Despite being world-known as the " rainy city" Seattle receives substantially less rain yearly than most east coast US cities. The reputation comes from the fact that it is cloudy of Seattle for more than 60% of the year, it only looks like rain. Overcast skies are common in the winter, spring, and late fall. Winters are wet and cool, but not cold typically, while the summer months are sunny and dry. September in particular is a great time to visit Seattle.
Due to Seattle's unique position between the Puget Sound and Lake Washington, any climate activity in Seattle is generally mild. The El Niño weather pattern causes much drier summer and winters, and can result in substandard skiing and water rationing. Most Seattle residents are accustomed to any inclement weather, typically going without a bumbershoot (umbrella) celebrated by the synonymous music and arts festival.
Weather information for the Seattle area is provided below. Average temperatures, climate details and current forecasts are included.
Climate
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Avg. High | 45 | 48 | 52 | 57 | 64 | 68 | 75 | 75 | 68 | 58 | 50 | 45 |
| Avg. Low | 35 | 37 | 38 | 41 | 46 | 51 | 55 | 55 | 51 | 45 | 40 | 35 |
| Avg. Precip. | 5.4 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 3.3 | 5.8 | 5.9 |
Today
Sunny
Tonight
Mostly Clear
Saturday
Light Rain
Saturday Night
Light Rain then Chance Rain Showers
Sunday
Rain Showers Likely
Sunday Night
Slight Chance Rain Showers then Partly Cloudy
Detailed Forecast |
|
|---|---|
| Today | Sunny, with a high near 68. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph. |
| Tonight | Mostly clear, with a low around 46. Northeast wind 5 to 9 mph. |
| Saturday | Rain after 11am. Partly sunny. High near 66, with temperatures falling to around 55 in the afternoon. East southeast wind 2 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible. |
| Saturday Night | Rain before 11pm, then a chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. South southwest wind 10 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible. |
| Sunday | Rain showers likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 56. Southwest wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible. |
| Sunday Night | A slight chance of rain showers before 11pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 41. Chance of precipitation is 20%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible. |
| Monday | Mostly sunny, with a high near 59. |
| Monday Night | Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. |
| Tuesday | A chance of rain showers after 5pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 63. |
| Tuesday Night | A chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. |
| Wednesday | A chance of rain showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 59. |
| Wednesday Night | A chance of rain showers before 5am, then a chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. |
| Thursday | A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 57. |
| Thursday Night | A chance of rain before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47. |
