Why stay indoors this winter when you could be out hitting the slopes? While Seattle may not be as gray and dreary as you may expect, there are certainly sunnier and drier places in the state. Olympia. Winters are colder and sunnier. You know you're from Western Washington if Vancouver is also about 10 degrees warmer in the summer and 10 degrees cooler in the winter compared to any town on the Puget Sound. There's nothing like picking out your own Evergreen tree to take home and decorate for the holidays! , Where is the best place to live in Washington? , What cities in Washington are in the rain shadow? (After all, we are the Evergreen State for a reason!) Richland has a solid job market, the cost of living is about 15% lower than the states average, and the region happens to get a lot of sunshine. Its easy to get the. - Port Townsend has 2.6% more Sunny Days than Seattle. PROSSER, Wash. As Washington state emerges from its most blistering summer on record, the state's hottest place was, ironically, an area known for giant irrigation sprinklers and well-tended orchards and vineyards. We know what you're thinking: There's no way to escape the cloud cover for hundreds of miles, but as it turns out, Sequim is the sunniest place in Western Washington. All content 2022 Move.org. You can definitely catch the sun out there, but if your timing falls within a rainy spell, just hit the west side of the island, Kona, for some rays. But if youre looking for a small town where everyone knows your name, one of these places might be right for you. It sounds like this fellow's sensor is fairly close to the Strait. What a freaky coincidence! In order for precipitation to be counted you have to get at least .01 inches on the ground to measure. What city in Washington gets the least rain? 1145 E Sunset Dr, Bellingham, WA 98226, USA. I'd know - I work with Parks Canada in the area outside all day long. Sequim is in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains, so annual precipitation is only 16 inches. There's more solar radiation closer to the equator, which is why counties in southeastern Washington get the most solar radiation. But if you are looking for REALLY dry conditions, you must head to southeastern Washington, where less than ten inches a year reaches the rain gauge. Here at the Farmers' Almanac, we love weather topics of all kinds, and will often explore the many varied climates of cities and states around North America foggiest, hottest, rainiest, worst weather, best gardening, to name a few. Where is it sunny in the Pacific Northwest? . Edmonds. This thriving metropolis offers a great blend of amenities, affordability, and of course, sunny weather, with 171 days of sunshine on average. There are a lot of spectacular waterfalls to see in our state during the winter, but this magnificent feature in southeastern Washington is by far one of the most breathtaking. Please make sure your comments are civil. Hottest temperature ever recorded: 120F at Hanford on 29 June 2021. It is free and quick. Jessica Wick is a writer and travel enthusiast who loves exploring new places, meeting new people and, of course, beautiful Big Sky Country and every part of Washington State. I use the web cams at Rainier and the Passes to help with my forecast. Do you need to get your fix of vitamin D? I grew up in Enumclaw and can we do a similar thing for there wondering if it's more cloudier than seattle (at least) as seattle is than sequim?I swear that people think Seattle is such a rain paradise, but ever since living in the city 5 years Im pretty sure East King Co is MUCH cloudier and nastier. Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you. TargheeI believe I said that Sunday would be the cloudier day and that the whole weekend would be dry. (Video) 10 Places in WASHINGTON You Should NEVER Move To, (Video) Top 10 Reasons to Retire in Sequim WA, (Video) Why the best place to live in the US will be the Rust Belt. The US average is 205 sunny days. But, it is still quite warm during the summer, with temperatures reaching average, highs of about 80 to 85 degrees in July and August, one of the best cities in all of Eastern Washington, , which is a prime reason why it is also the home to. sunscreen and shades) and head out to one of these bright spots in the Northwest. Idahos inland mountain ranges manage to rock a desert-type climate: low humidity and just enough snow to keep the ski bums happy. In western Washington, the driest location is the rainshadow of the Olympics, where some locations, such as Sequim, enjoy 15-17 inches of precipitation per year. Richland is a part of Washington State's Tri-Cities, which includes Kennewick and Pasco. In western Washington, the driest location is the rainshadow of the Olympics, where some locations, such as Sequim, enjoy 15-17 inches of precipitation per year. A day on the mountain is always a great idea, and our state's largest ski and snowboarding resort is always an epic choice if you're ready for a snowy adventure. Speaking of sun, to quote Ricky Ricardo in "I Love Lucy": y'all've got some 'splainin' to do. Average rainfall in Sequim is 16 inches.) I've lived in Seattle for 15 years and it seems to me subjectively that the number of sunny/clear days is increasing. Name calling and personal attacks are not appropriate. He then asked me what made me think that. Yuma, Arizona, takes the crown as the sunniest place on Earth, with more than 4,000 hours of sunlight per year and an average of 11 hours of sunlight each day that's even more sun than Egypt while Seattle sees an average of only 3.8 hours of sunlight daily. Let us know in the comments. Answer (1 of 13): Depends. There is no more important question for sun-starved residents of western Washington. More than half of the days here are