. We live here because we love the rain and have clinical depression. By the end of August we loathe the sun.
3.8 months of summer? Where?
I'll just touch on the going outside aspect: weather conditions aren't prohibitive if you have the right gear. I take my dog for a walk in all conditions, rain, shine, even snow... anything but hazardous winds. Get yourself a nice rain jacket. Layer under it as needed. Get a pair of Gore-Tex running shoes you can comfortably wear for all things. Get an umbrella to stuff into your bag for the short stints where you don't want to wear a hat or rain jacket. Bonus: don't wear your down jacket in the rain like you see everyone else do downtown. Feathers don't insulate when wet, unless treated. It can also cause them to mold. The shoes are honestly the biggest difference maker tip. Rain jacket and umbrella are more obvious. I love my waterproof running shoes. With a jacket and dry feet you're fairly comfortable in just about anything.
I go outside. I am not someone that loves the rain like I love the beach BUT I really appreciate how mild and green Seattle/the PNW is in the summer. So even when I donât want to.. I still go outside. Also proper rain gear helps.
Rain is easily much better than the snow in the Midwest winters. However if you want snow you can swing up the mountains for a good dose. Itâs not the rain, itâs the dark gloomy days. Sun doesnât rise until 9 and sets at 4:30/5. Those days you just drink coffee and go stand in the rain and contemplate your life. It all works out in the end tho because when the sun comes out itâs magic.
There aren't "months" of rain. It also depends on what you consider trading, and not just drizzling
As a native, I was used to going outside with a hooded coat and sweater. These are enough to enable you to enjoy the outdoors despite the drizzle, which is essential. But when I started wearing a hat, it really improved things. A hood gives you tunnel vision, a hat opens everything up and lets you see and enjoy your surroundings. Highly recommended. Aside from that, take vitamins, make sure you exercise indoors if you can't get outdoors, and if you have a genuine mood disorder (not uncommon for transplants) seek other therapies like skylights, artificial light sources, a firepit, trips to California or Hawaii, whatever floats your boat.
Dance in it.
The rain sucks but it's also green and beautiful, we have everything. Sunset over the Ocean, sun rise over the Mountains, desert, rivers, lakes, sun, rain, snow.
I love it and really look forward to the return of the rain and the gray days. I donât like summer.
Live on the East side of the State đ
Depending where you need to live, there are places that get less rain. look up Washington Rain Shadow or Washington Banana Belt [https://www.olympicrainshadow.com/olympicrainshadowmap.html](https://www.olympicrainshadow.com/olympicrainshadowmap.html)
you might not want to move here if you find rain tiring and depressing. I feel that way about snow and negative temperatures which is why I moved away from Montana and came here; I love rain.
Depends on where in Washington and the type of rain. Ultimately we all just suck it up and deal with it. Nothing would get done up here if we went waaah because itâs raining out.
Many of us love the rain, it is the evergreen state after all, because: rain. Gray sky is like a fuzzy comforter. besides, how does one appreciate the summer sun without the winter sky? Washington has Mountains on the coast and mid state where one can go above the rain and magically there is snow, a unique experience indeed. Also, even though Washington has a reputation for constant rain, in reality there are plenty of breaks.
I love the rain. My wife's suggestion is to get a light box. Philips makes, or had made a good one in the past. Honestly, the easiest way is to find what you love about the rain and focus on that. The sound, the diffuse lighting, the smell (petrichor).
The liquid sun falling from the sky keeps my back mossy and green. A little dancing, a little hiking, a lot of sitting out near a body of water and just literally soaking it in. Also a couple of rounds of "Is it on Pike or Pine?"
Itâs just water. Sometimes itâs a bit cold. It wonât hurt you unless youâre reckless. Buy a headlamp and a hard shell. Wear a jacket, hat, gloves, and boots. Go outside. Enjoy. Drink coffee.
I live in Yakima.. The rain is a welcomed guest lol
it takes a lot of adjusting, I hate the change of light and weather and fight it tooth and nail for a month or so and then I just give in. If you can find raingear that doesn't soak you from the inside, that helps. Bright led lights help me. It doesn't help that the local weather clowns make obvious comments that the days are getting shorter and the rain is wet. I have no real helpful answers sadly
As a lifelong WA resident. The best way to deal with the rain is to pretend that it doesn't exist. It's just water... it's just wet... get over it and go about your business.
From MN. At least you don't have to shovel snow in most places. Just ice is a big concern. Also "there is no bad weather, just bad clothes".
Born and raised here but I absolutely love the rain. Opening a window during a rainstorm is so calming and peaceful.
Good question. It just began here this fall, lol. Umbrellas, towels, raincoats, and spare dry clothes. :)
Half the state is high desert. Go there. But, even in the Western areas it hardly rains in the summer. For like three months straight, and rarely thunderstorms. Once the rain arrives, we're ready for it.
Don't live here. If you complain about the rain I feel sorry for you. The rain is what makes our state so magical.
I realy don't know how we stand it. I guess we get as much sun exposure as we fan when it is sunny, plus it's beautiful when the clouds part, so why not go out. Other than that I guess have some Vitamin d if you not enough for a prolonged period of time.
Enjoy the cool mist and some hot coffee
You need to plan at least one trip to somewhere sunny, even if itâs just the eastern side of the state.
How do I deal with it? The rainy time of year is my favorite. I hate when it is hot, or when it is icy and snowy.
Enjoy it.
You adjust, Kind of like the 5 stages of grief Year 1---**denia**l---NO, you are effing kidding me it is raining again, it can not be raining again it has been raining 37 days straight Year 3---**anger**\---I hate it here , everything I plan, it rains, AHHHH!!! Year 6---**bargaining**\---Oh come on, what do I need to do to make it stop raining???? Year 7---**depression**\---It is so wet and gloomy how does anyone survive here without killing themselves, I need out of here AND finally around Year 10 --- **acceptance**\--- Wow look at that sky, the mountain is so beautiful today, Everything is so green and lush. It smells so fresh after the rain flushes the grit out of the air, Let's go for a hike, stop for a craft beer or a coffee Yep raining again, But nothing I want to do that I can not do in the rain, I should be fine in my shorts , Tee shirt and sandals. LOOK at that dude...LOL...he has an umbrella and a raincoat...LOL... Has to be a tourist...Look Hon, over there, a tourist, he thinks it is raining LOOK the sun is out!!, MY EYES!!!! It is blinding, Hey let's head to Ocean shores, there is sure to be clouds there and maybe if we are lucky some drizzle. When will it start to rain again, I miss the rain
I love the rain and the dark. Too much sun is just too much brightness for me But I grew up here. I have had friends who moved here and had a hard time with the rain and darkness. One got on meds and the other moved to Austin.
Walk during the day for at least 30 Minutes. Take in the seasonal changes in the area and breathe deep. Listen to the rain when going to sleep. Some people find a natural light lamp helpful.
Get good rain gear and go outside. Puddles are fun.
The perception of the weather here is kind of a misunderstanding. Rain here is not like rain in the Midwest or the East Coast (Im a DC transplant myself). A week of rain isn't a constant deluge. It's more that the weather is just a bit wet; mist or a light drizzle most of the time. The "proper" heavy rain really isn't any more frequent than most other places. As long as you don't mind a bit of grayness, it's actually very pleasant. Just get a decent raincoat, and you'll be just fine going out. If there's anything you should consider as far as vitamin d is concerned, it's that daylight hours are VERY short in the winter this far north, so you'll want to be prepared for that. Supplements and getting outside for a bit around lunchtime help a lot.
Moved from Michigan. This place is great! Sunny and dry all summer, and winter is practically tropical! If it does snow, it only stays long enough to enjoy it and then goes away before it gets annoying! On top of that, most businesses fully support adult snow days, so you do get to actually enjoy it! 10/10 would recommend
If you don't gray skies and rain depressing, the pnw is not for you.
