SEATTLE — Musings from a PNW transplant, PinPoint meteorologist Robert Van Winkle:
When I moved from Florida to Seattle, I made sure to bring a nice selection of umbrellas. After all, every single person I told about my impending move gave me the same warning: “It rains all the time there!”
After living in Florida for over 20 years, I had plenty of umbrellas to choose from. I arrived here with two golf umbrellas, three collapsible umbrellas and one pocket umbrella that I am actually afraid to open. (It looks like it might explode if I try it!)
Now, I had expected to dip into my umbrella cache right away, but to my surprise, one of the first things I learned from the locals is that we don’t carry umbrellas around here. Who knew?
On any rainy day in Seattle, look around and you’ll see that the go-to attire for staying dry is something like a waterproof windbreaker, preferably with a nice hood. It seems to be a matter of pride for true Seattleites to forgo the umbrella, and this in a city thought of by many as the soggiest in the country.
Oh sure, locals may pop their umbrellas for special outings when hair needs to stay put or the groceries need to stay dry. But the unspoken “no-carry rule” became clear to me during my first weeks in Seattle: Ditch the umbrella!
I dug a little deeper into why this wonderful weather-related custom exists and found out it is based on some solid reasons.
Our rainy reputation is overblown
First, it doesn’t rain here as much as the rest of the country thinks it does. Seattle’s average annual rain is around 39”. Wetter cities around the country include New Orleans at 62”, New York City at 45” and Miami at 61”. The reputation we have for rainy weather is most likely because we have a long string of cloudy and rainy days in the winter. Sure, we dole out the rain day after day, stretching over several months, but most non-residents don’t know how great our weather is during the summer.
When it rains, it doesn’t necessarily pour
Second, rain in our part of the world is usually light and more like drizzle. It can rain all day in Seattle and we will record only .05”. Most of the time we just don’t see enough heavy rain to justify the trouble of messing with an umbrella.
Gone with the wind
Third, when it does rain hard, it is usually due to a front passing through, and fronts bump up the wind. Everyone knows an umbrella doesn’t stand a chance in a 40-mph windstorm. And we do have our share of windy days around here.
It’s a matter of decorum
Fourth, rain courtesy in Seattle means making every effort not to bother other folks walking down the sidewalk. An open umbrella is a recipe for a poke in the eye or unwanted water rolling down a stranger’s back.
The get wet mindset
Finally, most locals assume that anyone using an umbrella must be a tourist! Well, as much as I love a good tourist, I want my transplant to the PNW to continue smoothly, and I’d like to become a “local” ASAP.
So, I’ve said adios to my dear Florida umbrellas. However, I am considering buying this one I saw in a local shop near Pike Place Market, should I decide I need one in the future.
-Robert Van Winkle