A Guide of the Best Time To Visit Seattle – Which Season is Best?

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Chidi Mills

Chidi Mills is an enthusiastic writer with lots of writing experience. Chidi writes for varieties of industries and has worked with clients in many industries including the travel industry. She is passionate about travel and helping travelers find useful tips to make their trip to any word destination hassle-free.Having experienced the adrenaline rush that comes with traveling to an unknown destination, she hopes that her writings will make it a lot easier for travelers to enjoy their trips to world destinations. Chidi has worked with many clients all over the world. She started writing full-time in 2010 after the birth of her daughter. Her passion for writing and dedication have worn her a top writer’s status on Upwork Freelance writing platform.

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The best time to visit Seattle depends on the value you are looking to get and your travel needs. Are you looking for a more affordable time to visit or a period with the best atmospheric condition? Do you prefer to visit when there is less crowd or the time of the year that has more fun events to offer tourists? Your answer to these questions determines your best time to visit Seattle.

Summer months are commonly the most crowded and costliest to visit Seattle. If you’re looking to reduce cost, your best time to visit Seattle is between September and October when the summer crowd is dwindling and the weather is still friendly.

 Summer is Season is Seattle tourists’ high season. The cost of accommodation rises this time and also the rooms are scarce. Winter is the least visiting tie in Seattle.

Even people who are very passionate about sightseeing are seriously discouraged by the winter weather. So, this period is the least crowded and expensive but who want a trip out when it’s freezing.

With regards to the atmospheric condition, the best time to visit is early fall. During this time, summer weather still hangs on while the crowd is gradually fading away. Thus, during this time, you get surplus hotel rooms at affordable rates.

You’ll equally get cheaper accommodation and warm weather during the spring season. However, this can sometimes be marred by rain showers and chiller winds. Don’t forget to pack suitable warm clothing to manage under the rain and keep sufficiently warm.

If you have no budget constraints and don’t mind large crowds, the most suitable time to visit Seattle and enjoy and have the most fun is during the summer months. The months of June, July and August are the warmest and driest period in Seattle.

Although Seattle has a lot to offer tourists throughout the year, the sky is clearest during these summer months. These months offer you the best space needle sightseeing experience. Also, you gain the most fun this time from your visit to Mt. Rainier.

Although you can equally take part in Seattle popular activities like hiking and visiting the park during the spring, fall, or winter season, you’ll love the comfort and convenience of visiting during the summer months.

However, Seattle weather doesn’t have a stable summer borderline. Summer can sometimes start in late spring or early fall. When this happens, the months of October and May are equally warm and dry. This, however, differs from year to year.

If you’re unable to visit Seattle in summer, all hope is not lost. You have a lot to catch up on during the spring or fall. Winter months are not the best time to visit Seattle for tourism. Unless you have a major reason to visit during this time, you want to skip it completely.

Best time to visit Seattle:  Travel Seasons considerations

1. High or Peak Season in Seattle

High tourist season in Seattle starts from June and ends in August. The period comes with bright sunshine. The weather is warm and dry with a temperature of roughly 24 degrees centigrade. The relative humidity is equally low within this time and this increases the number of air travels, ferries, and other tours within this city.

The downside of visiting within this period is the soaring hotel prices and accommodation scarcity. The best catch is to book a hotel room in advance. This season is characterized by a large crowd and inward vs outward cruise tour to Alaska from the Port of Seattle.

2. Shoulder Season in Seattle

The shoulder season in Seattle includes the months of April, May, September, and October. If you want to visit Seattle for sightseeing, these months are the best time because of the feature good weather with a mean temperature of 15 degrees to 20 degrees centigrade.

The crowd that visits Seattle will begin to leave at the start of these months. So, you can get one of the best hotel rooms at a good bargain price. Nevertheless, these months are characterized by drizzles. So, don’t forget our raincoats or umbrellas.

These months are equally your best month to go whale watching. The Orcas and humpback whales commonly show up these months.

3. Low Season in Seattle

The months of November to March is characterized by poor weather. You want to avoid these months if you’re visiting Seattle for tourist interests. The weather is commonly showery, icy, and windy and the temperature falls within 4 degrees Celsius to 10 degrees Celsius.

Nevertheless, if your aim of visiting Seattle is to visit museums, these months are the best time of the year to have the most fun. It is equally the best time to go skiing and airfares are most affordable during this time. If you love nature, you may also want to visit the parks this time to spot blooms of daffodils and cherry trees.

