One thing that seems to define Oregon to outsiders is its rainy weather. Everyone thinks that once you cross into Oregon heading north on I-5, rain clouds form and it rains every day, making life dreary and miserable. (That’s what we want you to think anyway.) Truth is, May through September is actually rather lovely, and the parts of the Eastern half of the state is practically desert. But that’s a secret: you didn’t hear it from me. Like most stereotypes however, the talk about rain is largely true. To live in the Willamette Valley, you have to like rain: we get almost nine months where there is a good probability of it. We do have more wet months than dry, so learning to love the rain--or at least put up with it--is a must in Portland. And it can be miserable: camping in the rain, walking home on cold wet nights. However, it doesn’t have to be.
Perhaps in my employment in the desert southwest, but I returned with a new-found love for the cool damp weather of the northwest. However, the typical hatred of rainy weather remains, a point that I find difficult to fully accept, though I understand it. Here are a few points that I find help make our climate bearable. Rain isn’t for everyone. Perhaps that’s a copout, but there are some people who simply do not like this sort of climate. That’s fine, but for those who want to embrace the inevitable, here are some observations I have made since returning to Portland.
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| A quick stroll after a rain shower rewarded me this rainbow over a suburban park. The rain clouds contrast nicely with the glowing ground. Staying inside on rainy days results in missing scenes like this. -S. Kramer, photo |
1) First and most importantly, the climate affords some wonderful things.
Rain, I suppose, could be compared to working. Work isn’t always pleasant, but when the paycheck comes, the money can be spent on the blessings of modern society. In much the same way, rain can be depressing day after day, but the rainfall, humidity and cool climate in the winter buy a beautiful temperate ecosystem. In a climate like ours, one doesn’t need to travel far to see rich green forests, and the cool northern climate is suitable for conifers, so even in January, when the Midwest is brown and dead, our hills are still very green. Many trees thrive in our climate (though good luck growing tropical fruit), the fields are green most of the year, and undeveloped land gives birth to forests and meadows full of life instead of rocky scrubland. Life is found in the desert too, (organisms that are arguably more impressive due to the harsh environment) but it lacks the verdant shades that we get to enjoy in the Northwest. So in the winter, when it rains, think of it as working for the paycheck that is the Douglas Fir woodlands.
2) On a similar note, think abut the well-kept secret of the Northwest: the summers.
It's not ALL sunshine and butterflies: the Pacific Ocean still plays its games with us bringing in the marine layer for a few days here and there, but the broadleaf trees come out in full adding light green to the year-round dark green of the firs. The sun shines in July and August, and the temperatures are nicer. When the rains fall in January: that is what you have to look forward to. If you finally can’t take anymore, and you are ready to skip town, just remember that in a few months, the paycheck will arrive, and, if you share my love for the northwest in Summer, God WILL reward your patience with walks in the woods, boat rides and fresh berries.
3) Third, the weather doesn’t have to be depressing.
Life is what you make of it. Just because it rains most of the year, does not mean that it POURS most of the year. Much of our cold dreary weather is merely high humidity, or a light rain or mist. Especially in late fall and early spring, the temperatures are bearable, and the rain actually feels rather nice: nice enough for a walk. Creation doesn’t take rainy days off: you don’t need to either. Only on rainy days will you find rainbows seeming to stretch over the entire city, or see a sunbeam glinting in a raindrop sitting on a rose leaf, or see the rings on pond surfaces, with the gentle buzzing created by the light rainfall. Robins don’t mind the rain, they love singing in it. In fact, I feel at least that the parks and suburbs are more alive after a rain shower: grab a fleece and umbrella and get out there. But finish reading this article first.
I admit, I am quite possibly crazy (aren’t we all) but I don’t think I’m the only one with fond memories of the rain. People are so quick to remember that YouTube ad that reminds you of how much you miss the sun while showing you hurricane footage. Rainfall isn’t always like that. Sure rainstorms turn umbrellas inside out, and drench your best suit, and leave you so cold a warm shower is in order. But set all that aside for a moment and think: rain can also make you happy.
What about those raindrops that tap out a midnight dance on the roof as you fall asleep? Or taking walks in light rain, where the drops dust your coat, but don’t soak through, and the weather is cool, but not cold? Or the full arc rainbows that appear over hillsides? Or watching the rain fall while you sip tea and read? Life is exciting because of the little things.
4) Finally: if you must, take a break.
I did just that…twice. And the experiences of those summers grace the pages of this blog. If you are truly a northwesterner, but you are just weary, get out of dodge if you can. Go spend a week somewhere to get out of the rain. The aforementioned YouTube ad would not make any money if it weren’t accurate. One thing that helped me appreciate what I have in a northwestern winter was experiencing a southwestern summer. Now granted, a bad summer here can be just as intense, but visiting a different climate long enough will make you truly appreciate what we have here in our rainy winters. To me at least, the beauty of canyon country felt empty and alien, and if you are like me, you will feel refreshed returning to the forested hills of the Northwest. Scratch that: returning HOME. The scenery down south is beautiful, but it isn’t home, and my time down there is one of the reasons that I came back. And I returned with anew appreciation for cool, dank weather.
Traveling around is a wonderful experience, and one I would recommend. But it has the side effect, of truly making you appreciate home. The same force that drives me out of state always pulls me back eventually. I can’t speak for all people in the Northwest, but this is where I belong. And if I have to sit through nine months of cold, dreary rain to see spring, I’ll do it.
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