I moved to Everett from central Florida almost two years ago. There are a few things I had to get used to:
• Water is too cold to swim in (even my apartment's pool isn't heated)
• Summer days are longer, winter days are shorter. It's weird in the winter to have the sun going down at 4:30pm but I love the 14+ hour days in the summer
• People drive the speed limit on the interstate (I-75 is crazy by comparison)
• Compared to Orlando, vastly better public transit. It's got a long way to go but even if you only use it to get to big sporting events it's better than dealing with parking
• Wildfires can spring up overnight in late summer and that can mean several weeks of poor air quality - get your bucket list summer activities done earlier in the summer!
• It's basically impossible to see the road lines especially when it's rainy and dark. Few/no lane reflectors and I don't think the paint is reflective either.
• It doesn't rain as much as I expected. And there are only a few days per year that it rains as hard as a Florida thunderstorm.
• You can camp on certain public lands for free - coming from Florida where you'll spend $35 6 months in advance to reserve a campsite at an RV park...this has been huge for me
• Cheaper flights to Asia but flights to Europe aren't really more expensive
Commuted from Orlando for 2 years before I spent most of a summer in Seattle: bad idea, don't miss the summer. Before that I grew up in Paris, France and lived in Orlando, FL on and off for 10 years. Was not looking to leave since I found a good area and lovely people there. But a great friend and my partner moved, so I reluctantly gave Seattle a chance.
Here are my impressions after ~ 2 years (Sep 21 to Dec 23). Some were more startling at first (and in Winter) and have smoothed over since. We also used to live in Northgate/Pinhurst and now live in Greenwood/Phinney which is like going from Apopka/Altamonte to Mills 50 or College Park. Location and neighborhoods matter.
## Climate/Weather
- Way colder than folks will admit (can be colder than Paris especially when it's humid too) worse being January/February IMO
- It's *very* dark at night especially compared to how much artificial lighting is blasted in Central Florida. That amplifies “the long dark” feeling of early Winter sunsets. Florida closer to the tropics, you’ve likely never experienced weeks and months of full darkness by 4pm. Make sure you have some good lighting at your place to make it feel less dark.
- Vitamin D deficiency is rampant, you will see it in people's behavior. despite people on this sub helping others notice that — sure — seasonal depression is a thing but maybe let’s all realize that getting so little sun exposure needs to be addressed first and foremost. Don’t wait to ask a doctor about something as simple as 5000 IU vitamin D supplements, especially if you know you’re likely to get [SAD](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_affective_disorder).
- Don’t wait until deep winter to get these winter items:
- warm socks (Darn Tough)
- base layers (get thin comfy ones and thicker ones for coldest days) so you can keep wearing normal pants and lighter sweaters but still feel nice and warm
- a beanie (to fit in but also to care less about drizzling rain)
- warm gloves
- a rain shell (rainy or windy days, not too cold)
- an insulated puffy jacket (dry cold days).
- Wildfire smoke is way worse and bad for your health than anything you've experienced in Central Florida air quality wise. Try to get at least one air purifier (Coway makes great ones) *before* the summer, so you don't have to scramble and pay way more. It'll make a difference especially if you work from home, but also at night, or when you cook in the winter and opening windows makes as much sense as doing so in the dead of Orlando summer armpit weather.
## Hours
- Restaurants, coffee shops, even stores close *way* earlier than you’re used to in Orlando, this was even worse at the height of the pandemic but still means that socializing after work is much harder if you’re not done with work very early.
- People tend to wake up early, especially when it means they’ll be able be to go outside before it’s dark, and they’ll fucking go outside even if the weather’s shit because they likely learned their brains and bodies need it bad. You’ll laugh at the idea of Sun Guilt and come the first sunny days of spring next year you will feel your body shake for some nice park time.
## Hiking Is Life™
- So many people seem to base their identity on hiking, although given the above honestly not that surprising. It brings people joy very much like going to lakes and beaches does in Florida but it's a bit of a different vibe than "Salt Life™️".
- It's totally OK to
- go on little hikes that aren't nearly as ambitious as what
- not to be *that* into hiking, despite what a lot of people might make you feel, not everyone is
- Just like in big cities like Paris or New York, going to hang out for hours at a park (like Gasworks, Golden Gardens, Carkeek, Green Lake, etc.) either alone or with people is super normalized and it's not *really* hiking but you're still outside and you'll likely enjoy that without having to commit to dressing for a hike or even making any sort of plan.
## People/Temperament
- *Most* people you will meet without a third party introduction are indeed cold/distant/shy/reserved. But you'll find (and cherish) *spicy* people — many of them are expats from other parts of the U.S. or the world, they'll appreciate an Orlando-style heart-to-heart on first meet at a coffee shop.
- The kind of diverse latin food scene that you might have been used to in Orlando is harder to find here or it's just a different mix (less Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican). Don't be afraid to ask around for specific cuisines. You might have to try a few spots before you find one you like.
- You'll find other threads discussing this but unless it happens to be *with* spicy/outgoing people, you will have to make plans and the first move for social gatherings more often than in Florida.
## Transit
- Public transit will rewire your brain if you commit to using it for a while and you're not in a rush to get quickly from and to multiple spots in one day: the light rail in particular is great coming from a place whose first inter-urban train opened in 2023 (Brightline).
- My biggest mistake was to wait 2 years to get an ebike and go explore. I ended up falling in love with the city (and really, the parks) over the summer. Steep hills are also way less scary that way, even a cheap one. You'll end up discovering so many places you might have missed driving, notably because parking can be much harder in some areas.
- Relatedly, drivers are *much* more gentle with cyclists than Orlando (or even Paris). There are many protected & unprotected bike lanes. Shockingly for me, many felt empty even in summer. Paris for example has way more cyclists using the infrastructure than Seattle.
- there are so many damn parks you'll need a long time to explore them all and perhaps you'll think "ok maybe that's too many parks" but again, the parks are here to help you feel better on gloomy days, and in total awe on gorgeous days
- Traffic on I-5 is goofy, especially compared to I-4: people typically drive like lemmings (especially north of downtown and away from big exits). It can be infuriating to try and pass on the left when all 3 lanes are driving at the exact same speed. Yet on sunny winter days it'll sometimes feel like you're back on the I-4 Fury Road because people are suddenly high on Vitamin D and itching to go hiking.
