Best time to visit Portland
The best time to visit Portland is May–September, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Portland, Oregon, United States
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8.2 °C / 47 °F | 2.4 °C / 36 °F | 169 mm / 6.6 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 9.6 °C / 49 °F | 2.6 °C / 37 °F | 131 mm / 5.1 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 12.5 °C / 55 °F | 4.1 °C / 39 °F | 151 mm / 6 in | neither best nor good |
| April | 15.6 °C / 60 °F | 5.8 °C / 42 °F | 111 mm / 4.4 in | good month |
| May | 19.8 °C / 68 °F | 8.9 °C / 48 °F | 67 mm / 2.6 in | best month |
| June | 23 °C / 73 °F | 11.5 °C / 53 °F | 43 mm / 1.7 in | best month |
| July | 27.9 °C / 82 °F | 13.8 °C / 57 °F | 7 mm / 0.3 in | best month |
| August | 28 °C / 82 °F | 14.2 °C / 58 °F | 11 mm / 0.4 in | best month |
| September | 24.1 °C / 75 °F | 11.9 °C / 53 °F | 45 mm / 1.8 in | best month |
| October | 17.2 °C / 63 °F | 7.7 °C / 46 °F | 110 mm / 4.3 in | good month |
| November | 11 °C / 52 °F | 4.6 °C / 40 °F | 176 mm / 6.9 in | neither best nor good |
| December | 7.6 °C / 46 °F | 2.3 °C / 36 °F | 198 mm / 7.8 in | neither best nor good |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: good
- MMay: best
- JJune: best
- JJuly: best
- AAugust: best
- SSeptember: best
- OOctober: good
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- May–September
- Good
- April, October
Warm, dry, sunny summers from June through September make this the best season for exploring on foot, with April and October as good, milder shoulder months. November through March bring Portland's famously wet, grey, cold winter, a poor time for walking tours.
Why these months
April · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 71%, feels like (high) 13.7 °C / 57 °F, average daily high 15.6 °C / 60 °F, relative humidity 72%, average daily low 5.8 °C / 42 °F.
Against: wet days 14.8 days, precipitation 111 mm / 4.4 in, days with heavy rain 3.5 days.
Watch out for: Easter, Good Friday.
May · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 18.8 °C / 66 °F, average daily high 19.8 °C / 68 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 73%, days with heavy rain 2 days, average daily low 8.9 °C / 48 °F, relative humidity 69%.
Against: wet days 10.6 days, precipitation 67 mm / 2.6 in.
Watch out for: Memorial Day.
June · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 22.6 °C / 73 °F, average daily high 23 °C / 73 °F, precipitation 43 mm / 1.7 in, share of daylight that is sunny 77%, days with heavy rain 1.1 days, wet days 7.2 days, average daily low 11.5 °C / 53 °F, relative humidity 66%.
Also on: Pedalpalooza, Portland Rose Festival, Portland World Naked Bike Ride.
Watch out for: Juneteenth.
July · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 27.9 °C / 82 °F, precipitation 7 mm / 0.3 in, share of daylight that is sunny 89%, wet days 1.6 days, days with heavy rain 0.1 days, average daily high 27.9 °C / 82 °F, average daily low 13.8 °C / 57 °F, relative humidity 58%.
Also on: Pedalpalooza.
Watch out for: Independence Day.
August · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 27.8 °C / 82 °F, precipitation 11 mm / 0.4 in, share of daylight that is sunny 88%, wet days 2.2 days, days with heavy rain 0.3 days, average daily high 28 °C / 82 °F, average daily low 14.2 °C / 58 °F, relative humidity 59%.
Also on: Pedalpalooza.
September · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 23.3 °C / 74 °F, average daily high 24.1 °C / 75 °F, precipitation 45 mm / 1.8 in, share of daylight that is sunny 83%, wet days 6.5 days, days with heavy rain 1.3 days, average daily low 11.9 °C / 53 °F, relative humidity 65%.
Watch out for: Labor Day.
October · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 15.7 °C / 60 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 69%, average daily high 17.2 °C / 63 °F, average daily low 7.7 °C / 46 °F.
Against: wet days 12.4 days, precipitation 110 mm / 4.3 in, days with heavy rain 3.6 days, relative humidity 77%, sunshine per day 7.5 h.
Watch out for: Halloween.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Mt. Hood Skibowl, 74 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | 5.6 °C | 6.9 °C | 10.1 °C | 13.7 °C | 18.8 °C | 22.6 °C | 27.9 °C | 27.8 °C | 23.3 °C | 15.7 °C | 8.9 °C | 5 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 6.8 days | 4.3 days | 5.3 days | 3.5 days | 2 days | 1.1 days | 0.1 days | 0.3 days | 1.3 days | 3.6 days | 6.6 days | 7.1 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 4 pm | 3 pm | 5 pm | 5 pm | 5 pm | 2 pm | 12 pm | 6 am | 5 pm | 4 pm | 3 pm | 3 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 4.8 h | 6 h | 7.5 h | 9.6 h | 10.9 h | 12 h | 13.6 h | 12.3 h | 10.4 h | 7.5 h | 5.3 h | 4.2 h |
| Relative humidity | 83% | 80% | 77% | 72% | 69% | 66% | 58% | 59% | 65% | 77% | 83% | 85% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 7.5 µg/m³ | 8.7 µg/m³ | 8.2 µg/m³ | 7.3 µg/m³ | 6.9 µg/m³ | 6 µg/m³ | 4.7 µg/m³ | 7.4 µg/m³ | 8.9 µg/m³ | 9.7 µg/m³ | 10.3 µg/m³ | 7.8 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 12.8 µg/m³ | 14.8 µg/m³ | 14.3 µg/m³ | 12 µg/m³ | 10.6 µg/m³ | 8.9 µg/m³ | 7 µg/m³ | 11.5 µg/m³ | 13.4 µg/m³ | 15.4 µg/m³ | 18.1 µg/m³ | 14 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.
Events and seasons
What the weather records cannot show. A major event can lift a month to good or best. The warnings are there to help you plan, and never count against a month.
Reasons to go
- Portland World Naked Bike Ride
1–10 June
- Portland Rose Festival
June
- Pedalpalooza
1 June–31 August
Worth knowing before you go
- New Year's Day
1 January
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
January, dates vary from year to year
- Presidents' Day
February, dates vary from year to year
- Good Friday
March and April, dates vary from year to year
- Easter
March and April, dates vary from year to year
- Memorial Day
May, dates vary from year to year
- Juneteenth
19 June
- Independence Day
4 July
- Labor Day
September, dates vary from year to year
- Halloween
31 October
- Veterans Day
11 November
- Thanksgiving Day travel rush and closures
November, dates vary from year to year
- Holiday season travel crowding
November and December, dates vary from year to year
- Christmas
24–25 December