The best time to visit Seattle is from June to September, during the summer months. Whether we’re exploring national parks, hiking in the mountains, or lazing on the beach, summer in Seattle is all about the outdoors. Festivals are held every weekend, and we love how the city comes alive with sun-kissed energy.
Not into Seattle’s summer crowds? The cooler seasons of spring and fall are also among our favorite times of the year to travel here. We’ve also discovered that these months are great on the pocketbook, as many hotels drop their prices. While it’s not our ideal season—and if you don’t mind bundling up and carrying an umbrella—winter is a wonderful time to explore the city’s incredible museums and art galleries.
Can’t decide when to visit the Emerald City? Plan the ultimate trip to Washington State’s biggest city with our detailed Seattle weather guide, including season-by-season and month-by-month breakdowns and recommendations from our own travel experiences…
Weather in Seattle
By season
Spring
Spring arrives in Seattle in March, and the weather starts to warm up significantly after the frosty winter. The sun begins to make an appearance from behind the clouds as the incessant rainfall of winter—that, let’s be honest, none of us enjoy—starts easing off.
At the same time, Seattle’s cherry blossoms begin to bloom from mid-March, usually hitting their peak in late March or early April. (Although we’ve yet to catch the elusive cherry blossom season here, we’ve heard from locals and other travelers that it’s quite the scene!)
While we still feel average temperatures in Seattle are fairly cool in March at just 53°F (12°C), by May, they’ve warmed up significantly. After the winter month, we love to see the days get sunny and bright with blue skies, as daytime temperatures start to hang around 65°F (18°C).
If you ask us, spring is the perfect time to enjoy sightseeing and go hiking in nearby national parks! We must warn you, though: Nights are still quite cool with the odd drizzle. But that’s nothing that a warm jacket and an umbrella can’t cure!
Summer
Ahh… summer in Seattle! With great weather, outdoor activities galore, and festivals almost every weekend, summer is definitely our favorite time of the year to visit Seattle. We love to see the city come alive in June through September as temperatures warm up, days get longer, and skies are cloudless and blue.
With the longest days falling in June, you’re looking at 12 hours of sunshine! Of course, this is a great time for outdoor fun. We dig the chance to hike, bike, and explore Seattle to your heart’s content. June is also not as busy as in July, so you’ll still get a table at the restaurants and find a spot on the beach. (Like at Alki Beach, one of our favorite seaside spots in the Pacific Northwest!)
The crowds arrive in July and August, and the city heaves with tourists. Daytime temperatures push up to a balmy 77°F (25°C), and the beaches and mountain trails get busy. There are festivals and parades every week, and restaurants are fully booked.
If you’re planning to travel during the high season in summer, we’d recommend booking your accommodation well in advance. Expect to pay premium prices. We’d also suggest reserving a table at busy restaurants, too, to avoid disappointment.
By September, the crowds have left, and the weather is beginning to cool down. Even though summer is great, we also like to travel to Seattle at this time of year. It’s less frenetic with fewer tourists, and we still find weather is quite pleasant, with average temperatures around 72°F (22°C).
Fall
September through October marks fall in Seattle. Even with the cooler temperatures, we think autumn is another lovely time of the year to explore the Emerald City.
As with any shoulder season, we’ll find fewer tourists at the main attractions. We don’t need to worry about reservations as much either; restaurants tend to have available tables and hotels begin offering discounted rooms.
The weather in Seattle remains mild during September and begins cooling off in October.
If you want to see the most spectacular fall foliage show, we’d recommend heading to Seattle in October. Mount Rainier and the trees in the parks and national reserves burst into golden hues—and it’s quite the sight to behold! (It’s one of the most beautiful cities we’ve seen on the West Coast in fall.)
Winter
Bundle up and stay warm: Winter in Seattle is cold and wet. Very wet. The skies are grey, and there’s a constant drizzle. (Needless to say, it’s not exactly our favorite season to visit!)
Temperatures drop into the scarves-and-beanies territory at 47°F (8°C). During winter, we’ll see the year’s highest levels of precipitation, but we’ve noticed that it’s more relentless drizzle than downpours.
