Like much of the rest of the country, we’ve had strange weather here in the Pacific Northwest this year … late spring snows, large temperature fluctuations from day to day, overcast and rainy weather one day, then sunny and warm weather the next. The seasons seem confused.

Some might say this sounds normal; after all, the Pacific Northwest has a reputation as a rainy, cold place. But is that reputation deserved? Overall, the average rainfall here is only 65 inches a year (although the Olympic foothills do get just a bit more rain: 135 inches annually – they don’t call it the rain forest for nothing!) And in the months of July and August (and sometimes September), we usually have a bit of a seasonal drought, with very little rain falling.

And as far as temperatures go, the weather here is, in a word, moderate. It rarely gets below 10 degrees Fahrenheit in winter, or above 100 degrees Fahrenheit in summer. And those are the extremes. We’re much more likely to see temperatures in the 30-50 degree range in winter, and in the 60-85 degree range in summer. (Hat tip: weather statistics are from the Shelton-Mason County Journal’s 2008 Visitor’s Guide)

I recently met two different women who had moved here from the southern United States. The first woman told me she planned to move back to the South. “It’s just too cold. I’ve been here for two years and I’m freezing all the time!” she explained. The second woman told me she loved it here and would never move back to the South. “I just called my mama and she told me it was 98 degrees in Alabama. She sounded miserable. I told her it was 68 degrees here and beautiful. I’ll never go back to the South.”

As they say, different strokes for different folks. I guess everybody has their own idea of perfection. But in my opinion, it’s hard to beat the natural beauty and moderate climes of the Pacific Northwest. After all, if we had only dry, warm weather here, we wouldn’t have all the beautiful green trees and meadows, or the stunning snow-clad mountains to enjoy.

With all the hoopla about the winter storms passing through the Pacific Northwest recently, some may assume no golfing is possible during the winter on the Olympic Peninsula. Nothing could be further from the truth.

OK, yes, it’s true that we do sometimes have bad weather here. But it’s also true that we enjoy a mostly mild and temperate climate – not too hot, not too cold – even in the heat of summer or the dead of winter.

If you need proof, check out these lovely pictures (above and below) of Alderbrook Golf Course, taken in January of this year by a member out golfing – yes, you heard me – golfing!

And here’s a report on that outing from that member’s wife (who sent me the lovely pictures):

This is not spring at Alderbrook, but a day when the snow and frost disappeared and the golfers (my husband among them) finally got out to find out whether their golf swing had abandoned them during the holidays and winter storms. They had to play on temporary greens (to protect the permanent greens while the ground was still cold), but this didn’t deter any of them. They turned up the heaters in the golf carts full blast, and passed around the hot schnapps. I don’t think anyone cared what they scored … it just felt so good to be out and swinging a club.

While it’s true we may have to make some concessions to the season (and hot schnapps sounds like a pretty fun concession to make!) I think that just adds to the experience. Variety, they say, is the spice of life! Why not mix it up a little?

What’s your favorite golfing weather? Have you ever golfed under less-than-ideal conditions? Share your golf stories in our comments section.

All of western Washington has been enjoying beautiful, sunny days this week. Contrary to what many believe, it really doesn’t rain all the time here. And when the sun is out, it’s just gorgeous! Snowcapped mountains outlined against a blue sky, sparkling blue water at the base, vibrant evergreens on the hills … I think there may be no prettier place to live on earth.

Of course, it’s still January, so even though it’s sunny it’s also very cold out (mostly 20’s and 30’s). But that’s easily remedied with a few extra layers of clothes and a hat and gloves, and well worth it. (And still relatively balmy, compared to the northeast part of the country!)

If you happen to be someone who associates the Pacific Northwest with ridiculous amounts of rain, you may be thinking that this week is an aberration, but I can assure you that after living in western Washington for 20+ years, we often have a week or two at the end of January that is sunny, cold, and stunningly beautiful. It’s all part of the appeal of living in this part of the world.

If you live in the Pacific Northwest, why not leave a comment and share your favorite aspect of life here?

Our last post talked about some great indoor activities for the winter months, and using the colder weather and darker days to spur us on to cozier, quieter pursuits. But if you think Washingtonians stay inside all winter, you’d better think again!

Washington residents enjoy the out-of-doors in all seasons. In fact, when it snows in the lowlands of western Washington, you may even see cross-country skiers gliding past your front windows. I know a man who once skied down the very steep counterbalance of Queen Anne hill in Seattle (on Nordic skis, no less) and lived to tell about it! (Kids, don’t try this at home. Adults, well … you can do what you want, but we don’t recommend this to you, either!)

Most Washington residents do their skiing in the mountains, however. One of the huge benefits of living in western Washington is our ready access to both the Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges. We’re surrounded by mountains. And of course, wherever you find mountains with snow on them, you’ll also find skiing (both alpine and Nordic) and a host of other outdoor winter adventures just waiting to happen (snowboarding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, sledding are just a few that come to mind).

Here on the Olympic peninsula, the closest ski lifts are located at Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic Mountains. If you’re in the mood to travel a few short hours, you can also find good skiing in the Cascade Mountains east of Seattle. In either case, you’ll need to call ahead to make sure the roads are passable.

Check out this map of skiing and other winter recreation opportunities at TravelWashington.com, and let the fun begin!

Check this out!

The snow started falling in the morning [Christmas Day] and didn’t stop all day. It was like living in one of those snow [globes] that you shake, and inside the glass the snow swirls around. With the Christmas lights on the homes, Alderbrook was magical … Then yesterday [12/27] we again had a beautiful day of falling snow. The amazing thing is that we have all this beautiful snow here, but you go a mile or so outside of Alderbrook and the roads are clear.

Sounds like something out of a fairy tale, doesn’t it? All the beauty and wonder of a Christmas snowfall, and clear roads to boot!  I mean, if you’re going to have snow, isn’t Christmas Day the perfect time for it?

Winter may not be officially here yet – at least, not according to the calendar – but residents of Hood Canal enjoyed a “winter wonderland” view when they awoke to an inch of snow on the ground Tuesday morning. It wasn’t enough snow to cause serious problems, just enough to make everything look beautiful and give students of the North Mason School District a delayed start to their school day. 

And if weather forecasters are right  (as they occasionally are), we could see more snow falling Wednesday night.

One nice thing about the snow in western Washington is that it doesn’t tend to hang around very long. We’ll get a few inches one night – just enough to give us a day off of work or school – and by the second day it’s pretty much back to life as usual. You may still see snow on the sides of the road, and remnants of snowmen melting in front yards, but rarely do temperatures stay cold enough to interfere with a quick return to our normal activities.  And let’s face it, if you’re going to live in a place where it can snow, it doesn’t get much better than that!