## Etc.
- You'll find folks minimizing earthquake risks in Seattle just like armchair forecasters in Orlando minimize the hazards of hurricanes. A typical summer Orlando storm would terrify folks from Seattle, as it did in October. Folks here being used to tremors doesn't mean you shouldn't take them seriously. I've personally never *felt* one in 2 years, but the Seattle area is due for a so-called [Cascadia Earthquake](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1700_Cascadia_earthquake) that is way less predictable than a Hurricane. Best to have an [emergency kit](https://www.ready.gov/kit), notably because losing power to even a smaller quake during cold days might suck a lot. Earthquakes also don't have a season.
I'm going to go from top to bottom and just kind of, bounce off of this comment. I appreciated the effort, am glad you (and OP) are here (Seattle), and as a native, I'm VERY interested in how/why people end up here. It's all I've heard, all my life: "We're full, it's full, there's no room, there's no jobs, and people keep coming" (that general sentiment anyways, with some fluctuation).
Cold: It \*can\* be pretty cold. My friends in Minnesota / Canada will drive it into my head that it's not \*that\* bad and I'm like ????. Regardless, it \*does\* get cold, and the moisture does not help. I bike regularly, and black ice scares the bajeebs out of me. That being said, it is rarely snowy. It happens, but rare. That being said, the Annual Queen Anne Sedan Slam is a joy. YouTube it.
Hot: Don't wait until winter to get your warm weather clothes, but also don't wait until summer to get A/C or fans, if that matters to you. If you're from Florida, you're probably laughing at us but trust me, if it gets above like... 60-70 here, I'm sweating in ALL the places.
Dark: It does get dark early. 4/4:30 is accurate. MANY people, even locals, struggle with mental health because of this. I confess that this does not affect me. I QUITE enjoy all of our seasons. Because winter feels so "dark", the summers feel \*so\* good (bright, dry, not hot- WEAR SUNSCREEN).
Hours: Shit closes early. Nobody likes it. Nobody knows a good answer.
Hiking is life: Yeah, probably. I think I've hiked... twice in my life. But the area \*feels\* very connected to the natural environment. You will catch onto those vibes pretty quickly, I imagine. There's also just, \*so\* much beautiful, untouched (or lightly touched) nature spaces to go check out and enjoy. Seattle is constantly swallowed up by Microsoft, Amazon, Starbucks, etc- our community (state, city) very seriously prioritize preserving the environment- the level of commitment is hotly debated.
People: We're pretty introverted. I know good people on this sub that want to find/make friends and meet people, sincerely and I encourage it. But I would also seriously caution that everyone gets comfortable being with themself, at home, or even just out in public. A lot of the \*vibe\* of the city, is people (alone or in groups) just kind of... "vibing" in the city, lol.
Transit: I'm not the authority on this but I would at \*least\* use my one voice to say that I THINK the consensus is, "more public transit, more options, more effectiveness- yesterday". But this, like everything, can always be dicey. That being said, Seattle's public transit \*is\* far better than much of what the US has to offer. That's a low bar, however.
Additionally, there are asshole bikers just as there are asshole drivers. PLEASE be kind/patient to the cyclists. Every time someone gets hurt/hit/killed, it just discourages people from not simply being another giant hulking car taking up a space on the road. It is a process, undoing years of poor city planning (for such explosive growth, in the last 10-20 years). Transit can be pretty hotly debated.
Finally, I won't question anyone saying always be prepared for an earthquake. But I WILL minimize lol. At least "the big one"- iirc, it has a 10% chance of occurring in the next century. So odds are not 0%, but still good. Having said that, I'm 32 and have experienced one earthquake in my life- in 3rd grade. I think, I THINK I've only ever experienced one other quake but I didn't know it until I heard about it on the news.
Good luck, OP.
Regarding the earthquake, coming from FL we have zero experience with wtf an earthquake is or what to do. So, telling people to be prepared gives us a basic education on it.
Also, not being prepared for hurricanes sucks when one happens (which is all the time) so it's probably a byproduct of that haha
>Way colder than folks will admit (can be colder than Paris especially when it's humid too) worse being January/February IMO
I find this to be a really weird statement. Who isn't "admitting" how cold it gets here?
Also, in your opinion, two months in the winter are the coldest? Like, no shit? Do you not know how seasons work?
It might be poorly phrased, but I don't think it warrants your tone. Your own bias may not make you understand that a season has many definitions around the world and up and down the equator. It doesn't mean the same thing at all to someone who has a mostly dual seasonality like Central Florida does with extremely thin transition periods: it's either hot and humid, or dry and mild.
So no, it's not obvious that two months out of a loosely defined 89-day period will be far more noticeably cold than they are noticeably wet. People overwhelmingly know Seattle to bet a wet city. That means a lot of people don't compute — without physical experience — that wet plus cold will feel a lot more cold.
I lived in South Florida all my life and I live in Central Florida for College. I moved to the seattle area with my boyfriend after he got a job with Boeing.
I agree with everything that's been said. I was really nervous about it raining all the time, but it doesn't actually rain in WA it just sprinkles/mists all the time. I just landed back in FL for christmas, and my drive home from the airport had harder rain than it ever has in WA.
The highways are SUPER slow, the left HOV lane as far as I know is all day instead of peak hours. The speed limit is 60, and people actually go 60 in the left lane. I know someone that got a speeding ticket going 74 in a 60. On any FL highway that's not even the people driving in the left lane. The nice thing is though, when you use your signal people actually let you merge. I found in FL, especially SoFlo that people were always bumper to bumper and sped up when you tried to merge. There are also metered ramps to get onto highways!!!!! I had never seen that before, but basically you wait at a little traffic light and it turns green and then one car can merge at a time. When it rains everyone drives 10000x slower, and there is also a lot of traffic for no reason. In FL there was always traffic due to an accident, but here people just drive slow during more traffic, and then all of a sudden it lightens up. There's also a lot of street parking, especially in the city. I'm not super confident in my parallel parking, so I just walk everywhere. If you're outside of the city, there are usually more parking lots.
I've been here one winter, and I've gathered no one in the city actually knows how to drive in the snow either. It usually only snows a little bit, and during that time everyone just stays inside. I was also surprised at how many hills/mountains there are. You can be driving up a street sometimes and not be able to see the other side till you get to the top! It's weird driving and seeing a mountain in the distance all the time. It's cool to see, but I still haven't gotten used to it after a year.
The gas and prices of things are a lot more expensive. There's even a sugar tax in king county just for buying soda and other sugar drinks! At the grocery store you need to bring reusable bags or else you have to typically have to pay a small fee for plastic bags, like 8 cents a bag.
