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.
Hope you invested in a good rain jacket.
Screenshot via NOAA
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°.