Western Washington is renowned for its rain.
The weather is generally out of sync with the calendar. So it's best to dress flexibly when coming to Western Washington. (Also have something for every season that will work in the rain!)
Summers vary in quality in Western Puget Sound. Some summers are absolutely stunning; others will be cool and cloudy. Real summery weather arrives in mid-July most years. September,when family vacations are difficult, has proven to be the most reliably sunny. Fortunately, most summers are mild and comfortable, with less than an inch of rain in July and August. Most people get by without air conditioning in their homes. Shorts and light shirts will work most of the summer, but you'll need a light jacket on most summer evenings.
The winters are damp, regardless of the amount of rainfall. The ground, grass and underbrush rarely dry out. You will need to heat your home for about nine months, from mid-September to mid-June. Periods of snow and ice lasting more than a few days are rare. You'll need a moderately heavy coat in December through February and a really heavy one if you get caught in one of the cold snaps.
Rainfall averages vary dramatically from spot to spot in West Sound. They are influenced by the Olympic Mountains. The area's rainfall reputation depends in large part on where you are. With the coming of the new millennium, rainfall has decreased to more normal levels. In fact, precipitation was below average for much of 2001.
Due to the persistent cloud cover and the way the precipitation falls in long, drawn-out drizzles that can last for days, it seems rainier here.
Tornadoes are extremely rare in Western Washington, though whirlwinds can do slight damage on very rare occasions and Windstorms occasionally knock out the power with gusts that have been recorded as high as 70 mph.
Climate
The rainshadow of the Olympic Mountains significantly affects the rainfall in West Sound.
Here are the average annual rainfall totals for selected West Sound communities:
Bremerton 53.88 inches*
Silverdale 45 inches*
Poulsbo 37 inches*
Kingston 28 inches*
Hansville 22 inches*
Belfair 60 inches*
Port Townsend 18 inches*
Gig Harbor 47 inches*
* estimate
Average number of sunny days per year:
69 days where the sky is at least 7/10th clear during daylight hours
(figure for Sea-Tac Airport)
Average high temperature in January:
45 degrees (figure for Sea-Tac Airport)
Average low temperature in January:
35.2 degrees (figure for Sea-Tac Airport)
Average monthly rainfall in January:
7.64 inches (figure for Bremerton)
Average high temperature in August:
75.2 (figure for Sea-Tac Airport)
Average low temperature in August:
55.7 (figure for Sea-Tac Airport)
Average monthly rainfall in August:
1.19 inches (figure for Bremerton)
Bremerton's wettest 24-hour period on record:
4.3 inches, Jan. 6, 2002.
Bremerton's wettest month on record:
January 1953 ? 20.08 inches.
There have been 12 months since 1900 where no rain was measured at all:
August 1910
August 1914
August 1915
August 1917
July 1922
August 1928
July 1956
July 1958
July 1960
August 1967
July 1984
September 1993
- NUMBER1EXPERTS™ 
