With all of those white flurries this week, we can guess the question that’s on your mind, Seattleites — how much snow are we going to get this winter? ❄️
Thanks to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center, we know what temperatures and precipitation trends to expect in our city for December, January, and February. While exact weather conditions typically can’t be predicted more than a week in advance, here’s a seasonal outlook to help you prepare for what winter will bring.
Reminder: The first day of winter is today, Dec. 21.
Temperature 🌡
Think cold. This winter, Seattle has a 50-60% chance of temperatures being lower than normal.
🌨️ Precipitation
Expect slightly more precipitation. The city has a 33-40% chance of seeing higher than average snow and rainfall amounts this winter.
☀️ Drought
Drought conditions are expected to improve this season.
January
This is Seattle’s coldest month on average, with temps ranging between 36° and 47°. But with lower-than-average expected temperatures, you’ll definitely want to keep that puffer close. On the brighter side, Seattleites can rejoice in knowing that our first 5 p.m. sunset happens this month on Thursday, Jan. 26.
February
Things start to warm up a little bit here, but only marginally, with average temps falling between 40° and 49°. Things also begin to dry up a little bit this month with an average of four inches of precipitation (compared with December’s six inches — our wettest month).
March
Say hello to the sun again. Sunday, March 5 will be our first 6 p.m. sunset — followed shortly by our first 7 p.m. sunset on Sunday, March 12 thanks to the return of Daylight Saving Time. Otherwise, expect to stay a little bit chilly with temps still averaging between 40° and 59°.
