Weather

One of the most common questions we are asked is what will the weather be like? We promise it won’t snow in July or be 80 degrees in January. Other than that, no guarantees. Our climate is technically Mediterranean. Most of our considerable rainfall happens in winter, and most of our sunny days come in summer. However, it is not at all unusual to have several days of rain even in the summer months.

The west Olympic Peninsula contains one of the largest temperate rain forests in the United States. Average rainfall is about 120 inches a year. Because of the prevailing winds coming off the Pacific Ocean, we do not normally have the temperature extremes other parts of the country experience. In winter we do get freezing temperatures, but into the 20’s is very low for us. In summer it can be hot, but seldom beyond the 70’s. Most winters we get a little snow a few times, occasionally we get as much as a foot. Plan for some rain even in summer, bring layers and make the top one water proof.

The area is very ecologically diverse. The ocean beaches are a much different zone than the high Olympics. The river valleys are different than either. There are parts of the Olympics that receive over 200 inches of precipitation in a year. The east side of Peninsula and parts of the San Juan Islands get very little rain in comparison, about 17 inches per year in Sequim.