International Student Affairs
Weather in Vancouver, WA, USA
Southwest Washington has a very mild climate. Summer daytime temperatures range from 24 to 32 degrees centigrade. Nights cool down. October through May are characterized by almost daily light rain with occasional clearings. (It rarely freezes or snows during the winter months even though the mountains 50 miles away accumulate a lot of snow, making skiing and snowboarding a major winter attraction).
The Urban Region around WSU Vancouver, USA
WSU Vancouver is located at the northern boundary of the Portland/Vancouver metro area. Vancouver, WA, USA is separated from Portland, OR, USA by the Columbia River. Together these cities and their adjacent communities are home to approximately 1,000,000 people. The city of Vancouver has more of a suburban feel whereas the city of Portland has the feel of a large city. Vancouver is home to the Farmer's market, the Ridgefield Wildlife Reserve, and riverfront sidewalks along the Columbia River.
From Vancouver, one can be in downtown Portland in 15 — 20 minutes by car. The area is home to professional sports teams, major entertainment, corporate headquarters, several colleges and universities, numerous museums, parks, etc. Portland is also known for its urban forest parks with thousands of acres of forest and miles of walking and hiking trails within the city limits. An excellent public transportation system link the region through bus and light rail.
Distances by car to Northwest Destinations from Vancouver:
To Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada) — 6 hours
To Seattle — 3 hours
To the Pacific Ocean — 2 hours
To Olympia (Washington State Capitol) — 1.5 hours
To Mt Hood (skiing) 1.2 hours
To the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Area — .75 hours