sunny and summers are hot and dry as well. Data site Bestplaces.net uses a handful of weather models, from NOAA's to one from the National Climatic Data Center, to estimate days of sunshine in zip codes across the U.S. Seattle scores a modest 152 days. Or, perhaps its finally time you pack up and move to a state where the sun shines more often than not. The sunniest cities in Washington are located in the central and southeastern parts of the state. Still operated by the same family, the hotel sits walking distance to the small towns holiday light shows and decorated trees, and less than 10 miles from a small ski and tubing hill. Good thing Idahos capital gets winter sun; one of its biggest tourist draws, the historic state penitentiary, would feel grim in constant drizzle. And particularly more sun during mid-winter when eastern Washington descends into its low-cloud enshrouded gloom and cold temperatures. Data site Bestplaces.net uses a handful of weather models, from NOAA's to one from the National Climatic Data Center, to estimate days of sunshine in zip codes across the U.S. Seattle scores a modest 152 days. , Where is the cheapest warm place to live? , What state has an average temperature of 70? The city has a population of almost 5.2 million people who bask in more than 3,730 hours of sunshine every year. during the summer and lows that are just above 20 degrees in the winter. Years ago, I was with a friend, and we were driving to Forks. Some months, such as December 2010 and April 2011, the difference is huge (8 more days of sun per month). 4.4 inches of snow per yearsome cities in Washington average 50 inches of snow per year. Major cities in Western Washington: Aberdeen. Where can one go on a day trip and experience a lot more sun? It has a cost of living that is 1 percent below the national average. When hes not researching and writing, you can find him around Salt Lake City, Utah, snapping photos of mountains and architecture or seeking out some good tunes and friendly faces. Yuma. Bend 162. - Dog Pricing, The 12 Best Online Data Entry Jobs and What You Can Earn, Moving From Florida To Washington: Benefits, Cities, & Costs, Renewing Your Driving Licence | Older Drivers, What are the sunniest cities in Washington? His number of "dreary" days (very low amount of solar radiation) is far higher in Seattle (19) than Sequim (5). The temperature here is also quite comfortable, with. Other sunny places include the Okanogan Highlands, the Methow Valley, and the Columbia River Gorge. Are Residents Of Washington Dc U.S. Citizens? John Davidson raises an interesting question, whether South Lopez, or South San Juan is drier and sunnier than Sequim. Some cities tie for the same rank based on percentage. Port Townsend (zip 98368) gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 138 days per year. Spot temperatures and probabilities of measurable precipitation are for today, tonight, and Saturday. Spokane receives 171 days of sunshine on average every year. is the highest amount on this list. But you dont have to go that far afield to catch a few reliable rays. Gray skies may rule over Seattle, but the sun is shining at these vacation destinations only a few hours from the city, By Danielle Centoni, Leslie Kelly, Kristen Russell, and Roddy Scheer May 1, 2018. official climate of Kennewick is a semi-arid climate. I know they are close.The National Park Service reports average annual precipitation on S. San Juan in the vicinity of American Camp of roughly 18 inches, whereas the average precipitation in central Sequim is reported as 16.51 inches by the Weather Service.There is a precipitation table on my website if you are interested. One of the rising best places to retire in the northwest United States is Yakima, located in central Washington. The sunny three: Arizona, Florida and Hawaii. Can You Buy Lottery Tickets Online in Washington State? Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Located just south of Olympia, Tumwater has a population of around 20,000 people. The long days of summer, with perfect weather that makes living in this region so worth it, are long behind us. http://www.bestplaces.net/climate/city/washington/sequim Sequim:132 sunny days Seattle:152 sunny days San Juan Island (Friday Harbor):157 sunny days Clinton: 164 sunny days I lived in Sequim for years and it's HORRIBLY cold and grey there, compared to other places in Washington. , What cities have the best weather in Washington state? Travis is also a father of three young children, and he loves spending time with his family. That's where listener Dave O'Hern says to go for sunshine: "Head east to Ellensburg, then . Eastern Washingtons biggest city is like Seattle on opposite day: flat instead of hilly, sunny to our gray skies. Local wineries, crowded in summer, offer wide-open tasting rooms in winter. Pullman 6. Olympia, Washington in 47F High 34F Low 70 % Chance of Rain 80 % Cloud Cover Ocean Shores Ocean Shores -- located on Gray's Harbor on the state's Western coast -- is a top vacation. The states lone heliskiing operation takes off nearby, and Sun Mountain might be the only place in the state to rent Altai Hok Ski shoes, a kind of combo snowshoe-ski. Cant stand the cold, cloudy confusion that days of endless gray bring? Population: 21,111 Percent of Sunny Days per Year: 56% Average Inches of Rain per Year: 9 inches. Travis believes that every student has the potential to succeed, and he tirelessly works to help them reach their full potential. Population: 75,432 Percent of Sunny Days per Year: 53% Average Inches of Rain per Year: 8 inches. For, Sagecliffe Resort and Spa unites people and nature, For savvy Seattleites, the secret is out: Winter snowbirds in search of sunshine dont have to fly south in winter they can also drive east.