that's good info : i'll take a look at Eureka, but think further north would be even better, like Oregon coast. I'm from Chicago outer suburbia originally so miss actual greenery and rain without the mega-dramatic desert windstorm bullshit...and at altitude at the foothills north of the phoenix metro area it's been way over 100 for a very long time, though less insane than som eof the 8 years we've been here (for work and outdoorsiness).

Eureka is a weird place. It's got a foggy microclimate that you can actually see as you drive into it. Even for the Northern California / Oregon coast it's especially cool and rainy.

As a Portlander I treasure our 3-4 months of sunny weather. I wouldn't be able to handle the year-round gloom.

good info...dad lived in hillsboro so i understand the monotony boredom of overcast skies. interestingly, i personally find phoenix area worse since rain is way more rare than sun up there, and it's mega dramatic insane when it happens, from winds.