Seattle records about 952mm of rain across roughly 152 wet days a year, which is a 42% chance on an average day. November is the wettest month at 144mm (15% of the annual total) and July the driest at 18mm. Local rain type: drizzle. Seattle's rain reputation is earned — pack a quality waterproof jacket. Locals avoid umbrellas; a good rain shell is the Pacific Northwest uniform.
Chance of rain on an average day: 42%
Rainfall climatology for Seattle. 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.
| Annual rainfall | 952mm |
| Rain days per year | 152 |
| Odds on an average day | 42% |
| Wettest month | November — 144mm over 23 days |
| Driest month | July — 18mm over 3 days |
| Rain type | drizzle |
| Best dry window | July through September is Seattle's glorious secret — warm, dry, and stunningly beautiful with mountain views. |
| Worst rain window | November through January brings relentless grey drizzle with very short daylight hours. |
November delivers 700% more rain than July (144mm vs 18mm). That gap is the difference between planning around showers and ignoring them.
No single month holds more than 15% of the annual total, so rain in Seattle is spread through the year — there is no season you can rely on being dry.
Seattle rain is mostly persistent drizzle, where a waterproof shell beats an umbrella.
Rain falls on about 23 days in November against 3 in July — the frequency swing matters more for planning than the millimetre totals.
Climate normals. Use them to judge whether today's live forecast at the top of the page is typical or unusual for the season.
| Month | Rainfall | Rain days | Chance on a given day | Highs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 141mm | 23 | 77% | 8°C |
| February | 88mm | 14 | 47% | 8°C |
| March | 93mm | 15 | 50% | 10°C |
| April | 71mm | 12 | 40% | 14°C |
| May | 51mm | 8 | 27% | 18°C |
| June | 40mm | 7 | 23% | 22°C |
| July | 18mm | 3 | 10% | 24°C |
| August | 22mm | 4 | 13% | 24°C |
| September | 38mm | 6 | 20% | 22°C |
| October | 87mm | 14 | 47% | 18°C |
| November | 144mm | 23 | 77% | 14°C |
| December | 142mm | 23 | 77% | 10°C |
Rain probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm falls at your location — not how long it rains. For Seattle we combine the hourly probability curve, expected volume in millimetres, and the city's own rainfall record into a single umbrella verdict.
| Factor | Weight | What 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.
Seattle records rain on roughly 152 days a year — about a 42% chance on any given day — totalling around 952mm.
November, with about 144mm over 23 rain days. That is 15% of the entire year's rainfall in a single month.
July is the driest month at 18mm across roughly 3 days. July through September is Seattle's glorious secret — warm, dry, and stunningly beautiful with mountain views.
Seattle's rain reputation is earned — pack a quality waterproof jacket. Locals avoid umbrellas; a good rain shell is the Pacific Northwest uniform.
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.