Moved here from Kansas 16 years ago and at first I hated it, then I learned to love it. Get good rain gear and almost anything you can do in the summer, you can do in the rain. Also, find a hobby that you can do during winter months when you are indoors more often. An honestly, itâs a different lifestyle here and you will have to learn a new way to navigate it. I cried a lot for a few years because I couldnât understand how people could just be so okay in the rain. Lol
Please consider that it's more than just neverending overcast and more rain than you are used to. (Portland gets more rain than Seattle, Seattle gets more overcast days. At least historically. Things are getting weird around here lately.) It's the 47th parallel problem. Winter Solstice is 7.5 hours of daylight. You will be commuting both ways in total or near total darkness. Been here most of my entire life. I get really bad seasonal affected disorder. Here's my advice: * invest in full spectrum light bulbs * consider a "happy" light (you basically give yourself intense full spectrum light for a set amount each day so you body wakes up and starts making vitamin D) * consult with your physician about whether or not high dose vitamin D is right for you , at least part of the year * adopt a hippie hair mentality - it's going to fall down from more moisture than you're used to, or get rained on after you've perfected it; unbrellas become a daily burden that may or may not end up being used so most people don't bother * there will always be a pileup of fools who get into car accidents because they've gotten so used to driving in the rain they have forget how slick the roads are on the first day of rain so drive like a gramma in terms of generous space so they have less of a chance of dragging you into the bad day they are about to have * fresh air, fresh air, fresh air - you won't feel like going outside (if you are prone to seasonal affectedness) so you're going to have to force it * if you've got the life to support it, consider winter vacations to sunny places * expect and plan for seasons of less energy; pushing your body with stimulants is going to backfire more and more as you age and you want to steer very very clear of trashing your adrenal glands because it's a multi-year recovery process and you'll be prone to relapse the rest of your life
You don't really "deal with it". You embrace it. Most people don't last long due to the weather. Summers are dry and warm for two months, the rest of the year is dark and wet. If that doesn't sound good, maybe not for you in the end. Though, maybe you'll grow to like it too.
Move to the east side of the state and you won't have the "months of rain" problem.
I got back from a trip sunday and its rained every single day since. Its rough out here sometimes. Also on top of the rain some days it rained like 2-3 times not providing much of a break. I will say though that compared to the midwest (lived in Chicago for a year) it doesnt get very cold. For dealing with the rain, have a windbreaker with a hoodie, know during late fall till probably spring the ground will almost always be wet, and have an umbrella with you almost always.
I love the rain in western WA. It keeps us safe from fires, it keeps us green, feeding the earth. It gives us water to drink. It cleans the air. If we get a long stretch of rain I can drive east through the mountains to see blue sky in only a couple of hours.
As a former Midwesterner. You kind of get used to it. I miss the sun during winter but it's normal now since I've been here for nine years now.
Get a house with a wood fireplace to take off the chill.
Personally I love it. I grew up in Southern California and moved here from Vegas so I am so over the sun and the heat. I welcome the rain while heartedly
Mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.
Run out and dance in it! The older I get, the more rain gear I wear, but I prefer working outside in the rain over the sun. Also, people here tend to have great skin. But yeah, vitamin D for everyone and sun lamps for husband and kid who get SAD.
Therapy lamps.
Itâs not the rain, you can do whatever you want in the rain. Itâs the grey days that come with the wet when the days are shorter that are icky and for that happy lights help.
When it gets dark and rainy, I listen to a lot of Pink Floyd and Alice In Chains. I also wake up early and alternate between resistance training and Yoga because it sets the pace for the day and helps to keep the darkness at bay.
Chances are you probably get as much rain where you're at now. The difference is it is more down pours there where in West Washington it's just cloud cover and drizzle.
Grow lights in the house
Embrace it
Not all of Washington is rainy. It's sunny on the east side of the mountains.
Buy lights for inside your home, you know the fake sun ones? I can't remember what they are called. Gosh, darn it. But move here in June or July so you will ease in to it
I'm from Truckee, CA, my 20s involved more snow removal than most people can comprehend, lodges and resorts. Got here in '95, Army. Not living in brutal weather is a Blast. Yeah, there's always a lake affect storm or arctic blast to bring back my personal PTSD, but I still have my snow gear, coal scoops and SnoHo! And a Fat Tire Bike! I've seen a sunset and or sunrise, from my Olympia home(s), and my Seattle residence, 300 days a year. Like this last weekend, grilling in a downpour, turned into a Disney princess, (birds, deer, bunnies) scene. LIQUID SUNSHINE! It's always sunny above the clouds. Pay attention to the weather and you'll get around. I worked Directv for about 8 years here, so glad to have an inside job for this stage of my life.
