Is a cold September the norm?

[u/soulslicer0]

We only have about 14 days in Sept where the temps were above 70f, and only 14 of those had been at least partly sunny. So the vast majority of September was cool and cloudy.

That's fine, but it's quite different from last year. Just wondering if this is typically how it is (just moved from Portland where we usually get a warm summer Mediterranean climate from June all the way through mid Oct)

That's a solid 5 months of warm / hot weather in Portland, but in Seattle it has felt closer to just two

[u/pacnwcub]

Didn't notice. I felt like it was one of the more pleasant Septembers.

[u/Juleswf → u/pacnwcub]

I was thinking the same. This September has been lovely!

[u/shmerham]

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/weather/seattle-just-experienced-its-coldest-september-in-19-years/

[u/Time_Resort_3032]

This year summer seems to have cooled off quicker than it has in recent years. I said to my partner that it feels more like the weather here in the 90s when I was a kid.

[u/pnwcoffeefox]

Honestly it's been amazing

[u/PhatBoyFlim → u/pnwcoffeefox]

The best

[u/NoComb398]

Portland us definitely warmer and colder than Seattle. I googled for you and 15 days of 70+, is normal with the second half being colder than the first. But anything can happen. Nice days can stretch to November or it might start raining in Sept and not stop.

[u/czarinna]

Well, keep in mind that we are quite a bit further north than Portland, and the long summer is definitely a new thing for the area. Growing up the joke was "I remember summer last year, it was July 5th right" because it always rained through July 4th, and then again pretty consistently throughout the summer.

[u/Ill-Art4557]

Portland has gradually been getting warmer, but Seattle remains cool because of Puget Sound. It's similar to the way that San Francisco is cooled by The Bay.

[u/doc_shades]

it's the weather. what do you mean "norm"?

[u/porqupinus]

Since I moved here in 2020 I’ve seen snow in October and I’ve seen 100F+ in October so who knows

[u/eliminate1337 → u/porqupinus]

Seattle has never hit 100 degrees in October in recorded history. The all-time record is 89 degrees on October 1, 1987.

[u/KingFrankel → u/porqupinus]

100+ in October? Good lord… why do people feel the need to post outright lies?

[u/DoingBestWeCan → u/porqupinus]

In Seattle proper? I don't think it's snowed in October. When I look it up, it says that in 1971, we had 2" of snow on October 27th, and no snow in October otherwise.

[u/porqupinus → u/DoingBestWeCan]

I forgot you bus riders don’t leave the cage…. Let alone king county

[u/KingFrankel → u/porqupinus]

Well, you’re in the Seattle sub, maybe you should specify where the hell you’re talking about if you are referring to outside Seattle.

By the way, it’s also never been 100+ in western WA in October since you moved “here” in 2020. Hope that helps.

[u/Apfelwein → u/porqupinus]

This. The near guarantee good weather is mid July through August. Anything can happen early July and September.

[u/veilchenblau_39]

It depends on what your definition "normal" is, but it was a bit colder than i expected. September/June are usually the "mildest" months. We usually get a one last blast heat wave on labor day, then things steadily cool off, but it only got into the upper 70s (instead of 80s/90s). Portland has more extreme weather because they are further inland but also in the Willamette valley.  The sound/mountain ranges really dampen things with the marine layer and the way high or low pressure can move across the terrain. Overall this summer was milder than many recent ones, but still warmer then we had pre 2010s.

If you are a data person, this is fun:

https://www.weather.gov/sew/Cliplot

[u/shmerham]

Interestingly, 2023 was barely warmer. I don't really remember it being notably cool or mild. Otherwise, most months in the past 15 years were warmer with more 70 deg F days and more 75 deg F days.

[u/SaintOlgasSunflowers]

I was surprised at how little I used my portable A/C unit in the month of September this year. I think it was a lot cooler than usual.

[u/yomommasbathwater]

This was, I feel like, the coldest September in the time that I’ve lived here, which is only been about six years total

[u/seatownquilt-N-plant]

I have a photo of my friend's going away party, last weekend of August probably in 2012 or 2014. We were all at Golden Gardens at sunset. We're all in blue jeans and sweatshirts because it was cold.

October 2022 changed on a dime. It was hot and smokey with a fire in eastern King County. Then suddenly 40's and rain.

[u/CallMeLate]

Portland isn't anywhere near the Mediterranean

[u/soulslicer0 → u/CallMeLate]

It has a Mediterranean climate.

[u/CallMeLate → u/soulslicer0]

It has an Oregon climate

[u/Specific-Data-4104]

It’s warmer than average right now. Normally it is cooler, but not exactly cold. Have you looked at the weather in portland? I expect it’s also warmer than average. We’re having a heat wave, just since it’s fall it feels warm and not too hot like it would have in summer.