livingbeyondseattle.com/climate. James Bergstrom, Founder/Broker, Paramount Real Estate Group. (360) 777-7212
Rainfall across the region
Every dot is a NOAA gauge, showing its average rain and melted snow per year from 1991 to 2020. Tap any dot to see its number.
- Under 30 in
- 30 to 40 in
- 40 to 50 in
- 50 to 65 in
- Over 65 in
Your town and its two closest gauges
Treat this as a range, not a measurement of the town itself. Gauges sit at specific spots, and hills and distance from the Olympics both matter.
| Town | Rain per year | Closest NOAA gauges |
|---|---|---|
| Hansville | 35.4 to 39.5 in | Freeland 2.5 ENE (8 mi), Clinton 1.7 NW (9 mi) |
| Kingston | 37.3 to 38.5 in | Kingston 2.7 SSE (3 mi), Indianola 0.7 SSE (4 mi) |
| Poulsbo | 41.4 to 41.7 in | Poulsbo 3.7 NNW (4 mi), Poulsbo 1NW (5 mi) |
| Bainbridge Island | 38.5 to 45.2 in | Bremerton 1.8 NE (5 mi), Indianola 0.7 SSE (8 mi) |
| Silverdale | 45.2 to 56.9 in | Bremerton (5 mi), Bremerton 1.8 NE (6 mi) |
| Seabeck | 45.2 to 56.9 in | Bremerton (8 mi), Bremerton 1.8 NE (11 mi) |
| Bremerton | 45.2 to 56.9 in | Bremerton 1.8 NE (2 mi), Bremerton (2 mi) |
| Port Orchard | 45.2 to 56.9 in | Bremerton 1.8 NE (3 mi), Bremerton (3 mi) |
| Manchester | 45.2 to 47.9 in | Bremerton 1.8 NE (4 mi), Southworth 2.7 SSE (6 mi) |
| Olalla | 47.9 to 52.7 in | Southworth 2.7 SSE (4 mi), Wauna 3 W (8 mi) |
| Gig Harbor | 42 to 45.5 in | Tacoma Narrows Airport (4 mi), Tacoma 3.1 NW (5 mi) |
| Belfair | 52.7 to 54.7 in | Gig Harbor 7.0 WNW (7 mi), Wauna 3 W (8 mi) |
| Shelton | 61.9 to 67.9 in | Shelton Sanderson Field (2 mi), Shelton 2.8 ESE (3 mi) |
| Tacoma | 40.8 to 45.5 in | Tacoma #1 (2 mi), Tacoma 3.1 NW (4 mi) |
Same town, 12 inches apart
Bremerton's long-term station averages 56.9 inches. A volunteer gauge about four miles northeast averages 45.2.
The dry north end
Hansville has no NOAA normals of its own, but rain falls off as you head north: Kingston reads 37.3 inches and Port Townsend, across the water, 19.1.
The wet southwest
Move toward the mountains and it climbs quickly. Shelton's airport averages 67.9 inches, and the Cushman station on Hood Canal averages 92.
What a year feels like
Long-term stations also track wet days and temperature. Rain totals alone don't tell you how gray a winter feels.
| Station | Rain per year | Dec to Feb rain | Jun to Aug rain | Days with 0.1 in or more | Summer high | Winter low |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bremerton | 56.9 in | 25 in | 3.5 in | 102 | 75°F | 35°F |
| Tacoma Narrows Airport | 42 in | 16 in | 2.9 in | 92 | 74°F | 36°F |
| Tacoma #1 | 40.8 in | 16.1 in | 2.8 in | 96 | 75°F | 37°F |
| Seattle Tacoma Airport | 39.3 in | 15.3 in | 3 in | 93 | 75°F | 38°F |
| Shelton Sanderson Field | 67.9 in | 28.7 in | 3.4 in | 111 | 76°F | 33°F |
| Wauna 3 W | 52.7 in | 22.2 in | 3.3 in | 105 | No data | No data |
| Chimacum 4 S | 28.7 in | 10.5 in | 3.4 in | 76 | No data | No data |
| Port Townsend | 19.1 in | 6.4 in | 2.6 in | 60 | 71°F | 38°F |
| Sequim 2 E | 16.9 in | 5.8 in | 2 in | 53 | 69°F | 32°F |
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991 to 2020. Station names keep NOAA's wording, so “Wauna 3 W” means three miles west of Wauna. Summer high and winter low are seasonal averages. Gauge records vary in length, and volunteer gauges carry only a rain figure.
Check it for your street
Look up the normals for the gauge nearest your target, then ask someone on that street how the winter really goes. Spend time there in November too, not just July.
Watch: seven things to know before you buy
Want to compare two neighborhoods?
Tell James where you're looking and how much winter sun matters to you. He'll tell you what living there actually feels like.
