Seattle Rainy Season: Climate, Weather, Temperature And Average Rainfall
Seattle is known for its rainy season, but there’s more to it than just that. Get the information about Seattle Rainy Season, climate, weather, temperature, and average rainfall so you can make the most of your trip to Seattle, Washington. Let’s explore!
Seattle Washington Climate Overview
Seattle is the largest city in Washington State. It has a warm, temperate oceanic climate (Köppen climatic classification Cfb) with cool, wet winters and mild, mostly dry summers.
Nestled between the majestic Olympic and Cascade Mountains, the Seattle area in the lowlands of Puget Sound is widely known for being one of the cloudiest regions in the United States. The climate of this Pacific Northwest metropolis is further shaped by the arid winds from the Cascade Mountains and Fraser Valley.
Summertime temperatures range from 68°F (20°C) to 73.4°F (23°C), are pleasant and moderately dry, and have a tolerable average humidity of 66.1%. The summer season is made more enjoyable by the gorgeous blue skies, little rain, and lengthy daylight hours of up to sixteen hours.
Seattle experiences chilly, rainy winters. The rain gauge gathers about 5.8 inches (147mm) of rain on the average of 18 days per month when it rains. Snowfall of up to 1.7 inches (43mm) is not unusual mainly in December and February. The season’s average humidity is 79%, and there are typically two hours of sunshine per day.
Spring and fall have mildly cold weather and only a little bit of rain. The sky stays mostly cloudy, but most days are warm and sunny, and pleasant.
When Is The Rainy Season In Seattle?
The rainy season in Seattle lasts from October to March, with November typically being the wettest month. However, precipitation is distributed fairly evenly throughout the winter and early spring months, with an average of 18.4 rainy days and more than 75% of the annual precipitation occurring during the winter wet season.
Seattle’s proximity to the Pacific Ocean’s coast is to blame for this type of weather. The largest ocean in the world transports a substantial amount of moisture over the Olympic Mountain range to the state of Washington. When it reaches the mountains, the cool air transforms the vaporized moisture from the Pacific into raindrops.
In fact, the Olympic Mountains are covered by a rain shadow as a result of this process, acting as a sort of wall between the city and the sea. This implies that Seattle would experience year-round rainfall that is significantly heavier if the mountains weren’t there.
Seattle Rain By Month
The monthly rainfall in Seattle varies greatly throughout the year. The table below clearly shows the change in average temperature as well as average rainfall over the months of the year in Seattle.
| Month | Avg High Temp (°F) | Avg Rainfall (inches) |
| January | 48°F | 6.0″ |
| February | 51°F | 5.2″ |
| March | 55°F | 4.5″ |
| April | 60°F | 3.1″ |
| May | 66°F | 2.2″ |
| June | 72°F | 1.6″ |
| July | 77°F | 0.7″ |
| August | 77°F | 0.9″ |
| September | 71°F | 1.8″ |
| October | 61°F | 4.4″ |
| November | 52°F | 7.5″ |
| December | 47°F | 6.6″ |
From the table above, we can see that Seattle experiences rain all year. November has an average rainfall of 7.5 inches, making it the wettest month in Seattle. July has an average rainfall of 0.7 inches, making it the month with the least amount of precipitation in Seattle.
Best Time To Visit Seattle In 2023
Come to Seattle from late June to September if you’re looking to experience warm weather.
Between July and September, you can count on bright, sunny days with magnificent vistas of Mount Rainier in the south. Hike, explore the parks, or bask in the sun at the beaches – all while enjoying comfortable temperatures of 77°F (25°C). Revel in the gloriousness of this fantastic season!
Coming in May through June and September to October, which are the shoulder seasons, is also a good choice even though it won’t be as warm as the hotter summer months. Good weather will prevail with a few more clouds in the sky and a few degrees cooler temperatures around 66-71°F (19-21°C). With fewer crowds to maneuver through, a wide variety of events to attend, and lengthy, light-filled days.
Activities To Enjoy During Seattle Rainy Season
Taking A Rain Walk
Some individuals take pleasure in strolling through Seattle’s streets while it is raining. While exploring the city in the rain during the summer may seem like a great idea, you’ll need to be properly dressed if you’re doing it in the winter. You can forget about carrying an umbrella since Seattle experiences strong winds. Rather, bringing a rain jacket with a hood is a much better option.
Take An Underground Tour
The Seattle Underground, a network of subterranean passageways beneath Pioneer Square in the city’s historic center, is arguably the most unusual attraction in this city. You can get a first-hand look at how the city appeared before the Great Fire of 1889 by taking an underground tour.
The underground tour isn’t free, so you should know that. A ticket for an adult costs $22, but students, children, and seniors get discounts.
Visiting Seattle Museums And Galleries
In this region of the country, Seattle is home to some of the most significant museums and galleries. You should definitely pay a visit to places like the Seattle Art Museum, Frye Art Museum, Seattle Asian Art Museum, and Henry Art Gallery.
You can find more than a hundred different museums and art galleries scattered throughout Seattle. The best part is that a sizable portion of them are located in the vicinity of Pioneer Square, which you might recall as the square that is perched atop the Seattle underground storefronts. Thus, if it starts to rain while you are taking a stroll around the square, you can find cover underneath.
Rainfall In Seattle Compared To Other US Cities
Seattle has a bad reputation for its weather, but the truth is that there are many American cities where it rains more frequently. You might be surprised to learn that Seattle receives more annual rainfall than even Miami, the largest city in the Sunshine State.
The same is true for numerous other East Coast cities as well as those in the Midwest, like Chicago, for instance. Seattle is outdone by some Texas cities in terms of rainfall. One of them is Dallas, which receives 37.57 inches more rain annually than Seattle does, at 37.49 inches.
Hawaii is often referred to as a paradise on Earth because of its white sand beaches, clear waters, and perpetual sunshine. However, the truth is that some areas of the archipelago receive a sizable amount of precipitation each year.
Big Bog, a location on the island of Maui, experiences an annual average rainfall of 404 inches. You can see that rain isn’t such a big issue in Washington’s largest city when you contrast it with Seattle, which receives 37.49 inches of rain annually.
Alabama’s Mobile, a city, is the wettest place in all of the United States. It typically receives 67 inches of rain annually, which is nearly twice as much as Seattle.
However, Mobile is not the wettest location on earth. Mawsynram, an area in India that receives more than 467 inches of precipitation annually, is the location that currently holds the Guinness World Record for being the wettest place on Earth.
All things considered, it doesn’t seem very appropriate to refer to Seattle as the Rain City. The Emerald City, its official moniker, seems much more appropriate.
Is it Actually that Rainy in Seattle? You may be curious about this topic. Watch the video below to learn interesting things about the rainy season in Seattle!
In short, Seattle’s wet season is a fantastic time to discover the city’s distinct character and enjoy all the outdoor activities it has to offer. This could be the ideal time to plan your next adventure because of the city’s temperate climate and infrequently below-freezing temperatures. So don’t let the rain stop you from exploring all that Seattle has to offer. Explore the Emerald City and make enduring memories!
Thank you for reading our article! And don’t forget to follow us at our website, Seattleducation for more Seattle Washington weather posts and other interesting topics.