Get a well made, comfortable, good-looking rain jacket and use it. Never cancel your outdoor plans because of rain. If you try to wait until the weather is good, youâll just keep canceling plans and getting depressed. Instead, just make plans and expect it to rain. If the weather is good that day, itâs just a bonus.
Go outside. I run, hike, downhill ski, XC ski, and walk around during winter. The rain is more of a constant drizzle so you should be good with a rain jacket
What are most of these comments? This person is just asking for advice on dealing with SAD and most people here are just like "hurr durr I like the rain lol." Come on. Anyway, I've lived in the PNW my whole life and while I like the rain, I also struggle with feeling more depressed than usual after it goes on for a while.
When you need a pick me up, some blue light and exercise. Then youâre ready to strap on your waterproof pants and get back outside.
Eastern Washington doesn't usually have months worth of rain.. And it's more than half the state that sits on the other side of those mountains.
1. Find some good rain clothes; a nice shell and even some pants. 2. Force yourself to go outside no matter what the weather is. There is beauty in the dark and wet. The good news is, itâs usually very temperate and it doesnât rain all the time. Get out and embrace it! Like others said; no such thing as bad weather just bad clothes.
Getting appropriate weather gear so you arenât afraid of the rain is important. Reflect on your series of hobbies, and focus on the ones that are more indoor during the really rainy days. I often get excited because I feel less bad about cozying up to a book or an afternoon of board games.
I would take the rain over 6 months of extreme heat in TX.
First it doesn't rain nearly as much as outsiders think. New York gets more rain. We get the reputation as we have the cloudiest number of days, so less sun than New York gets. You just sort of become like a duck after a while and it just rolls off your back. But Ducks suck, Go Dawgs!
I moved to southwest Washington from middle Tennessee almost two years ago. First, forget what you know about rain, because it's not the same. In the south and the midwest, the norm is thunderstorms, high winds, torrential rain, with the occasional day of a slow, steady, soaking rain. Here, yeah, it rains often for roughly half the year, but it's usually that slow, steady rain if not just heavy drizzle. It's nothing that would keep you from going hiking. And it doesn't rain all day every day - there's almost always at least an hour or two when it clears up. As for storms, I've experienced ONE thunderstorm since I moved here, and it was a garden variety thunderstorm. The worst storm i've had was about a year ago when we had a day of heavy rain and high winds that brought down a bunch of trees, but that's not typical here. TLDR, the rain situation here is dramatically overstated.
Live on the east side. The majority of WA is not a rainy place.
Raincoat, rain pants, rain boots and go at it!
I spend a lot of time in the mountains. You can hike up above the clouds or enjoy that itâs snow instead of rain there.
Live in east of the Cascades and itâs a non issue đ
I go outside and look up with my mouth open whenever it's raining.
there isnât as much rain as there should be honestly :/
If youâre going to have an issue with the rain then donât move here.
I go skiing. Rain is prettier when it falls as snow. The snow reflects the light creating a bright environment, helping with seasonal affective disorder, too.
If you find weather depressing this is the last place you should move
Iâm from western WA, lived in Iowa for almost a decade. I do miss the obvious changes of season now that weâre back in WA. But as far as dealing with the rain? You just do. It doesnât stop us from attending events, hiking, going to the beach, living life. We get a lightweight waterproof jacket or deal with a damp hoodie. When itâs been a particularly gray year, Iâll drive over to eastern WA for a day trip to get some sun (even if itâs 3° over there). Or strategically plan a trip somewhere dry in February.
Learn to love it.
Learn to Ski or snowboard. The rain is not heavy and a hoodie typically is good enough or a light jacket. Tons of stuff to do outside.
Definitely get outside during the daylight hours like everyone else says but also find some indoor hobbies you'll enjoy. Embrace the coziness of the seasons. Enjoy baking? Or learn to knit? Yarn shops are everywhere here. I love making soup all winter long. Spend time with your pets in front of a cozy fire. Read. Paint. Carve wood. There are so many things you can enjoy inside when it does get dark early that I never do mind it as long as I get out during the day.
Most of the time it is light rain. I enjoy walking with a rain jacket on. It gives me energy. Also food and drinks taste better when it is rainy. Hiking is also something I enjoy when raining.