Seattle Weather Myths

I have family in Seattle, and the first time I visited this northwestern city I was thoroughly prepared for rain. How could I not be? After all, Seattle has a reputation for being an incredibly rainy city. So I packed an umbrella, and I was even tempted to pack rain boots. Yet my memories of my vacation to Seattle hardly include rain—I think it drizzled once or twice while I was there.

So what's the reality behind the Seattle weather myths? Does Seattle really get more rain than other American cities, or is this reputation undeserved? To solve the Seattle weather myths, I headed to the website See-Seattle.com, which states that Seattle gets just over 36 inches of rain each year. That number certainly places Seattle as rainier than cities like San Francisco (just under 20 inches of rain per year) and Las Vegas, with a mere 4 inches each year. However, Seattle is actually less rainy than southern cities like Houston and Miami, and less rainy than northeastern cities like New York City and Boston. According to this website, Seattle has an annual rainfall comparable to Chicago and Washington, D.C.

So why is this Seattle weather myth so widespread? Perhaps because even though Seattle receives less rain annually than other American cities, Seattle tends to have more days that include rain per year than other major cities—but more rainy days doesn't mean more rain. Nonetheless, this leads to the notion that it rains in Seattle all the time.

These numbers suggest that the Seattle weather myths are just that: myths. I'm not saying don't bring an umbrella, and I'm not saying to be surprised if it does rain—just don't be too afraid of the weather! After all, there are plenty of outdoor activities to do while you're in Seattle. And for those days that are, in fact, rainy, nestle in at one of Seattle's coffee shops or go to an art museum. Lucky for you, Seattle offers a great variety of indoor and outdoor activities, so regardless of whether there's nice weather, a drizzle, a downpour, you'll still enjoy your vacation.

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