500 Feet

If you pay attention to the news at all, you likely are aware that there has been a major winter storm crossing the United States for the last couple of days. So, yes, LO got snow. At my house I think I got 3-4 inches. A beautiful dusting but not so much that it lead to power outages or tree fall. Really beautiful.

Some parts of the metro area got much more. In Portland they got 11 inches. My good friend in Hillsboro got 10 inches.

When I am showing houses and people ask me about snow, I always tell them the importance of 500 feet. We don’t get a lot of snow. We get a dusting that doesn’t stick a few times each winter, but snow lasting on the ground does not happen every year. And when it does, it melts after a few days. The difference is when you live higher than 500 feet in elevation. Above 500 feet you will get a lot more snow. the stuff that dusts the valley floor and doesn’t stick will stick above 500 feet. Something to bear in mind when house hunting.

You should also know that even 3-4 inches will shut down the entire metro area. Other parts of the country live with much heavier snowfall with no consequences. Here in the Portland area we have many hills and sloped, even steep, roads. Those are treacherous when it snows. And the snowfall is infrequent enough that people are ill equipped with vehicles and tires that can’t maneuver in the snow.

I drive a Subaru. I will show houses even in heavy snow. It’s very empowering!

Most folks in the Portland area look forward to snow day. It’s a little holiday in our hectic lives. We know that we can have a cup of tea and enjoy the winter wonderland.

Dianne