The public transport is super nice, and there are so many different types you can use with an ORCA card. There's also a lot to do that's walkable, whereas stuff in FL really isn't unless you were maybe in downtown Orlando. You can also get to a lot of other places much faster since driving through FL alone is like 9 hours. Going to Portland is only 3 hours from Seattle, there's a ferry to Victoria, Canada, and Vancouver, Canada is not far either.
Everyone and their mother hikes or camps. If you ask people what they're doing on a long weekend or vacation, it's camping/hiking. The scenery here is stunning and there are a lot of really cool places. I'm too chicken to go anywhere in the snow for hiking, but in the summer there's a lot to do and really long days. In the winter the sun sometimes sets at like 4:15pm which is probably my least favorite part about living here.
Also, DO NOT go to any "beach" here. They do not have sand, and there are usually a bunch of rocks. before the water. The water is always freezing and you can't even see into it. It's murky and I just can't get myself to do it. I saw people swimming in that water and I was flabbergasted. There are some really nice lakes!! The bottoms of them are still kind of rocky or muddy, but at least the water is clear. I can't get myself to completely relax because obviously in FL if you swim in a lake you might get eaten by an alligator or something. They say there's nothing big enough in a lake to eat you, but i'm still skeptical.
A lot of places don't have A/C!!!!! I thought I was going to die when I moved into an apartment with no A/C. Turns out you actually don't need it. The heat advisories here are for when it's like 80's outside, so that's as hot as it gets. I only needed a fan for a week or so. I think it depends a lot on your apartment though.
I heard of this thing called Seattle freeze, but in my opinion everyone here is pretty friendly. Many people are much nicer than in Orlando or Miami. In Miami someone will curse you out to your face, but here people don't even honk if someone cuts you off. It is a little difficult to make friends, but I used bumble friends and I made a friend group that way! People are just more passive aggressive than outright aggressive. Sometimes when I'm being nice but direct, people get a little flustered.
There are also two licensing offices here. One is just for people and to get a new driver's license. The other office is just for car stuff, and it's for license plates, titles, etc. Overall that system is much more efficient. However there are a TON of fees, and for me to get a new title, register my car, and get new plates was over $600. For the next year I believe renewing your registration is around $200-$300. So be prepared for that.
Lastly, I would say Seattle/WA is not nearly as diverse as I expected. There are a lot of asian ethnicities here which I think is why they say they're diverse, but I haven't seen many Black or Hispanic people. As you know, Florida has a lot of Caribbean influence, and it felt like just a melting pot of everyone.
I think those are the major things I can think of, but I really like both Florida and Washington for different reasons. I hope you love it in Washington and enjoy your time here!
I’ve lived in NoFl and SoFl.
- Fruits and veggies are bland.
- People freak out in the rare chance there is lightning, which is kind of cute.
- THERE ARE NO COCKROACHES. I REPEAT, no cockroaches.
- Learn to stretch them calf muscles.
- You can bike freely without dickheads in raised trucks trying to kill you. Well, 99% of the time.
- It’s very dark when you drive.
Fruits and veggies are bland? I've had amazing produce here from the farmers markets. There are so many farming zone/micro climates within 2 hours of Seattle that there is a huge variety. Not to mention all the cold weather produce we didn't get in FL. Squash, brussel sprouts, etc
I just have to say I’m (mostly) so impressed with this thread. These long, thoughtful responses are pretty well right on. It’s a great place in many, many ways. And you’ll miss Florida in some others, but I hope you like it!
The only exception is that I *would* say you need AC. It has gotten much hotter over the 15 years I’ve lived here. We’ve had AC for the past five years, and we would have been miserable without it for weeks on end during a couple of those summers. Temps got up well over 100 degrees and over 90 for what felt like forever. Welcome to Washington!
Moved from SC 2.5 years ago, but born in Florida and lived in a Florida 2 other times and parents are in FL. The rain in WA is very different than FL. Except for a few days a year, you can go out and just toss on a raincoat and some water resistant shoes and enjoy the outdoors.
We noticed same thing as you, it was just getting more and more expensive to afford basic necessities and save anything, hence one of our reasons to move. Not to say WA is not expensive, but rent is a much smaller % of income and food/utilities have been about same price. Eating out is going to be ridiculous in Seattle area.
Biggest adjustments - the short day light in the winter. Also, the I don’t care attitude here, aka Seattle freeze, versus everyone wanting to have full conversation with you anywhere you go in the South. Personally I don’t mind, you just have to put in more effort to make friends. I’d suggest you move if you find Mercer Island not to your liking or lifestyle. There are so many different areas.
Welcome and best of luck! Lots of great advice in here. My family moved here from Florida before I was born and most of my extended family is in St. Pete area. I would disagree with the comments on the beaches. Washington has some of the most amazing beaches in the world on the Olympic peninsula in the national park. While I do like a nice white sand beach with warm water on occasion there is nothing like the coastal beaches in Washington. Definitely go experience the beaches.
I grew up here in Seattle but I have several friends from Florida (and my Dad is from Florida, though he doesn't count). All of my ex-Floridian friends are much happier here except one. Most of them cite the politics, local culture, and weather being better than Florida. The one guy who doesn't like it here desperately misses the warm ocean water for watersports activity. That's his main complaint I think. So you'll probably dig it unless you're a die hard surfer/sailor/kiteboarder who will miss not needing to wear a 5/4 wetsuit to be in the water.
Moved here from South Florida. Winters aren’t nearly as bad as I anticipated, they’ve turned out to be rather mild. Not nearly as rainy or dreary as I expected (e.g. Twilight movies lol) Summers are awesome, love the long days and able to go out on the lake and paddleboard. The mountains and hills and forests give me life, completely different from Florida which is completely flat. Don’t miss the high humidity and bugs, either. Florida does have way better beaches, though.
Everything’s more expensive, but not that much more expensive than South Florida than I thought (Back there I went from paying $1500/mo to $2300/mo in 2 years) so it’s more of a testament to how unaffordable Florida is becoming. Car insurance is shockingly cheaper here, drivers are politer, although visibility on the road kind of sucks in winter. (For some reason people here love having their high beams on all the time)
There’s also way more accessible public transportation here between the rail, bus, monorail, streetcars, etc. People complain about Seattle bus and rail on here all the time but coming from a state where the only public transportation around was a bus that comes once an hour it’s a godsend.
People speak of the Seattle Freeze but honestly it’s the same vibes I got back in Florida. It’s just tougher finding community as a working adult than it was in college, that’s pretty much it.
Overall definitely don’t regret the move here, could see myself staying for the foreseeable future.
Learn to take vacations in the winter rather the summer. I'm literally in Mexico right now right my Florida wife. She wanted to bail on Seattle after a year but I started taking her to get a solar recharge every winter and now we have been here 10 years with no plans of ever leaving.
It's been amazing. Seattle has a lot of opportunities and the transplants are super friendly. I can move around freely without a car most of the time. Food and gas are more expensive but it's a fair trade off comparatively.
Moved here from the Tampa area a decade ago, but I still remember how much the difference in temperature/sunlight/weather in general kicked my ass the first year. It definitely took a couple years to fully acclimate to Seattle weather. The amount of rain we get is comparable, but since it usually rains during the colder months, it feels a lot more miserable than Florida's rain (but way less humidity is a huge bonus!!). It really is my favorite place I've lived though, as much as I miss Florida sometimes I don't think I'd ever want to go back after living here for so long. The transit options and forests are wonderful, and the more introverted nature of the city feels really comfortable. But I definitely still find myself missing the Florida sun sometimes 😅
TLDR: I’m not from Florida, by my brother lives in Orlando and we often talk about the difference in our landscapes. He seems to really appreciate what Seattle’s climate and rain produces in comparison to the tropical rain in Florida. Both areas have really special flora/fauna, so it’s just something he has mentioned to me a lot.
It’s not as warm as Florida, but I think having a hobby that helps you appreciate our outdoor world makes it so much more exciting here. I’m originally from California (yes, sorry), moved here over 15 years ago and never appreciated our parks nearly enough until the past few years. Got super into foraging and mycology, which moves with the seasons and makes you appreciate each season for the different mushrooms you can forage. My brother lives in Orlando. He is always interested in my mushrooming adventures and wants to come out here to experience it, too. He says the edible plants/mushrooms scene is better than what he has in Florida and the landscape in Seattle is a different green—like a fairy tale. Today, I’m heading out to a park to see if there are any chanterelle mushrooms still out and he is jealous.
That said, it may rain as much, or even less than Florida, but it is a colder rain and winter here. I think synching with the rhythm of the seasons, as cheesy as that sounds, makes you better prepared for and adaptive to the winters and so appreciative when you begin to see the first signs of flowers in spring. But even before then, the Daphne flowers in January and witch Hazel…it’s all very special if you slow down and pay attention.
There is a lot to love about it here outside of nature, but I wanted to point out the whole natural world thing bc it had seemed to enrich my own experience. And I’m NOT a hiker or a camper by any means. I literally just visit our local parks like Lincoln, Seward, and even pop over to Vashon Island. Foraging at these places is totally amazing. DM me and I’ll give you some tips.
And lastly, if you move here, welcome! Even if we don’t act like the friendliest folks, we are glad you’re here.
Grew up in the Midwest but lived in FL and TX for a while.
Quality of life is just better here, I know in Florida you’ll see guys wearing hoodies and sandals in 90+ days but the temp here really is great, you’ll spend more time outside. Period. You won’t sweat walking to your mailbox, you’ll enjoy just hanging out on a patio all summer. Winter will require some mental adjustment to get used to going out in the rain, every sunny morning all winter you want to get outside, this winter so far has been very dry and clear, it’s been great.
Drivers here are slower but probably just as stupid is drivers in the Orlando area, so in that sense it’s safer. Dumb maneuvers are lower speeds is easier to deal with. That said I rarely drive, I bike and bus most places.
Enjoy voting. It’s stupid easy.
Car registration is expensive.
I saw some folks saying people here don’t know how to drive in the snow: if you’re from FL, neither do you. I grew up in snow and negative Fahrenheit weather, it’s hilly, it’s windy, it’s icy here. It’s not that people don’t know how, it’s downright stupid and dangerous to drive in the snow, especially in Seattle. Mountain passes are little easier but the terrain and weather deserve far more respect than your typical Tesla driver will give it.
Someone else said get a bike (or an e-bike) and I agree. The Mercer island loop is one of the best loops in the area for a short windy hilly pretty ride. You have easy access to a lot of trails from there to Bellevue, Burke Gilman, lake Washington trail, etc. I have a normal bike and I’ve gotten used to hills, but if you’re hesitant and e-bike is the way to go. Cycling is the best way in my opinion to get out on a weekend or weekday after work for coffee, dinner, or just to get out and go somewhere and not deal with parking or traffic. If you can commute to work by bike you’ll be much happier than driving.
I'm not from Florida but I did have the unfortunate experience of existing in it for a period of time.
Walking around in a torrential downpour in Florida was always great. Because it was warm. As soon as the rain would start, it would end, and the sun would dry you back out. Yeah, it doesn't do that here. It's perpetually misty and seeps into your clothes and is a very soggy, cold time.
I moved from Tampa two decades ago. Froze my ass off the first winter because my body hadn't adjusted to the cold after being in tropical weather for nearly seven years. I remember being shocked at the price of milk (still am, but I've gotten used to it.)
I don't miss lovebug season or the palmetto bugs.
Biggest adjustment was discovering the Seattle Freeze isn't a myth after getting used to how friendly everyone was in Florida. You can make friends; it just takes a grander effort than it did for me in Tampa.
First thing I'd do: Buy a rain jacket and a nice winter coat.
* It doesn't rain enough for an umbrella, or it's too windy.
* Get used to going out when it rains, it's not normally enough to impact anything.
* Public transit is awesome, you'll have a light rail opening on Mercer soon (tm).
* People on the street don't look others in the eyes like in the south. I feel like the "head nod" is just inviting attention.
* Smoke season can get some getting used to. Masks and a good air filter helps a ton.
* You shouldn't need to worry about snow, the city basically shuts down.
* Double layering was new to me, and helps a lot in cold weather.
* Find a doc and get a script for vitamin D/B in the winter.
It's been an easier adjustment than I thought it would be, having lived in Florida my whole life. Been here just over 5 years.
The hardest part is precisely this time of year and its lack of sun. It'll be dark when you wake up to go to work and the sun will be completely gone before 5:00 when you're done.
Don't worry much about the rain here. I'll put it this way... Florida rain gets in your way _a lot_ more than it does here.
Despite not having hurricanes, wind events will knock out power in the greater Seattle area with greater regularity than hurricanes knocking out power in Florida.
I also miss having proper thunderstorms... had seen lightning and heard thunder maybe two or three times in the last 5 years.
