Does It Snow in Seattle? A Seattle Local Gives You the Real Answer

Yes, it does snow in Seattle, Washington, but Seattle’s average annual snowfall is only 5 to 6 inches at sea level — making significant snowfall a rare and genuinely disruptive event for a city that sits between the Pacific Ocean and the Cascade Mountains.

I’ve lived in Seattle long enough to know what a real Seattle snow event feels like: the city collectively panics, grocery shelves empty, and the hills in Capitol Hill and Ballard become impassable before a single snowplow deploys. This guide gives you the full picture — monthly snowfall data, historic storms, the microclimates that make Seattle snow so unpredictable, and what winter weather actually looks like here month by month.

How Much Does It Snow in Seattle?

Seattle receives an average annual snowfall of 5 to 6 inches (12 to 15 cm) at sea level, according to National Weather Service (NWS) historical climate data. That total is spread unevenly across the winter months of December, January, and February, with most years seeing 1 to 3 measurable snow events Downtown and many winters producing no meaningful accumulation at all.

For context, Spokane — on the eastern side of Washington State — averages over 40 inches (101 cm) of snow per year. The Cascade Mountains at Snoqualmie Pass (I-90 Snoqualmie Pass) record 400+ inches (1,016+ cm) annually. Seattle’s coastal position next to Puget Sound keeps the winter climate here dramatically milder than both.

While Seattle does see snow during winter, heavy accumulation is relatively rare compared to other northern U.S. cities. Travelers who prefer milder weather and fewer chances of snow often consider late spring through early fall the best time to go to Seattle.

Seattle’s average snowfall by month:

Month	Average Snowfall (Sea Level)
November	0.3 inches (0.8 cm)
December	1.5 inches (3.8 cm)
January	2.1 inches (5.3 cm)
February	1.4 inches (3.6 cm)
March	0.4 inches (1 cm)
Total Winter Average	~5.7 inches (14.5 cm)

Does It Snow in Seattle in December?

Yes, it snows in Seattle in December, and December is the second most active snow month in Seattle’s winter climate after January. December snowfall in Seattle averages 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) at sea level, but that figure covers wide variation — some Decembers produce no snow at all, while others deliver a significant snowfall making travel across the city genuinely difficult.

The December 1996 Seattle snowstorm is the most referenced historical instance of a severe December snow event — a multi-day snowfall that produced over 20 inches (50 cm) of accumulation across the city and shut down Seattle-Tacoma International Airport for extended periods. Weather blogger Cliff Mass of the University of Washington Atmospheric Sciences department covered this event extensively in historical seattle climate analyses comparing it to Seattle’s typical winter precipitation patterns.

Will it snow in Seattle for Christmas? A white Christmas in Seattle occurs in roughly 10–15% of years based on historical data. The NWS Seattle climate record shows Christmas Day snow accumulation as an uncommon but documented event — not an annual expectation.

Does It Snow in Seattle in January?

Yes, January is Seattle’s snowiest month, averaging 2.1 inches (5.3 cm) of snowfall at sea level. January snow events in Seattle occur in most years, though measurable accumulation — defined as 1 inch (2.5 cm) or more — happens in roughly 50–60% of January months historically.

January snow in Seattle tends to arrive as brief events that melt within 24–48 hours at sea level, driven by the Puget Sound’s moderating temperature effect. The average January low temperature in Seattle sits around 38°F (3°C), which keeps precipitation near the rain/snow boundary rather than producing sustained cold that locks in accumulation.

KING-TV (Seattle), KIRO 7 (Seattle), and KOMO News (Seattle) all run dedicated winter weather advisory coverage when January snow forecasts emerge — Seattle’s flat newsroom attention to 1–2 inch snow forecasts reflects how operationally disruptive even small accumulations are in a hilly city with limited snowplow deployment frequency.

Does It Snow in Seattle in February?