The Best Time To Visit Seattle: Weather Considerations

The best weather in Seattle falls around late June and early September. July and August are the busiest months when hotels are full and restaurants are crowded.

May, June, September, and October, equally, have nice weather. So, if you don’t mind missing the summer weather, they are the next best time to visit Seattle.

Many tourist attractions in Seattle can be enjoyed even under slight showers of rain and this makes the city good for a year-round vacation.

Weather consideration: Precipitation

If you want to visit Seattle during the driest part of the year, your best time is in July, August, followed by June. The period you’re least likely to experience rain or snow is from early July to mid-July.  On the other hand, you’re most likely to experience snow or rain showers in the middle of December. The week of 17th September commonly experience roughly four days of heavier precipitation.

Seattle Rain by Month (mm)

Best Time To Visit Seattle: Rainy Season Consideration

While considering your best time to visit Seattle with regards to weather condition, one important thing to note is that Seattle experiences some rain showers during winter.

However, this differs from year to year. Some years, you don’t get these at all while you can find it raining day in day out some years. If you love hiking, visiting Mt. Rainier, the coast, or the parks, it is better to avoid visiting Seattle during the rainy season. Rainy season in Seattle begins around September and ends roughly in March.

Although it is better to check the general weather conditions for the year as some years have more rains during winter while other years are dry.

Best time to visit Seattle: Humidity and Wind considerations

Some months experience high relative humidity, others have average relative humidity. While the month with the least relative humidity is July and the month with the highest relative humidity is January.

Seattle is not very windy. The windiest month is March, the next month with the highest wind is in April and then December. The mean wind speed in March is roughly 5.3 knots and around 6.1 MPH to 9.9 KPH which is considered a slight wind.

The period with highest non-stop winds that last far beyond some moments falls around the middle of March with the mean highest non-speed of 11.8 knots. This is taken as a modest breeze.

Seattle wind speed throughout the year in knots

One Knot is equal to 1.15 MPH or 1.85 KPH.

Relative Humidity by Month

Temperature Considerations

Mean temperatures in Seattle differ significantly. Seattle is not as temperate as most world tourist destinations. It is rated as the thirty-seven percent tourist destination in the world with nice weather. If you want to visit Seattle during the warmest time of the year, the best months to visit are August, July, and after the two months, September.

It is commonly warmest in the middle of August with the highest temperature constantly approximately 81 degrees Fahrenheit or 27.2 degrees Celsius and the lowest night temperature always approximately 60 degrees Fahrenheit or 15.6 degrees Celsius at night.

Average Seattle Temperatures by Month

Average daily high temperature calculated for all the months of the year represents the weather conditions for that month. When the mean value is very low, it commonly implies that the night temperature is very cold.

Visiting Seattle and January Weather

January is the middle of the rainy season in Seattle. The atmosphere is commonly damp, and there could be rain anytime. Although the weather is cold this month, the temperature is not very low to necessitate snow. Either you decide to stay indoors or you go for mountain activities. Therefore, the month is not the best time to visit Seattle. If you want to, don’t forget to pack rain cats and rainproof shoes.

Some people do go outdoors this time but most Seattle natives prefer to stay at home. However, if you’re after bargain hotel prices, you get it better at this time than in springtime, summertime or in fall. Be aware though that the reason behind the bargain hotel pricing is that it is not a pleasant time to enjoy your visit to Seattle. Temperature is roughly 8.3 degrees Celsius.

Seattle Weather in February

February weather in Seattle is more or less fifty-fifty. It is commonly windy and dry. The rate of precipitation starts to dwindle.

Cherry blooms more sometimes begin to show up this time. Some years, the month remains barely the same as January. Nonetheless, February is the best time to visit Seattle for going to museums, galleries, and cafeterias.

Indoor activities are more prevalent during this time than outdoor activities. Example of indoor activities you can partake in during this time is local displays at the fifth Avenue or Paramount Theaters. You can equally take part in the wandering Pike Place Market, pop out for a delicious meal at any Seattle restaurant.

With Valentine’s Day falling within this month, some of the best restaurants in the city get very crowded every 14th of February. So, don’t forget to make a booking before venturing outside. The temperature of this month is roughly 9.4 degrees Celsius.

