Seattle · Month comparison
July vs August
July ranks #1 overall vs August at #2. The best month — 18mm rain, 25°C, 10 hours of sun, and the Bite of Seattle in full swing.
July
#1 of 12 months
Best match
The best month — 18mm rain, 25°C, 10 hours of sun, and the Bite of Seattle in full swing.
- ↑Only 18mm rain: the driest month in the Pacific Northwest by far — nearly guaranteed blue-sky days
- ↑Bite of Seattle food festival (mid-July): 60+ restaurants serving the city's full culinary range in Seattle Center
August
#2 of 12 months
Best match
Near-identical to July — Seafair brings hydroplane racing, and the summer refuses to end.
- ↑Seafair (early August): Blue Angels air show over Lake Washington and hydroplane races — a uniquely Pacific Northwest spectacle
- ↑Bumbershoot music festival (Labor Day weekend, late Aug/early Sep): rock, hip-hop, and arts at Seattle Center
| Factor | July | August |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 10 | 9 |
| Value score | 4 | 4 |
| Crowd score | 4 | 4 |
| Events score | 8 | 8 |
| Atmosphere | 9 | 9 |
| Avg high temp | 25°C | 25°C |
| Monthly rain | 18mm | 22mm |
| Daily sunshine | 10hrs | 9.5hrs |
July trade-offs
- ↓Hotel prices at annual peak — downtown Seattle is expensive in July with no apology
- ↓Pike Place Market becomes a genuine struggle on summer weekends; arrive before 9am or after 4pm
- ↓Occasional smoke from Cascade wildfires can affect air quality and Mt Rainier visibility in late July
August trade-offs
- ↓Peak season crowds throughout: tourist volumes as high as July, Bumbershoot weekend sells out months ahead
- ↓Wildfire smoke risk from eastern Washington and BC increases in August — can affect air quality for days
- ↓Prices remain at July peak with no sign of relenting until September
Scores compare months within Seattle. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →