As the author states:
Of course this methodology is completely arbitrary and far from perfect, but it is a start.Seattle is known for Seattle Freeze. I feel this every time I return from travel to another part of the country, even parts of the country that are snowier and colder. In snowier places people have more character and they help each other out a lot more — it’s part of the culture.
But Seattle is just misty rain 9 months of the year. Emotionally it feel bleaker. There’s no pull to help each other out (it’s just rain) and there’s no character building through snow shoveling or brushing snow off your car to meet friends. You just don’t feel like doing anything or admitting anyone in your life.
That's why I looked at the map, saw L.A. in a red zone, and thought huh there might be something to this.
Your point stands though. L.A. is one fugly city.
Just the other day I saw tourists trudging around on Hollywood Boulevard, which is a major shithole. I thought that I can't believe these people aren't deeply disappointed but afraid to admit it.
Given that red usually connotes "the most of" whatever the map is supposed to show, it struck me as consistent with my experience.
For me a good rainstorm is not necessarily dreary and endless sunshine is not necessarily un-dreary.
I grew up somewhere that didn't require air conditioning, but live in NYC now and find that as an adult the only weather I find truly unpleasant is when it's too hot to do anything outside without immediately being drenched in sweat. I really dislike the feeling of being trapped inside in the A/C, since at least even when it's very cold you can be comfortable in proper clothing.
Even without an actual map, though, I've been enjoying many of the visualizations on https://weatherspark.com/ for comparing cities on these kinds of things.
Unfortunately those posts aren't linked, so that left me a bit puzzled. A day with rain is also wet (and probably cloudy)? So not sure how you can look at the three independently. Also, what is a "wet day" without rain? Foggy? High air humidity, but no rain?
People say it rains all the time in England, but it's not that. It's the grey that makes it depressing.
I beg to differ -- a pioneering 1949 Seattle solar energy project offers a different view, and as soon as the sun comes out, they're going to release their final report.
In fact, because of climate change, on days when the so-called "wet-bulb temperature" gets to 35°C (95°F), people who dare to go outside will simply die. That day may arrive sooner than people think.
Imagine this: Phoenix, AZ, a day with a wet-bulb temperature at or above 35°C. Everyone is cowering inside near their air conditioners. Then the power fails. This might also happen sooner than people expect.
https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/ove...
monkeyfacebag•9mo ago
caseyohara•9mo ago
*"300 days of sunshine per year" is frequently cited, even on the official Visit Denver website (https://www.denver.org/meetings/denver-info/weather/). Having lived in Denver for the last ~15 years, it is very sunny, but "300 days a year" stretches the truth just a bit.
davidw•9mo ago
It seems that 100 or so years ago, promoters decided that was the magic number to attract people.
madcaptenor•9mo ago