Seattle weather in March

Starting from early March, you will begin to see sunshine and the temperature begins to rise but you can still experience the outflow of the stormy rain showers that began in February. During this time when the sky is blue is your best time for exploring the parks in the area.

March weather can move to and fro lovely days and a revisit of the cold, showery winter temperature. And where the cherry blooms did not appear in February, they start to emerge this time.

The city is this time  full of displays of cherry blooms but if you want to see the most spectacular display pop out and visit the University of Washington campus.

Save your raincoat in your baggage, however, remember to take your sunglasses. When the weather is clear, March is the best time to visit the city’s parks like discovery park and hiking trails. March temperature is roughly 11.6 degrees Centigrade.

Seattle weather in April

The temperature rises in April but there is usually a cold breeze which keeps the weather col. At the same time, the rate of rainfall starts to fall. If you want to visit Seattle during a period with less crowd, you can get some fantastic bargain hotel prices this time.

Similar to the March weather, you could experience sunshine or rainfall in April. If you want to visit during the Northwest’s offseason, this is normally your last chance of grabbing cheap hotels close to the beaches, Mt. Rainier or the rest of waterfront localities. The temperature is roughly 14.7 degrees Celsius this time.

Seattle weather in May

May is one of the loveliest months in Seattle. You get sunnier days and blue skies than rainy days but still, the evenings are frosty. Ensure you take your jacket and an umbrella when you stroll out in the evening.

May is a time when you will enjoy local festivals and venturing outdoors. It is the beginning of Seattle’s festival season. The temperature is roughly 18.2 degrees Celsius.

Seattle Weather in June

June is the best time for going outdoors. There are a lot of festivals and the weather is very nice. You can enjoy visiting the outdoor pools and parks. You can equally go hiking at Discovery Park or visit the Mount Si. June is marked with longer days. On the 21st of June, for example, the sun sets around 10 pm which makes it a nice day for family picnics, going to festivals and enjoy your dinner while the sun is still shining. The temperature is roughly twenty-one degrees centigrade.

Seattle Weather in July

July is when you’ll get the best of Summer weather. It is commonly overcrowded with tourists. This means you’ll sometimes have to queue up for a table in restaurants. You’ll get quite a lot of sunshine which makes the month for venturing outdoors.

July is the best time to visit Seattle with regards to the weather condition. The weather is normally dry and warm. You’ll meet queues in most tourist attraction but the crowds are not that prohibitive.

However, you’d need to make a call to check on the queue at the Space Needle to ensure you can comfortably wait. It is characterized by a large crowd. However, you can get a good view of Mt. Rainier from the Space Needle and a glimpse of the beach from Discovery Park. The temperature falls around 24.3 degrees Celsius.

Visiting Seattle in August and Weather

The warmest month in Seattle in August. Even though marine air makes the environment cool at night, you can enjoy the day by visiting the Puget waters during the day.

August weather is mostly similar to that of July and is characterized by warm and dry air. It is one of the best times to visit Seattle. You’ll get lots of festivals and events like Seafair, in August. The temperature is roughly 24.6 degrees Celsius.

Visiting Seattle in September and weather considerations

The month of September is characterized by a reduced crowd and nice weather which makes it a good time to visit Seattle. By this time, you start to get shorter days and longer nights but you still experience outflows of summer weather. Although the standard take-off time for fall is late September, it starts to feel like fall in the northwest during early September. Leaves begin to change color this time and the period makes a great time to go leaf-peeping.

End of summer events take place at this time and rainfall starts to return. However, the rain is insufficient to stop locals from venturing outdoors but a lot of tourists may not feel comfortable in the rain.

If you’re visiting Seattle this time, remember to take your hat, a rain jacket or an umbrella. The temperature is roughly 21.4 degrees Celsius.

Visiting Seattle in October and weather considerations

If your purpose is to experience Seattle’s autumn weather, October is the best time to visit Seattle. You’ll enjoy the lovely fall foliage on Mount Rainier. By this time the temperature begins to fall and the leaves start to change their colors.

Seattle locals celebrate the autumn with festivals and numerous weird houses all over the place. You’ll love a visit to the pumpkin patch or a tour to a corn maze.

However, remember to put on your boots because it can get muddy because of the rain and corn maze. The temperature is roughly 15.4 degrees Celsius.

