Climate Comfort Score
72/100
Good
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 54°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Seattle Tacoma, WA Climate
Annual temperature, rainfall, and a comfort score, sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 normals →
- 54°F
- Avg annual temp
- 72/100
- Comfort score
- 39.3"
- Annual precip
- 266d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Seattle Tacoma
Seattle Tacoma, Washington averages 54°F a year and scores 72/100 on the comfort index - good, milder than 66% of U.S. cities.
- 54°F
- yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
- 72/100
- comfort score, milder than 66% of U.S. cities
- 39.3"
- annual precipitation · 6" snow
- 266 days
- growing season, frost-free days
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
54°F (12°C)
Avg High
61°F
Avg Low
46°F
Annual Precip
39.3"
Annual Snow
6.3"
Comfort Score
72/100
Good
Avg Annual Temperature
54°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
39.3"
Plus 6.3" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Seattle Tacoma) 72.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Good for the Seattle Tacoma area.
How Seattle Tacoma compares to every U.S. city
Seattle Tacoma's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
72 Top 34% higher than 66% of 6,915 US cities
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Warming context for Seattle Tacoma
MethodologySince 1900, U.S. land temperatures have tracked (and diverged from) the global mean - the chart below shows how. Seattle Tacoma's current NOAA 1991-2020 normal sits within that longer spread, and the most recent decade runs warmer than the 30-year mean.
- United States land mean (NOAA NCEI) +0.11 °C/decade
- Global anomaly (NASA GISTEMP) +0.11 °C/decade
- Paris Agreement thresholds 1.5°C / 2.0°C
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Snow | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 48°F (9°C) | 38°F (3°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 5.8" | 1.8" | 7.0 | 0.0 |
| February | 50°F (10°C) | 38°F (3°C) | 44°F (7°C) | 3.8" | 2.2" | 5.8 | 0.0 |
| March | 54°F (12°C) | 40°F (4°C) | 47°F (8°C) | 4.2" | 0.4" | 1.9 | 0.0 |
| April | 59°F (15°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 51°F (11°C) | 3.2" | 0.0" | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| May | 66°F (19°C) | 49°F (9°C) | 58°F (14°C) | 1.9" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| June | 71°F (22°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 62°F (17°C) | 1.4" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 0.6 |
| July | 77°F (25°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 0.6" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 1.8 |
| August | 78°F (25°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 67°F (20°C) | 1.0" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 1.2 |
| September | 72°F (22°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 1.6" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 0.2 |
| October | 61°F (16°C) | 47°F (8°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 3.9" | 0.0" | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| November | 52°F (11°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 47°F (8°C) | 6.3" | 0.2" | 3.0 | 0.0 |
| December | 47°F (8°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 42°F (6°C) | 5.7" | 1.7" | 7.2 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 5.8"
Snow: 1.8"
18.7 days with precipitation
February 3.8"
Snow: 2.2"
15.9 days with precipitation
March 4.2"
Snow: 0.4"
17.1 days with precipitation
April 3.2"
15.0 days with precipitation
May 1.9"
11.3 days with precipitation
June 1.4"
9.2 days with precipitation
July 0.6"
4.7 days with precipitation
August 1.0"
4.9 days with precipitation
September 1.6"
8.3 days with precipitation
October 3.9"
14.3 days with precipitation
November 6.3"
Snow: 0.2"
18.4 days with precipitation
December 5.7"
Snow: 1.7"
18.4 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
November 23
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
March 2
50% probability date
Growing Season
266 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
4,376
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
265
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
August
Coldest Month
December
Humidity & Wind
Monthly averages from hourly observations
| Month | Humidity | Wind (mph) | Clear Sky % | Overcast % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 78% | 8.3 | 12% | 53% |
| February | 74% | 8.3 | 12% | 46% |
| March | 72% | 8.3 | 9% | 46% |
| April | 68% | 8.0 | 11% | 38% |
| May | 68% | 7.4 | 9% | 34% |
| June | 65% | 7.3 | 16% | 25% |
| July | 64% | 6.8 | 28% | 19% |
| August | 67% | 6.8 | 22% | 20% |
| September | 75% | 6.8 | 27% | 28% |
| October | 79% | 7.6 | 14% | 46% |
| November | 79% | 8.4 | 10% | 52% |
| December | 79% | 8.4 | 10% | 59% |
What Seattle Tacoma's climate means for you
Seattle Tacoma runs 54°F a year - peaking in August, coldest in December.
- Gardeners get about 266 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near March 2 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 4,376 heating and 265 cooling degree days a year, higher means the furnace or AC runs more.
- Comparing places to live? Line this city up against nearby cities and the national rankings. See rankings
These are 30-year NOAA normals (1991–2020) - the typical year, not a forecast for any specific season.
Climate Guides
Climate Insight: Seattle Tacoma, WA
Based on station USW00024233 feeding NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals, Seattle Tacoma, Washington averages 54°F a year, ranging from a mean daily high of 61°F to a mean daily low of 46°F. August is typically the warmest month of the year, while December is the coldest. Because these figures are thirty-year averages rather than any single year's readings, they describe the typical month, not a forecast for it.
Beyond temperature, Seattle Tacoma averages 39.3 inches of precipitation annually, with 6.3 inches typically falling as snow - a real factor for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. The frost-free season averages 266 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near March 2 and the first fall freeze near November 23. Turning to energy use, 4,376 heating degree days and 265 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Seattle Tacoma scores 72/100 (Good), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. For planning purposes, look to the monthly tables above: shoulder seasons bring the mildest highs and lows, summer brings August-driven heat, and deep winter brings December-driven cold. Treat every figure here as a thirty-year average rather than a forecast - individual years routinely run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than the normal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Seattle Tacoma, WA? ▼
The average annual temperature in Seattle Tacoma, Washington is 54°F. The warmest month averages 78°F (25°C) and the coldest averages 37°F (3°C).
How much rain does Seattle Tacoma get? ▼
Seattle Tacoma receives 39.3 inches of precipitation annually, including 6.3 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Seattle Tacoma? ▼
Seattle Tacoma has a climate comfort score of 72/100 (Good), milder than 66% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Seattle Tacoma? ▼
Seattle Tacoma has approximately 266 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around March 2 and the first fall freeze around November 23.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Seattle Tacoma? ▼
Seattle Tacoma has 4,376 heating degree days and 265 cooling degree days annually, a heating-dominated climate. See our <a href="/guides/reading-weather-data/" class="underline hover:text-brand-600">guide to reading weather data</a> for what these figures mean.
Where does this Seattle Tacoma climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USW00024233 near Seattle Tacoma.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00024233. For informational purposes only.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainClimate Editorial
Every figure on PlainClimate is rendered directly from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.