While the wetter weather drives tourism down, we can still find plenty of fun things to do in Seattle. We’d recommend using this “bad weather break” as an opportunity to explore the many amazing Seattle museums & galleries, hit up the restaurants, and dive into the live music scene. The rain certainly doesn’t stop grunge: We’ll still find plenty of concerts and gigs happening around town during winter.
Like other cities in the Pacific Northwest—yes, Vancouver, we’re lookin’ at you!—December is the time to head for the hills as the ski season opens. While it’s not BC, we’ve still found some great resorts for skiing and snowboarding in the Seattle area.
(And, of course, cozy mountain escapes are a fun way to beat the grim weather!)
By month
January
In January, we still find Seattle’s rainy season in full swing. Precipitation is high, the air is damp and cold, and rain threatens every moment. Temperatures are cold but often not quite cold enough for snow.
Days see average temps of 43°F (6°C), while nights are a chilly 38°F (3°C). The sun barely appears during January, with just 2.5 hours of sunshine a day.
If it were our choice, we’d steer you away from a January visit—unless it’s the only time you have available.
Festivals & events in January
- The Seattle Boat Show
- The Seattle Chamber Society Winter Music Festival
February
Grey, windy and cold, February is not a favorite month among locals. (Or our choice for travelers.) But, still, the rain does begin to let up, and the air becomes drier—so it’s not all bad news!
We’ll see temperatures slowly start rising in February, with the mercury hanging around 50°F (10°C) during the day. The sun holds out for a bit longer during the day with four hours of sunshine, and days last for about 10 hours. (Okay, we’re gettin’ somewhere!)
Festivals & events in February
- Exhibitions at the Washington State Convention Center
- The Wintergrass Music Festival
March
Winter finally breaks in March, and we’ll get to experience more sunshine and warmer temperatures during this month. We’ll still find the odd breezy drizzle, but the sun is out for six hours now, and the skies become bluer. (Woohoo!)
Temperatures in March range from 47°F (8°C) to 54°F (12°C). Okay, yes, it’s still cold. But we’d be remiss to not say it’s a wonderful time to get out and enjoy the neighborhoods and nearby national parks.
Mid-March also marks the start of cherry blossom season in Seattle—and we’ve heard it’s spectacular. Let’s follow the locals’ lead and head into the University District to check out the blooms at their peak near the end of March on the University of Washington (UW) campus.
Festivals & events in March
- The Moisture Festival Comic Festival
- The Seattle Irish Fest (St. Patrick’s Day)
April
Days are longer and sunnier in April, but a persistent cool breeze keeps those jackets firmly on. The rain begins to ease off during April as temperatures notch up a few degrees. (And after that long, wet winter, we’re all for it!)
In April, we can enjoy lovely clear, blue-skied days in April at around 59°F (15°C); ideal hiking weather, if you ask us! With fewer tourists around, we often spot good hotel rates this month.
Days are getting longer in April as Seattle heads toward summer, with over seven hours of sunshine a day. (Now, we’re talkin’!)
Festivals & events in April
- The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in Seattle
- The Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival
May
In our opinion, May is one of the best months of the year to visit Seattle. Days are sunny and pleasant, with temperatures floating between 58°F (14°C) and 66°F (19°C). In May, we start to see more blue sky than clouds and only the slight possibility of a shower in the evenings.
Towards the end of the month, the mercury can reach the mid-20s. In our books, May is a perfect time for hiking, hitting the beach, and sightseeing!
In May, we also see activities in & around Seattle ramp up. But we should warn you: It can still be quite chilly when the sun goes down; be sure to take a warm jacket when heading out after sunset.
Festivals & events in May
- The Opening Day of Boating Season
- The Seattle International Film Festival
- Northwest Folklife Festival
June
Ah, finally! As May swings into June, the weather just keeps getting better. This month is one of our favorite times of the year for outdoor activities. As the solstice approaches, the days are at their longest. (We especially love that the sun doesn’t set until 10 pm!)
We love spending our days on the beach, picnics at sunset, hiking in the cool forests around the city—yes, June is the time to hit the great outdoors. Temperatures range from 62°F (17°C) to 71°F (22°C), getting warmer towards the end of the month.
(Yep, this month gets a big thumbs-up from us!)