Visiting Seattle and the November Weather

November is not the best month for outdoor activities if you’re visiting Seattle. It is characterized by heavy downpours and wind storms. The rainy season in Seattle starts in November. However, the holiday season starts towards the end of November. The city gets decorated with holiday lights with the most spectacular display in Downtown Seattle.

So, the month might be the best time to visit Seattle if you enjoy visiting museums, galleries, and eateries. If you’re visiting for tourist interest, postpone your visit towards the end of November after the display of the holiday lights. The temperature is roughly 10.5 degrees Celsius.

Visiting Seattle and December Weather

If you’re after mountain hiking, this is the best time to visit Seattle. The whole ski resorts in the city open in December. Nonetheless, the sun sets earlier than 5 pm in December. So, it can get dark and windy. The temperature also drops at this time and you can witness coats of snows on the mountains.

Despite the cold and rain that characterize the month, December provides a lot of funs to tourists. There are a lot of holiday events scheduled for the weekends. You can either watch Christmas lights displays, go for a holiday show at some theaters in the locality. You can equally enjoy winter brews at small local breweries.

The temperature is roughly 7.6 degrees Celsius.

Best time to visit Settle: Popular Festivals and Events considerations

Seattle has a lot of amazing festivals and events. Besides holiday events, most of these events fall within summer, spring, and fall. One of the most popular festivals is Seafair. Below are the different popular festivals and events in Seattle and their respective months to help you plan if you want to attend any of them.

Popular Seattle events in January

• The Seattle Boat Show with watercraft exhibitions and marine-associated conferences.
• Seattle two weekend’s Chamber Society Winter Music Festival by word-class musicians
• The Polar Bear Matthews Beach Park plunge

Popular Seattle February Events

• A display and garden show at the Washington State Convention Center
• The Wintergrass Music Festival dedicated to the American bluegrass music.
• The Seattle Boat Show
• The Chinese Lunar New Year celebration at Chinatown-International District

Popular Seattle Events in March

• Emerald City Comic Con pop culture with artists, actors, writers, and more visiting
• Seattle St. Patrick’s Day Parade with a tour to a local Irish pub.

Popular Seattle Events in April

• The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival for viewing stretches of tulips and daffodils
• Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival
• The open International Children’s Friendship Festival
• Seattle Restaurant Week

Popular Seattle Events in May

• The Opening Day of Boating Season characterized by sailboat races and boat parades
• Seattle International Film Festival  with a show of documentaries
• Northwest Folklife open festival at Seattle Center

Popular Seattle events in June

• The Fremont Solstice Fair which celebrates with music, food, and artistic display of cyclist with some elements nudity.
• The Seattle PrideFest which is the most extensive LGBT get-together drag queens, and the Seattle Pride Parade

Popular Seattle Events in July

• The Seattle International Beerfest for beer lovers
• The Bite of Seattle food festival,  featuring the best food vendors, chefs, eateries, wine, and beer.
• The Capitol Hill Block Party,
• Chinatown DragonFest
• The Chamber Music Society Summer Festival
• Seafair which is a collection of several events that run from July to August.
• The fireworks of the 4th July and the Seafair Summer Fourth at Gas Works Park

Popular Seattle events in August

• Hempfest events which include a political rally, concert, and art and craft fair. The other is
• The Seafair Weekend where you can watch hydroplane races, the Blue Angels and watch air shows.
• Seattle Art Fair with lots of art display from art galleries, museums and more.

Popular Seattle Events in September

• The PAX Prime Gaming Show which is a celebration of the game culture.
• The Washington State Fair held at the Puyallup and featuring fair nourishments, rides, sports, wildlife, featuring performances, minor shows, etc. and more.
• Bumbershoot a popular music festival which features a different artist and headliners like the popular Oktoberfests, Fremont Oktoberfest.

Popular Seattle events in October

• Seattle Children’s Festival
• Seattle Queer Film Festival
• The Earshot Jazz Festival
• Great Pumpkin Beer Fest for enthusiasts of pumpkin beer
• Seattle Restaurant Week
• GeekGirlCon women events

Seattle Popular Events in November

• The Sheraton Seattle’s Gingerbread Village show
• Visiting the Magnuson Park to buy the best locally made jewelry, clothes and artworks like portrait, and sculptures.
• Visiting the historic Pike Place Market to watch caroling competitions, tree-lighting event and more.
• Macy’s Holiday Parade with Santa appearance and Macy’s Tree Lighting in Downtown.
• Festival of Trees which involves the display of the most beautiful Christmas trees with a gala fundraising for Seattle Children’s Hospital.