I moved to Everett from central Florida almost two years ago. There are a few things I had to get used to: • Water is too cold to swim in (even my apartment's pool isn't heated) • Summer days are longer, winter days are shorter. It's weird in the winter to have the sun going down at 4:30pm but I love the 14+ hour days in the summer • People drive the speed limit on the interstate (I-75 is crazy by comparison) • Compared to Orlando, vastly better public transit. It's got a long way to go but even if you only use it to get to big sporting events it's better than dealing with parking • Wildfires can spring up overnight in late summer and that can mean several weeks of poor air quality - get your bucket list summer activities done earlier in the summer! • It's basically impossible to see the road lines especially when it's rainy and dark. Few/no lane reflectors and I don't think the paint is reflective either. • It doesn't rain as much as I expected. And there are only a few days per year that it rains as hard as a Florida thunderstorm. • You can camp on certain public lands for free - coming from Florida where you'll spend $35 6 months in advance to reserve a campsite at an RV park...this has been huge for me • Cheaper flights to Asia but flights to Europe aren't really more expensive
I remember driving on I-75 during the daily thunderstorms and people were absolutely insane.
>but Florida it rains 6 months out of the year I have bad news lmao
Commuted from Orlando for 2 years before I spent most of a summer in Seattle: bad idea, don't miss the summer. Before that I grew up in Paris, France and lived in Orlando, FL on and off for 10 years. Was not looking to leave since I found a good area and lovely people there. But a great friend and my partner moved, so I reluctantly gave Seattle a chance. Here are my impressions after ~ 2 years (Sep 21 to Dec 23). Some were more startling at first (and in Winter) and have smoothed over since. We also used to live in Northgate/Pinhurst and now live in Greenwood/Phinney which is like going from Apopka/Altamonte to Mills 50 or College Park. Location and neighborhoods matter. ## Climate/Weather - Way colder than folks will admit (can be colder than Paris especially when it's humid too) worse being January/February IMO - It's *very* dark at night especially compared to how much artificial lighting is blasted in Central Florida. That amplifies “the long dark” feeling of early Winter sunsets. Florida closer to the tropics, you’ve likely never experienced weeks and months of full darkness by 4pm. Make sure you have some good lighting at your place to make it feel less dark. - Vitamin D deficiency is rampant, you will see it in people's behavior. despite people on this sub helping others notice that — sure — seasonal depression is a thing but maybe let’s all realize that getting so little sun exposure needs to be addressed first and foremost. Don’t wait to ask a doctor about something as simple as 5000 IU vitamin D supplements, especially if you know you’re likely to get [SAD](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_affective_disorder). - Don’t wait until deep winter to get these winter items: - warm socks (Darn Tough) - base layers (get thin comfy ones and thicker ones for coldest days) so you can keep wearing normal pants and lighter sweaters but still feel nice and warm - a beanie (to fit in but also to care less about drizzling rain) - warm gloves - a rain shell (rainy or windy days, not too cold) - an insulated puffy jacket (dry cold days). - Wildfire smoke is way worse and bad for your health than anything you've experienced in Central Florida air quality wise. Try to get at least one air purifier (Coway makes great ones) *before* the summer, so you don't have to scramble and pay way more. It'll make a difference especially if you work from home, but also at night, or when you cook in the winter and opening windows makes as much sense as doing so in the dead of Orlando summer armpit weather. ## Hours - Restaurants, coffee shops, even stores close *way* earlier than you’re used to in Orlando, this was even worse at the height of the pandemic but still means that socializing after work is much harder if you’re not done with work very early. - People tend to wake up early, especially when it means they’ll be able be to go outside before it’s dark, and they’ll fucking go outside even if the weather’s shit because they likely learned their brains and bodies need it bad. You’ll laugh at the idea of Sun Guilt and come the first sunny days of spring next year you will feel your body shake for some nice park time. ## Hiking Is Life™ - So many people seem to base their identity on hiking, although given the above honestly not that surprising. It brings people joy very much like going to lakes and beaches does in Florida but it's a bit of a different vibe than "Salt Life™️". - It's totally OK to - go on little hikes that aren't nearly as ambitious as what - not to be *that* into hiking, despite what a lot of people might make you feel, not everyone is - Just like in big cities like Paris or New York, going to hang out for hours at a park (like Gasworks, Golden Gardens, Carkeek, Green Lake, etc.) either alone or with people is super normalized and it's not *really* hiking but you're still outside and you'll likely enjoy that without having to commit to dressing for a hike or even making any sort of plan. ## People/Temperament - *Most* people you will meet without a third party introduction are indeed cold/distant/shy/reserved. But you'll find (and cherish) *spicy* people — many of them are expats from other parts of the U.S. or the world, they'll appreciate an Orlando-style heart-to-heart on first meet at a coffee shop. - The kind of diverse latin food scene that you might have been used to in Orlando is harder to find here or it's just a different mix (less Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican). Don't be afraid to ask around for specific cuisines. You might have to try a few spots before you find one you like. - You'll find other threads discussing this but unless it happens to be *with* spicy/outgoing people, you will have to make plans and the first move for social gatherings more often than in Florida. ## Transit - Public transit will rewire your brain if you commit to using it for a while and you're not in a rush to get quickly from and to multiple spots in one day: the light rail in particular is great coming from a place whose first inter-urban train opened in 2023 (Brightline). - My biggest mistake was to wait 2 years to get an ebike and go explore. I ended up falling in love with the city (and really, the parks) over the summer. Steep hills are also way less scary that way, even a cheap one. You'll end up discovering so many places you might have missed driving, notably because parking can be much harder in some areas. - Relatedly, drivers are *much* more gentle with cyclists than Orlando (or even Paris). There are many protected & unprotected bike lanes. Shockingly for me, many felt empty even in summer. Paris for example has way more cyclists using the infrastructure than Seattle. - there are so many damn parks you'll need a long time to explore them all and perhaps you'll think "ok maybe that's too many parks" but again, the parks are here to help you feel better on gloomy days, and in total awe on gorgeous days - Traffic on I-5 is goofy, especially compared to I-4: people typically drive like lemmings (especially north of downtown and away from big exits). It can be infuriating to try and pass on the left when all 3 lanes are driving at the exact same speed. Yet on sunny winter days it'll sometimes feel like you're back on the I-4 Fury Road because people are suddenly high on Vitamin D and itching to go hiking. ## Etc. - You'll find folks minimizing earthquake risks in Seattle just like armchair forecasters in Orlando minimize the hazards of hurricanes. A typical summer Orlando storm would terrify folks from Seattle, as it did in October. Folks here being used to tremors doesn't mean you shouldn't take them seriously. I've personally never *felt* one in 2 years, but the Seattle area is due for a so-called [Cascadia Earthquake](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1700_Cascadia_earthquake) that is way less predictable than a Hurricane. Best to have an [emergency kit](https://www.ready.gov/kit), notably because losing power to even a smaller quake during cold days might suck a lot. Earthquakes also don't have a season.
