Best time to visit Seattle
The best time to visit Seattle is May–September, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Seattle, Washington, 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 | 7.8 °C / 46 °F | 3.5 °C / 38 °F | 180 mm / 7.1 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 8.5 °C / 47 °F | 3.5 °C / 38 °F | 128 mm / 5 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 11.1 °C / 52 °F | 4.8 °C / 41 °F | 145 mm / 5.7 in | neither best nor good |
| April | 13.7 °C / 57 °F | 6.5 °C / 44 °F | 104 mm / 4.1 in | good month |
| May | 17.6 °C / 64 °F | 9.7 °C / 49 °F | 74 mm / 2.9 in | best month |
| June | 20.4 °C / 69 °F | 12.4 °C / 54 °F | 56 mm / 2.2 in | best month |
| July | 24.1 °C / 75 °F | 14.6 °C / 58 °F | 17 mm / 0.7 in | best month |
| August | 24 °C / 75 °F | 14.7 °C / 58 °F | 27 mm / 1.1 in | best month |
| September | 20.6 °C / 69 °F | 12.4 °C / 54 °F | 70 mm / 2.7 in | best month |
| October | 15 °C / 59 °F | 8.6 °C / 47 °F | 137 mm / 5.4 in | good month |
| November | 10.3 °C / 51 °F | 5.5 °C / 42 °F | 197 mm / 7.7 in | neither best nor good |
| December | 7.2 °C / 45 °F | 3.4 °C / 38 °F | 188 mm / 7.4 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
Seattle is best for exploring outdoors from May through September, when rain is light to moderate, sun is abundant and temperatures are mild to warm; April and October are good shoulder months with more rain; the long, cold, dark, rain-soaked stretch from November to March makes walking outdoors poor.
Why these months
April · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 71%, average daily high 13.7 °C / 57 °F, average daily low 6.5 °C / 44 °F, relative humidity 74%.
Against: wet days 14.9 days, precipitation 104 mm / 4.1 in, days with heavy rain 3 days, feels like (high) 11.5 °C / 53 °F.
Also on: Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival, UW Quad cherry blossom trees.
May · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 16.5 °C / 62 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 72%, average daily high 17.6 °C / 64 °F, days with heavy rain 2.2 days, average daily low 9.7 °C / 49 °F, relative humidity 73%.
Against: wet days 11.6 days, precipitation 74 mm / 2.9 in, share of rain falling in the daytime 47%.
Also on: Farmers markets season, Neighborhood street fairs, Northwest Folklife Festival.
Watch out for: Memorial Day price threshold.
June · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 20 °C / 68 °F, average daily high 20.4 °C / 69 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 74%, days with heavy rain 1.8 days, average daily low 12.4 °C / 54 °F, relative humidity 72%.
Against: wet days 8.9 days, precipitation 56 mm / 2.2 in.
Also on: Farmers markets season, Neighborhood street fairs, Pride month celebrations, PrideFest and Pride Parade, Rainier cherry season.
Watch out for: Juneteenth closures.
July · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 24.5 °C / 76 °F, average daily high 24.1 °C / 75 °F, precipitation 17 mm / 0.7 in, share of daylight that is sunny 84%, wet days 4.2 days, days with heavy rain 0.2 days, average daily low 14.6 °C / 58 °F, relative humidity 69%.
Also on: Capitol Hill Block Party, Farmers markets season, July 4 celebrations at Seafair, Neighborhood street fairs, Rainier cherry season, Seafair Torchlight Parade.
Watch out for: Independence Day closures.
August · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 24.3 °C / 76 °F, average daily high 24 °C / 75 °F, precipitation 27 mm / 1.1 in, share of daylight that is sunny 83%, wet days 4.9 days, days with heavy rain 0.7 days, average daily low 14.7 °C / 58 °F, relative humidity 71%.
Also on: BrasilFest, Bumbershoot, Farmers markets season, Neighborhood street fairs, Rainier cherry season, Salmon season, Seafair hydroplane races and Blue Angels.
Watch out for: Wildfire smoke.
September · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 20.2 °C / 68 °F, average daily high 20.6 °C / 69 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 80%, days with heavy rain 2.3 days, average daily low 12.4 °C / 54 °F.
