Washington, and the entire Pacific Northwest in general, can experience harsh winters with the best (worst?) of any other region in the U.S. The folks at ThrillList.com decided to rank all 50 states from best (Hawaii at No. 50) to worst (Minnesota is No. 1).

Factors considered in the methodology include objective (average temperature) and subjective (success of winter sports teams) in their debate.

18. Washington
“It’s raining, it’s pouring, former Sounders striker Roger Levesque is snoring” is an actual hit song in Seattle, written during the winter, and fairly encapsulating everything you can expect from the climate up there, especially when Levesque sleeps on his back."

17. Oregon
"On the one hand, there’s no denying the beauty of magnificent Crater Lake when observed via snowshoes. Or the thrills of snowboarding down Mt. Hood or Bachelor. Or staring at the snowy peaks of the Three Sisters mountains from the comfort of a rustic cabin in the high desert aglow from a mighty hearth. Or taking a chance on either getting sideways rain or 70-degree sunshine on the coast. On the other hand, that’s all counterbalanced by Portland hipsters who bitch about the rain for five months, yet refuse to buy an umbrella. Which is to say, Oregon winters are breathtaking. Portland winters, on the other hand, are the kind that inspire Elliott Smith songs."

8. Idaho
"If you happen to live up at the top of Idaho’s chimney, up Route 2 by Bonners Ferry or beyond even, wow. You basically live in Canada, and as such, are in no way protected by those lovely chinook winds we keep talking about, but might have an in on getting cheaper prescription drugs, so it balances out. But because most of Idaho is not in fact in that chimney, and is somewhat comparatively temperate to other western climes, you get rich West Coast people coming out in expensive fur-lined ski wear to use your facilities in Sun Valley. And if I’ve learned anything from watching a combination of those Kardashian shows and HGTV, rich West Coast people do NOT travel to places with brutal winters."

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