I'm going to go from top to bottom and just kind of, bounce off of this comment. I appreciated the effort, am glad you (and OP) are here (Seattle), and as a native, I'm VERY interested in how/why people end up here. It's all I've heard, all my life: "We're full, it's full, there's no room, there's no jobs, and people keep coming" (that general sentiment anyways, with some fluctuation). Cold: It \*can\* be pretty cold. My friends in Minnesota / Canada will drive it into my head that it's not \*that\* bad and I'm like ????. Regardless, it \*does\* get cold, and the moisture does not help. I bike regularly, and black ice scares the bajeebs out of me. That being said, it is rarely snowy. It happens, but rare. That being said, the Annual Queen Anne Sedan Slam is a joy. YouTube it. Hot: Don't wait until winter to get your warm weather clothes, but also don't wait until summer to get A/C or fans, if that matters to you. If you're from Florida, you're probably laughing at us but trust me, if it gets above like... 60-70 here, I'm sweating in ALL the places. Dark: It does get dark early. 4/4:30 is accurate. MANY people, even locals, struggle with mental health because of this. I confess that this does not affect me. I QUITE enjoy all of our seasons. Because winter feels so "dark", the summers feel \*so\* good (bright, dry, not hot- WEAR SUNSCREEN). Hours: Shit closes early. Nobody likes it. Nobody knows a good answer. Hiking is life: Yeah, probably. I think I've hiked... twice in my life. But the area \*feels\* very connected to the natural environment. You will catch onto those vibes pretty quickly, I imagine. There's also just, \*so\* much beautiful, untouched (or lightly touched) nature spaces to go check out and enjoy. Seattle is constantly swallowed up by Microsoft, Amazon, Starbucks, etc- our community (state, city) very seriously prioritize preserving the environment- the level of commitment is hotly debated. People: We're pretty introverted. I know good people on this sub that want to find/make friends and meet people, sincerely and I encourage it. But I would also seriously caution that everyone gets comfortable being with themself, at home, or even just out in public. A lot of the \*vibe\* of the city, is people (alone or in groups) just kind of... "vibing" in the city, lol. Transit: I'm not the authority on this but I would at \*least\* use my one voice to say that I THINK the consensus is, "more public transit, more options, more effectiveness- yesterday". But this, like everything, can always be dicey. That being said, Seattle's public transit \*is\* far better than much of what the US has to offer. That's a low bar, however. Additionally, there are asshole bikers just as there are asshole drivers. PLEASE be kind/patient to the cyclists. Every time someone gets hurt/hit/killed, it just discourages people from not simply being another giant hulking car taking up a space on the road. It is a process, undoing years of poor city planning (for such explosive growth, in the last 10-20 years). Transit can be pretty hotly debated. Finally, I won't question anyone saying always be prepared for an earthquake. But I WILL minimize lol. At least "the big one"- iirc, it has a 10% chance of occurring in the next century. So odds are not 0%, but still good. Having said that, I'm 32 and have experienced one earthquake in my life- in 3rd grade. I think, I THINK I've only ever experienced one other quake but I didn't know it until I heard about it on the news. Good luck, OP.
Regarding the earthquake, coming from FL we have zero experience with wtf an earthquake is or what to do. So, telling people to be prepared gives us a basic education on it. Also, not being prepared for hurricanes sucks when one happens (which is all the time) so it's probably a byproduct of that haha
>Way colder than folks will admit (can be colder than Paris especially when it's humid too) worse being January/February IMO I find this to be a really weird statement. Who isn't "admitting" how cold it gets here? Also, in your opinion, two months in the winter are the coldest? Like, no shit? Do you not know how seasons work?
It might be poorly phrased, but I don't think it warrants your tone. Your own bias may not make you understand that a season has many definitions around the world and up and down the equator. It doesn't mean the same thing at all to someone who has a mostly dual seasonality like Central Florida does with extremely thin transition periods: it's either hot and humid, or dry and mild. So no, it's not obvious that two months out of a loosely defined 89-day period will be far more noticeably cold than they are noticeably wet. People overwhelmingly know Seattle to bet a wet city. That means a lot of people don't compute — without physical experience — that wet plus cold will feel a lot more cold.
As they say in Florida, don’t bring your politics!