Against: relative humidity 77%, wet days 9 days, precipitation 70 mm / 2.7 in.
Also on: Apple season, Bumbershoot, Farmers markets season, Fresh hop season, Husky vs Cougars football rivalry, Neighborhood street fairs, Salmon season, St Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church festival, Whale watching season.
Watch out for: Labor Day closures, Wildfire smoke.
October · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 66%, feels like (high) 13.6 °C / 56 °F, average daily high 15 °C / 59 °F, average daily low 8.6 °C / 47 °F.
Against: precipitation 137 mm / 5.4 in, wet days 14.3 days, days with heavy rain 5 days, relative humidity 82%.
Also on: Apple season, Farmers markets season, Fresh hop season, Husky vs Cougars football rivalry, Neighborhood street fairs, St Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church festival, Whale watching season.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Alpental, 69 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 °C | 5.7 °C | 8.4 °C | 11.5 °C | 16.5 °C | 20 °C | 24.5 °C | 24.3 °C | 20.2 °C | 13.6 °C | 8 °C | 4.4 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 6.7 days | 4.6 days | 5.3 days | 3 days | 2.2 days | 1.8 days | 0.2 days | 0.7 days | 2.3 days | 5 days | 7.4 days | 6.8 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 4 pm | 4 pm | 5 pm | 5 pm | 5 pm | 5 pm | 12 pm | 12 am | 5 pm | 4 pm | 3 pm | 3 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 4.5 h | 5.8 h | 7.7 h | 9.7 h | 10.9 h | 11.8 h | 13.1 h | 11.8 h | 10 h | 7.2 h | 4.9 h | 4.1 h |
| Relative humidity | 84% | 81% | 77% | 74% | 73% | 72% | 69% | 71% | 77% | 82% | 84% | 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 | 9.3 µg/m³ | 9.3 µg/m³ | 8.9 µg/m³ | 8.9 µg/m³ | 9.5 µg/m³ | 9 µg/m³ | 8 µg/m³ | 11.7 µg/m³ | 11.8 µg/m³ | 11.8 µg/m³ | 9.4 µg/m³ | 8.3 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 15.8 µg/m³ | 16.1 µg/m³ | 15.2 µg/m³ | 15.3 µg/m³ | 15.9 µg/m³ | 15.4 µg/m³ | 13.3 µg/m³ | 19.5 µg/m³ | 19.2 µg/m³ | 19.4 µg/m³ | 14.9 µg/m³ | 14.4 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
- Chinese Lunar New Year
January and February, dates vary from year to year
- Polar Bear Plunge
January
- UW Quad cherry blossom trees
March and April
- St Patrick's Day
17 March
- Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival
April
- Northwest Folklife Festival
May
- Neighborhood street fairs
May, June, July, August, September and October
- Farmers markets season
1 May–31 October
- Pride month celebrations
June
- PrideFest and Pride Parade
June
- Rainier cherry season
1 June–7 August
- July 4 celebrations at Seafair
4 July
- Seafair Torchlight Parade
21–31 July
- Capitol Hill Block Party
24–31 July, dates vary from year to year
- Seafair hydroplane races and Blue Angels
1–10 August
- BrasilFest
August
- Bumbershoot
August and September, dates vary from year to year
- Salmon season
August and September
- Whale watching season
September and October
- St Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church festival
20 September–10 October, dates vary from year to year
- Fresh hop season
15 September–15 October
- Apple season
September and October
- Husky vs Cougars football rivalry
September, October and November, dates vary from year to year
- Winterfest, Christmas Ship Festival and New Year's Eve fireworks
December
Worth knowing before you go
- New Year's Day closures
1 January
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day closures
January, dates vary from year to year
- Presidents' Day closures
February, dates vary from year to year
- Memorial Day price threshold
25–31 May, dates vary from year to year
- Juneteenth closures
19 June
- Independence Day closures
4 July
- Wildfire smoke
August and September
- Labor Day closures
September, dates vary from year to year
- Thanksgiving travel crush
November, dates vary from year to year
- Veterans Day closures
11 November
- Christmas closures
24–25 December