Popular December events in Seattle

• The Winterfest event: This features displays like ice sculpting and ice skating.
• The Great Figgy Pudding Carolling contest hosted at Westlake Center.
• The Christmas Ship Festival with Argosy Cruises and the Puget Sounds
• Christmas lights displays
• Seattle’s Pacific Northwest Ballet show

Best time to Visit Seattle: Season of the year consideration

1. Best time to visit Seattle: Spring season

The spring season in Seattle runs from March to May. The spring weather is moderately cold due to the mixed effects of humidity and temperature. The highest daily temperature ranges between 70.3 degrees Fahrenheit or 21.3 Celsius to 52.2 degrees Fahrenheit or 11.2 degrees Centigrade.

The later months are warmer than the earlier months. You have roughly six to eleven days of a significant amount of drizzle every month. Besides the summertime, the next most tourists visited period in Seattle is the Springtime.

Hotel prices are also cheaper this time. So, you might be able to get really good hotels at affordable prices because most haven’t adjusted their rates for the summer season.

Major SpringTime Events in Seattle include the following:

• Moisture Festival which falls between March and April
• Japanese Cultural and Seattle Cherry Blossom festivals celebrated in April
• Seattle Restaurant Week which falls in April
• Seattle International Film Festival which falls around May to June

2. Best time to visit Seattle: Summer Season

The summer season in Seattle falls between June and August. It is the widest tourist visited time and the busiest in Seattle. So, accommodation rates are high within this period. To get better hotel pricing, it is better to book in advance.

The rate of precipitation decreases from one to four days every month and the temperature is at a tolerable range of 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Despite the weather is commonly friendly this time, don’t forget to pack a light jacket in the event of icy breeze.

Major tourist Events in Seattle during the summer season include the following:

• Seattle International Film Festival which falls between May and June.
• Seattle Pride celebrated in June.
• Seattle International BeerFest celebrated in July
• Capitol Hill Block Party celebrated in July.
• Seafair Weekend event in August
• Seattle Art Fair event in August

3. Visiting Seattle and the Fall season

Seattle experiences the fall season from September to November. The daily maximum temperature ranges from 75.5 degrees Fahrenheit or 24.2 degrees Celsius and 49.9 degrees Fahrenheit to 9.9 degrees Celsius which comes with icy feeling due to the humidity and wind.

At the same time, the rate of rain or snowfall increases due to the approaching winter. You want to pack some warm clothing. Average rain or snow showers in a month are roughly four to twelve day.

Rooms are very affordable this time because not many tourists like visiting this period. The fall season is your best time to head to Seattle if you are looking to get a bargain and enjoy autumn festivals.

Major tourist events of the fall season include the following:

• Bumbershoot event which takes place in September.
• Earshot Jazz Festival which falls between October to November.
• Seattle Restaurant Week which is celebrated between October to November.

4. Visiting Seattle in the Winter Season

The winter season in Seattle runs from December through February. The climate is too chilly this time of the year for tourists especially if you don’t like cold weather or enjoy winter sports like skiing and snowboarding.

The average highest temperature in this season is roughly between 53.3 degrees Fahrenheit or 11.8 degrees Celsius and 46.5 degrees Fahrenheit or 8.1 degrees Celsius. The average number of rains or snows for this season is eight to twelve times every month.

Major Events of the winter season include the following:

• Earshot Jazz Festival which runs between October and November.
• November Seattle International Comedy Contest
• Seattle Marathon & Half Marathon hosted in December
• Christmas Ship Festival which is celebrated in December
• The February Seattle of Improv Theater festival.

FAQs

Conclusion

The best time to visit Seattle comes down to what value you are looking to get. Are you after the fun summer weather of Seattle or its popular events and festivals? Or are you looking to visit during the low season with bargain hotel prices or you are specific about experiencing a certain event or visiting a specific tourist attraction?

Whatever your reason, we have provided a detailed guide in this article to help you choose the best suitable time to visit Seattle. Enjoy your trip! We wish you a happy fun time. Don’t forget to let us know how it goes.

Further read:

• Epic Destination List: Most Popular Travel Destinations!