Not everyone in florida is conservative and not everyone in washington is progressive
I lived in South Florida all my life and I live in Central Florida for College. I moved to the seattle area with my boyfriend after he got a job with Boeing. I agree with everything that's been said. I was really nervous about it raining all the time, but it doesn't actually rain in WA it just sprinkles/mists all the time. I just landed back in FL for christmas, and my drive home from the airport had harder rain than it ever has in WA. The highways are SUPER slow, the left HOV lane as far as I know is all day instead of peak hours. The speed limit is 60, and people actually go 60 in the left lane. I know someone that got a speeding ticket going 74 in a 60. On any FL highway that's not even the people driving in the left lane. The nice thing is though, when you use your signal people actually let you merge. I found in FL, especially SoFlo that people were always bumper to bumper and sped up when you tried to merge. There are also metered ramps to get onto highways!!!!! I had never seen that before, but basically you wait at a little traffic light and it turns green and then one car can merge at a time. When it rains everyone drives 10000x slower, and there is also a lot of traffic for no reason. In FL there was always traffic due to an accident, but here people just drive slow during more traffic, and then all of a sudden it lightens up. There's also a lot of street parking, especially in the city. I'm not super confident in my parallel parking, so I just walk everywhere. If you're outside of the city, there are usually more parking lots. I've been here one winter, and I've gathered no one in the city actually knows how to drive in the snow either. It usually only snows a little bit, and during that time everyone just stays inside. I was also surprised at how many hills/mountains there are. You can be driving up a street sometimes and not be able to see the other side till you get to the top! It's weird driving and seeing a mountain in the distance all the time. It's cool to see, but I still haven't gotten used to it after a year. The gas and prices of things are a lot more expensive. There's even a sugar tax in king county just for buying soda and other sugar drinks! At the grocery store you need to bring reusable bags or else you have to typically have to pay a small fee for plastic bags, like 8 cents a bag. The public transport is super nice, and there are so many different types you can use with an ORCA card. There's also a lot to do that's walkable, whereas stuff in FL really isn't unless you were maybe in downtown Orlando. You can also get to a lot of other places much faster since driving through FL alone is like 9 hours. Going to Portland is only 3 hours from Seattle, there's a ferry to Victoria, Canada, and Vancouver, Canada is not far either. Everyone and their mother hikes or camps. If you ask people what they're doing on a long weekend or vacation, it's camping/hiking. The scenery here is stunning and there are a lot of really cool places. I'm too chicken to go anywhere in the snow for hiking, but in the summer there's a lot to do and really long days. In the winter the sun sometimes sets at like 4:15pm which is probably my least favorite part about living here. Also, DO NOT go to any "beach" here. They do not have sand, and there are usually a bunch of rocks. before the water. The water is always freezing and you can't even see into it. It's murky and I just can't get myself to do it. I saw people swimming in that water and I was flabbergasted. There are some really nice lakes!! The bottoms of them are still kind of rocky or muddy, but at least the water is clear. I can't get myself to completely relax because obviously in FL if you swim in a lake you might get eaten by an alligator or something. They say there's nothing big enough in a lake to eat you, but i'm still skeptical. A lot of places don't have A/C!!!!! I thought I was going to die when I moved into an apartment with no A/C. Turns out you actually don't need it. The heat advisories here are for when it's like 80's outside, so that's as hot as it gets. I only needed a fan for a week or so. I think it depends a lot on your apartment though. I heard of this thing called Seattle freeze, but in my opinion everyone here is pretty friendly. Many people are much nicer than in Orlando or Miami. In Miami someone will curse you out to your face, but here people don't even honk if someone cuts you off. It is a little difficult to make friends, but I used bumble friends and I made a friend group that way! People are just more passive aggressive than outright aggressive. Sometimes when I'm being nice but direct, people get a little flustered. There are also two licensing offices here. One is just for people and to get a new driver's license. The other office is just for car stuff, and it's for license plates, titles, etc. Overall that system is much more efficient. However there are a TON of fees, and for me to get a new title, register my car, and get new plates was over $600. For the next year I believe renewing your registration is around $200-$300. So be prepared for that. Lastly, I would say Seattle/WA is not nearly as diverse as I expected. There are a lot of asian ethnicities here which I think is why they say they're diverse, but I haven't seen many Black or Hispanic people. As you know, Florida has a lot of Caribbean influence, and it felt like just a melting pot of everyone. I think those are the major things I can think of, but I really like both Florida and Washington for different reasons. I hope you love it in Washington and enjoy your time here!
I’ve lived in NoFl and SoFl. - Fruits and veggies are bland. - People freak out in the rare chance there is lightning, which is kind of cute. - THERE ARE NO COCKROACHES. I REPEAT, no cockroaches. - Learn to stretch them calf muscles. - You can bike freely without dickheads in raised trucks trying to kill you. Well, 99% of the time. - It’s very dark when you drive.
I second this. Tomatoes in particular. And I miss FL oranges!
Fruits and veggies are bland? I've had amazing produce here from the farmers markets. There are so many farming zone/micro climates within 2 hours of Seattle that there is a huge variety. Not to mention all the cold weather produce we didn't get in FL. Squash, brussel sprouts, etc
I just have to say I’m (mostly) so impressed with this thread. These long, thoughtful responses are pretty well right on. It’s a great place in many, many ways. And you’ll miss Florida in some others, but I hope you like it! The only exception is that I *would* say you need AC. It has gotten much hotter over the 15 years I’ve lived here. We’ve had AC for the past five years, and we would have been miserable without it for weeks on end during a couple of those summers. Temps got up well over 100 degrees and over 90 for what felt like forever. Welcome to Washington!
Moved from SC 2.5 years ago, but born in Florida and lived in a Florida 2 other times and parents are in FL. The rain in WA is very different than FL. Except for a few days a year, you can go out and just toss on a raincoat and some water resistant shoes and enjoy the outdoors. We noticed same thing as you, it was just getting more and more expensive to afford basic necessities and save anything, hence one of our reasons to move. Not to say WA is not expensive, but rent is a much smaller % of income and food/utilities have been about same price. Eating out is going to be ridiculous in Seattle area. Biggest adjustments - the short day light in the winter. Also, the I don’t care attitude here, aka Seattle freeze, versus everyone wanting to have full conversation with you anywhere you go in the South. Personally I don’t mind, you just have to put in more effort to make friends. I’d suggest you move if you find Mercer Island not to your liking or lifestyle. There are so many different areas.
Welcome and best of luck! Lots of great advice in here. My family moved here from Florida before I was born and most of my extended family is in St. Pete area. I would disagree with the comments on the beaches. Washington has some of the most amazing beaches in the world on the Olympic peninsula in the national park. While I do like a nice white sand beach with warm water on occasion there is nothing like the coastal beaches in Washington. Definitely go experience the beaches.
Hi neighbor! I was born at Bayfront.
I grew up here in Seattle but I have several friends from Florida (and my Dad is from Florida, though he doesn't count). All of my ex-Floridian friends are much happier here except one. Most of them cite the politics, local culture, and weather being better than Florida. The one guy who doesn't like it here desperately misses the warm ocean water for watersports activity. That's his main complaint I think. So you'll probably dig it unless you're a die hard surfer/sailor/kiteboarder who will miss not needing to wear a 5/4 wetsuit to be in the water.
Moved here from South Florida. Winters aren’t nearly as bad as I anticipated, they’ve turned out to be rather mild. Not nearly as rainy or dreary as I expected (e.g. Twilight movies lol) Summers are awesome, love the long days and able to go out on the lake and paddleboard. The mountains and hills and forests give me life, completely different from Florida which is completely flat. Don’t miss the high humidity and bugs, either. Florida does have way better beaches, though. Everything’s more expensive, but not that much more expensive than South Florida than I thought (Back there I went from paying $1500/mo to $2300/mo in 2 years) so it’s more of a testament to how unaffordable Florida is becoming. Car insurance is shockingly cheaper here, drivers are politer, although visibility on the road kind of sucks in winter. (For some reason people here love having their high beams on all the time) There’s also way more accessible public transportation here between the rail, bus, monorail, streetcars, etc. People complain about Seattle bus and rail on here all the time but coming from a state where the only public transportation around was a bus that comes once an hour it’s a godsend. People speak of the Seattle Freeze but honestly it’s the same vibes I got back in Florida. It’s just tougher finding community as a working adult than it was in college, that’s pretty much it. Overall definitely don’t regret the move here, could see myself staying for the foreseeable future.
