Portlandia? The place young people go to retire? (maybe you will have to look up the TV show reference)

Having gone to high school in Seattle I can only give you a suggestion to how I dealt with the rain and how much easier it can be for you.

I had to look in a phone book for U-Haul and use a dial phone to rent a trailer to move to someplace where in only rains once in a while in the winter. You can simply use a cell phone. That way if you aren't retired you can still commute in conditions you wouldn't be ashamed of leaving your dog out to enjoy.