Festivals & events in June
- The Fremont Solstice Fair
- The Seattle PrideFest and the Seattle Pride Parade
July
July is hot and happenin’ in Seattle. We’ve got fine weather, cloudless blue skies, and an energy that only summer brings. It’s also high season, so expect plenty of tourists everywhere.
Restaurants are packed, and we’d advise you to book ahead to get a table. We’d also recommend visiting popular museums and galleries early in the morning to avoid long queues. (Unfortunately, we know from our summer visits that this is all too common!)
Experience average temperatures of between 67°F (20°C) and 77°F (25°C) during the day. On the warmest days of the month, the mercury can top 91°F (33°C).
During heat waves—which, from our PNW travel experiences, are not pleasant—we’d suggest parking your butt on the beach or going higher up into the cool mountains around the city.
Festivals & events in July
- The Seattle International Beerfest
- The Bite of Seattle Food Festival
- The Capitol Hill Block Party
- The Chinatown DragonFest
- The Seattle Chamber Music Society Summer Festival
August
The warm weather continues into August, Seattle’s warmest month. August is a fantastic time to enjoy water activities on Puget Sound, like kayaking and sailing.
We love how the breezes off the water offer a cool respite from the heat of the city. And evenings are perfect for alfresco dining in our favorite neighborhoods, like Capitol Hill.
Temperatures are similar to those in July, ranging from the high sixties to the high seventies. (Pretty ideal if you ask us!)
Festivals & events in August
- The Hempfest
- The Seattle Seafair Weekend
September
Temperatures begin to wane in September as summer makes way for autumn. But still we find the days warm enough to enjoy fun outdoor activities around Seattle. The crazy summer crowds have left, and Seattle has fewer tourists at the main attractions and out on the town. (Which we, undoubtedly, prefer.)
Restaurants have tables available, and you can usually get tickets to concerts without dealing with dodgy scalpers. We love enjoying the clear days with blue skies at around 72°F (22°C) and over seven hours of sunshine a day.
Let’s provide a small caveat, though. Nights are beginning to get cooler in September, and temperatures can drop to around 46°F (7°C), so it’s time for a warmer jacket again.
Festivals & events in September
- The PAX Prime Gaming Show
- The Bumbershoot
October
Seattle’s local and national parks burst into color during October. The fall foliage on Mount Rainier and Washington Park is spectacular. (And it’s one of the reasons that October still gets our vote as a good time of year to visit the city.)
Still, we can’t escape the fact that it’s getting chillier during the day. Temperatures in October hang around 54°F (15°C), while the air dampens, leading to soft drizzles throughout the day.
We’ll only see about 4.5 hours of sunshine now. Nights are cold at around 37°F (2°C); we’d recommend bundling up when going out.
Festivals & events in October
- The Hempfest
- The Seattle Seafair Weekend
November
Winter has set in, with November marking the beginning of Seattle’s rainy season. Days are dark with heavy rain and high winds. Temperatures during the day rarely rise above 52°F (12°C).
(Spoiler alert: We’re not gonna give this month our seal of approval.)
November may not be a great time for outdoor pursuits, but we can still find plenty of fantastic museums and galleries to keep you busy. November also sees Christmas festivities begin, and there are a few markets worth visiting to find that special gift.
Festivals & events in November
- The Sheraton Seattle’s Gingerbread Village
- The Magnuson Park Fair
December
So, we may not like the weather this month. But, hey, let’s not waste December. It’s time to get out of the city and head for the hills!
December in Seattle is cold, grey, and rainy, but all the ski resorts open during this month. We can’t help but recommend escaping the city to enjoy some skiing and snowboarding.
Just bear in mind the sun sets around 5 pm now; we’d advise hitting the slopes early to get a full day of action.
Temperatures during the day range between 37°F (3°C) and 47°F (8°C); at night, we can see the mercury dipping below zero to 25°F (-4°C).
In December, days are short, with the winter solstice falling on the 21st. You’ll only see about 1.5 hours of sunshine a day on average (ugh!), so we’re not at all against keeping things indoors next to a roaring fireplace with a mug of eggnog.
Festivals & events in December
- The Winterfest of December
- The Great Figgy Pudding Caroling Competition – Westlake Center