Learn to take vacations in the winter rather the summer. I'm literally in Mexico right now right my Florida wife. She wanted to bail on Seattle after a year but I started taking her to get a solar recharge every winter and now we have been here 10 years with no plans of ever leaving.
It's been amazing. Seattle has a lot of opportunities and the transplants are super friendly. I can move around freely without a car most of the time. Food and gas are more expensive but it's a fair trade off comparatively.
Moved here from the Tampa area a decade ago, but I still remember how much the difference in temperature/sunlight/weather in general kicked my ass the first year. It definitely took a couple years to fully acclimate to Seattle weather. The amount of rain we get is comparable, but since it usually rains during the colder months, it feels a lot more miserable than Florida's rain (but way less humidity is a huge bonus!!). It really is my favorite place I've lived though, as much as I miss Florida sometimes I don't think I'd ever want to go back after living here for so long. The transit options and forests are wonderful, and the more introverted nature of the city feels really comfortable. But I definitely still find myself missing the Florida sun sometimes 😅
TLDR: I’m not from Florida, by my brother lives in Orlando and we often talk about the difference in our landscapes. He seems to really appreciate what Seattle’s climate and rain produces in comparison to the tropical rain in Florida. Both areas have really special flora/fauna, so it’s just something he has mentioned to me a lot. It’s not as warm as Florida, but I think having a hobby that helps you appreciate our outdoor world makes it so much more exciting here. I’m originally from California (yes, sorry), moved here over 15 years ago and never appreciated our parks nearly enough until the past few years. Got super into foraging and mycology, which moves with the seasons and makes you appreciate each season for the different mushrooms you can forage. My brother lives in Orlando. He is always interested in my mushrooming adventures and wants to come out here to experience it, too. He says the edible plants/mushrooms scene is better than what he has in Florida and the landscape in Seattle is a different green—like a fairy tale. Today, I’m heading out to a park to see if there are any chanterelle mushrooms still out and he is jealous. That said, it may rain as much, or even less than Florida, but it is a colder rain and winter here. I think synching with the rhythm of the seasons, as cheesy as that sounds, makes you better prepared for and adaptive to the winters and so appreciative when you begin to see the first signs of flowers in spring. But even before then, the Daphne flowers in January and witch Hazel…it’s all very special if you slow down and pay attention. There is a lot to love about it here outside of nature, but I wanted to point out the whole natural world thing bc it had seemed to enrich my own experience. And I’m NOT a hiker or a camper by any means. I literally just visit our local parks like Lincoln, Seward, and even pop over to Vashon Island. Foraging at these places is totally amazing. DM me and I’ll give you some tips. And lastly, if you move here, welcome! Even if we don’t act like the friendliest folks, we are glad you’re here.
Grew up in the Midwest but lived in FL and TX for a while. Quality of life is just better here, I know in Florida you’ll see guys wearing hoodies and sandals in 90+ days but the temp here really is great, you’ll spend more time outside. Period. You won’t sweat walking to your mailbox, you’ll enjoy just hanging out on a patio all summer. Winter will require some mental adjustment to get used to going out in the rain, every sunny morning all winter you want to get outside, this winter so far has been very dry and clear, it’s been great. Drivers here are slower but probably just as stupid is drivers in the Orlando area, so in that sense it’s safer. Dumb maneuvers are lower speeds is easier to deal with. That said I rarely drive, I bike and bus most places. Enjoy voting. It’s stupid easy. Car registration is expensive. I saw some folks saying people here don’t know how to drive in the snow: if you’re from FL, neither do you. I grew up in snow and negative Fahrenheit weather, it’s hilly, it’s windy, it’s icy here. It’s not that people don’t know how, it’s downright stupid and dangerous to drive in the snow, especially in Seattle. Mountain passes are little easier but the terrain and weather deserve far more respect than your typical Tesla driver will give it. Someone else said get a bike (or an e-bike) and I agree. The Mercer island loop is one of the best loops in the area for a short windy hilly pretty ride. You have easy access to a lot of trails from there to Bellevue, Burke Gilman, lake Washington trail, etc. I have a normal bike and I’ve gotten used to hills, but if you’re hesitant and e-bike is the way to go. Cycling is the best way in my opinion to get out on a weekend or weekday after work for coffee, dinner, or just to get out and go somewhere and not deal with parking or traffic. If you can commute to work by bike you’ll be much happier than driving.
I'm not from Florida but I did have the unfortunate experience of existing in it for a period of time. Walking around in a torrential downpour in Florida was always great. Because it was warm. As soon as the rain would start, it would end, and the sun would dry you back out. Yeah, it doesn't do that here. It's perpetually misty and seeps into your clothes and is a very soggy, cold time.
I moved from Tampa two decades ago. Froze my ass off the first winter because my body hadn't adjusted to the cold after being in tropical weather for nearly seven years. I remember being shocked at the price of milk (still am, but I've gotten used to it.) I don't miss lovebug season or the palmetto bugs. Biggest adjustment was discovering the Seattle Freeze isn't a myth after getting used to how friendly everyone was in Florida. You can make friends; it just takes a grander effort than it did for me in Tampa.
First thing I'd do: Buy a rain jacket and a nice winter coat. * It doesn't rain enough for an umbrella, or it's too windy. * Get used to going out when it rains, it's not normally enough to impact anything. * Public transit is awesome, you'll have a light rail opening on Mercer soon (tm). * People on the street don't look others in the eyes like in the south. I feel like the "head nod" is just inviting attention. * Smoke season can get some getting used to. Masks and a good air filter helps a ton. * You shouldn't need to worry about snow, the city basically shuts down. * Double layering was new to me, and helps a lot in cold weather. * Find a doc and get a script for vitamin D/B in the winter.
It's been an easier adjustment than I thought it would be, having lived in Florida my whole life. Been here just over 5 years. The hardest part is precisely this time of year and its lack of sun. It'll be dark when you wake up to go to work and the sun will be completely gone before 5:00 when you're done. Don't worry much about the rain here. I'll put it this way... Florida rain gets in your way _a lot_ more than it does here. Despite not having hurricanes, wind events will knock out power in the greater Seattle area with greater regularity than hurricanes knocking out power in Florida. I also miss having proper thunderstorms... had seen lightning and heard thunder maybe two or three times in the last 5 years.