Will It Rain in Portland Today?

Portland is a carry-an-umbrella city: rain on roughly 39% of days

Portland records about 914mm of rain across roughly 144 wet days a year, which is a 39% chance on an average day. December is the wettest month at 138mm (15% of the annual total) and August the driest at 12mm. Local rain type: drizzle. Portland lives up to its rainy reputation — persistent drizzle from October through May is the norm. Locals never carry umbrellas; rain jackets are the uniform.

Chance of rain on an average day: 39%

Rainfall climatology for Portland. The live hour-by-hour answer for today loads at the top of this page from Open-Meteo and refreshes through the day — the figures below describe a typical year, not today.

Last updated: · Live forecast data refreshes hourly.

Key numbers for Portland

Annual rainfall914mm
Rain days per year144
Odds on an average day39%
Wettest monthDecember — 138mm over 23 days
Driest monthAugust — 12mm over 2 days
Rain typedrizzle
Best dry windowJuly and August are spectacularly dry and sunny — Portland's glorious secret season.
Worst rain windowNovember through January brings persistent grey drizzle with very short days.

What the data actually tells you

Wettest against driest

December delivers 1050% more rain than August (138mm vs 12mm). That gap is the difference between planning around showers and ignoring them.

How concentrated the rain is

No single month holds more than 15% of the annual total, so rain in Portland is spread through the year — there is no season you can rely on being dry.

Umbrella or jacket

Portland rain is mostly persistent drizzle, where a waterproof shell beats an umbrella.

Wet-day frequency

Rain falls on about 23 days in December against 2 in August — the frequency swing matters more for planning than the millimetre totals.

Monthly rainfall in Portland

Climate normals. Use them to judge whether today's live forecast at the top of the page is typical or unusual for the season.

MonthRainfallRain daysChance on a given dayHighs
January125mm2170%8°C
February93mm1653%8°C
March91mm1550%11°C
April64mm1137%15°C
May56mm1033%20°C
June38mm620%24°C
July14mm27%27°C
August12mm27%27°C
September28mm517%24°C
October72mm1240%20°C
November116mm2067%15°C
December138mm2377%11°C

Planning around rain in Portland

How we turn rain data into a yes or no

Rain probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm falls at your location — not how long it rains. For Portland we combine the hourly probability curve, expected volume in millimetres, and the city's own rainfall record into a single umbrella verdict.

FactorWeightWhat it measures
Hourly probability 40% Peak and sustained chance of measurable rain across the next 24 hours.
Expected volume 30% Total millimetres, which separates a passing shower from a genuine soaking.
Timing & duration 20% When rain starts, when it eases, and the longest continuous dry window.
Local rain type 10% Drizzle, brief showers, thunderstorms or monsoon — each needs different gear.

Live hourly values come from Open-Meteo and refresh through the day. Monthly rainfall figures are climate normals, so they describe a typical year rather than a forecast.

Frequently asked questions

How often does it rain in Portland?

Portland records rain on roughly 144 days a year — about a 39% chance on any given day — totalling around 914mm.

What is the rainiest month in Portland?

December, with about 138mm over 23 rain days. That is 15% of the entire year's rainfall in a single month.

When is the driest time in Portland?

August is the driest month at 12mm across roughly 2 days. July and August are spectacularly dry and sunny — Portland's glorious secret season.

Do I need an umbrella in Portland?

Portland lives up to its rainy reputation — persistent drizzle from October through May is the norm. Locals never carry umbrellas; rain jackets are the uniform.

Does a 40% rain probability mean it will rain for 40% of the day?

No. Probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm of rain falls at your location at some point in the period. Check the expected millimetres alongside it: 40% with 0.4mm is a passing shower, 40% with 12mm is a soaking.

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