The most comfortable time to visit Washington is from mid September to mid October, and again from mid May to early June. For sun, aim for August; for walking, go from April to mid May.
When to go five ratings · thirty-six ten-day sections · click a cell to read it
For sun, go in August. It peaks in early August, at 60. Avoid November to early April for this: it falls to 0, mostly because it is too cool. The clearest skies come in November, when the sky is typically 36% covered at midday (partly cloudy).
The being outside season here runs from mid September to mid October, with a second spell from mid May to early June. It peaks in late September, at 70. The weakest stretch is from late November to mid February, when it drops to 2, mostly because it is too cold.
For walking, go from April to mid May, with a second spell from mid October to early November. It peaks in mid October, at 75. Avoid mid and late July for this: it falls to 0, mostly because it is too warm.
The year, measured
The average temperature in Washington over the whole year is 14°C. July is the hottest month, with highs of about 30°C; January is the coldest, with lows of about -0°C. Washington has no sharply defined rainy season: the chance of rain on a given day runs from 50% in October, the driest month, to 61% in December, the wettest. Winds in Washington are highest in March, averaging 3.0 m/s (11 km/h), and lightest in July, at 1.8 m/s (6 km/h). The prevailing wind is from the W. The clearest skies in Washington come in November, when the sky is typically 36% covered; May is the cloudiest month, at 51%.
Month by month Washington climate by month: average temperatures year round · click a month to read it
| Month | High | Low | Feels like | Chance of rain | Cloud | Wind | Being outside | Sun | Walking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5°C | -0°C | -0°C | 55% | 47% | 2.6 m/s | 3 | 0 | 15 |
| February | 7°C | 2°C | 3°C | 61% | 45% | 2.5 m/s | 6 | 0 | 28 |
| March | 11°C | 5°C | 7°C | 57% | 43% | 3.0 m/s | 17 | 0 | 45 |
| April | 17°C | 10°C | 13°C | 55% | 45% | 2.8 m/s | 40 | 7 | 63 |
| May | 21°C | 15°C | 20°C | 59% | 51% | 2.2 m/s | 59 | 23 | 58 |
| June | 27°C | 20°C | 27°C | 52% | 39% | 2.2 m/s | 49 | 51 | 24 |
| July | 30°C | 23°C | 32°C | 53% | 36% | 1.8 m/s | 15 | 53 | 3 |
| August | 28°C | 21°C | 30°C | 59% | 40% | 1.8 m/s | 32 | 58 | 9 |
| September | 25°C | 18°C | 25°C | 56% | 43% | 1.8 m/s | 62 | 42 | 35 |
| October | 19°C | 12°C | 18°C | 50% | 42% | 1.9 m/s | 57 | 14 | 67 |
| November | 12°C | 5°C | 8°C | 58% | 36% | 2.2 m/s | 19 | 1 | 52 |
| December | 7°C | 2°C | 3°C | 61% | 47% | 2.2 m/s | 3 | 0 | 27 |
High and low are the warmest and coolest of four readings a day — midnight, 6am, noon and 6pm — so a true overnight low can sit a degree or two under them. Chance of rain, cloud and wind are the day’s average; feels-like and the three ratings (each out of 100: Good from 55, Ideal from 80) are read at midday.
Seasons, and the year in short Washington weather by season
Year round, Washington has days of about 5°C at their warmest in January, its coolest month, and 30°C in July, its warmest; the coolest hours of the day run from -0°C to 23°C through the year, and the average temperature over the year is 14°C around the clock. Rain is most likely around December and least likely around October. Every figure here is a decade of observations blended into one representative year, so it reads as what this date is usually like, not a forecast for one particular day.
Washington weather in winterDecember to February
Winter in Washington has typical daily highs of about 6°C and lows of about 1°C, with a 59% chance of rain on a given day.
Washington weather in springMarch to May
Spring in Washington has typical daily highs of about 17°C and lows of about 10°C, with a 57% chance of rain on a given day.
Washington weather in summerJune to August
Summer in Washington has typical daily highs of about 28°C and lows of about 21°C, with a 55% chance of rain on a given day.
Washington weather in autumnSeptember to November
Autumn in Washington has typical daily highs of about 19°C and lows of about 11°C, with a 55% chance of rain on a given day.
When is the rainy season in Washington?
Washington has no sharply defined rainy season: the chance of rain on a given day runs from 50% in October, the driest month, to 61% in December, the wettest.
What time of year is Washington windiest?
Winds in Washington are highest in March, averaging 3.0 m/s (11 km/h), and lightest in July, at 1.8 m/s (6 km/h). The prevailing wind is from the W.
What is the average temperature in Washington year round?
The average temperature in Washington over the whole year is 14°C. July is the hottest month, with highs of about 30°C; January is the coldest, with lows of about -0°C.
Where to go instead in early December, the weakest time here for being outside
How this is worked out
Every figure is a decade of weather-station observations blended into one typical year, in ten-day sections. The ratings, the chart and the feels-like column are read at midday local solar time. Being outside is the Easy outdoors rating, Sun is Sunbathing and Walking is Active outdoors, each out of 100: Good from 55, Ideal from 80. They describe what a time of year is usually like here, not a forecast. The dotted links open the map at that time of year; set its time of day to midday to see these numbers.