Yes, it snows in Seattle in February, with an average of 1.4 inches (3.6 cm) of snowfall at sea level. February 2019 is the most significant recent historical instance — Seattle received over 20 inches (50 cm) of snow across a 10-day period, the largest February snowstorm in the city’s recorded seattle climate history. The February 2019 event caused road closures across Seattle, disrupted service at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, and generated wide coverage from The Seattle Times Weather desk and University of Washington Atmospheric Sciences department.

February snow in Seattle follows a similar pattern to January — brief events, rapid melt at lower elevations, and significant variation year to year based on La Niña and El Niño climate cycles. La Niña years produce colder, snowier Seattle winters; El Niño years tend toward warmer, wetter conditions with less snow at sea level.

Does It Snow in Seattle in March?

Yes, it occasionally snows in Seattle in March, but March snowfall averages only 0.4 inches (1 cm) at sea level and occurs in a minority of years. March snow events in Seattle are brief, typically below-freezing overnight incidents that produce light accumulation melting by mid-morning. March snowfall at the Cascade foothills elevation is more reliable — Stevens Pass and Snoqualmie Pass both extend their ski seasons well into March and sometimes April.

How Often Does It Snow in Seattle?

Seattle experiences measurable snowfall (1 inch / 2.5 cm or more) in roughly 2 to 4 events per year on average, based on NWS historical climate records. Years with zero measurable accumulation occur; years with 10+ inches (25+ cm) at sea level also occur. Seattle snow prediction accuracy drops sharply beyond 72 hours because Seattle sits at the boundary between marine air from the Pacific Ocean and cold continental air from the Cascade Mountains — small temperature shifts determine whether precipitation falls as rain, sleet, or snow.

4 factors that determine how often it snows in Seattle:

• Freezing level concerns: Seattle’s sea-level elevation means the freezing level controls whether storms produce rain or snow. A freezing level at 500 feet (152 m) produces downtown snow; at 1,000 feet (305 m), rain falls at sea level while the Cascade foothills get snow.
• Puget Sound snow shadow: The Olympic Mountains block moisture from the west, and the Puget Sound moderates temperatures — both effects reduce Seattle’s snowfall relative to inland Western Washington locations.
• La Niña and El Niño cycles: La Niña winters increase Seattle snow probability; El Niño winters reduce it.
• Microclimates affect snowfall: Seattle’s hills create significant microclimate variation — Capitol Hill and Beacon Hill receive more snow accumulation than lower-elevation neighborhoods like SoDo or the waterfront, because elevation impacts Seattle’s snow accumulation directly.

Is Snow Common in Seattle?

No, significant snow accumulation is not common in Seattle at sea level. Snow flurries and brief dustings occur in most winters, but accumulation above 3 inches (7.6 cm) happens in roughly 1 out of every 3 winters based on NWS historical data. Snowfall versus rainfall in Seattle skews heavily toward rain — Seattle receives about 37 inches (94 cm) of rain annually versus 5 to 6 inches (12 to 15 cm) of snow.

Visitors arriving from the East Coast or Midwest expecting Seattle winter weather to resemble continental cold-weather cities find Seattle’s winter climate here genuinely mild — overcast and wet but not deeply cold. The temperature rarely drops below 28°F (-2°C) at sea level, and sustained sub-freezing days are uncommon.

Seattle Snow by Neighborhood — Microclimates Matter

Seattle’s microclimates create 3 distinct snow accumulation zones within the city:

Higher elevation neighborhoods (more snow):

• Capitol Hill, First Hill, Beacon Hill, and Ballard’s higher sections record more snow accumulation and longer-lasting coverage than Downtown. Elevation impacts Seattle snow accumulation reliably — 200–300 feet (61–91 m) of elevation difference produces noticeably different conditions during a snow event.

Sea-level and waterfront neighborhoods (less snow):

• SoDo, the waterfront, and lower sections of Ballard sit at or near sea level where the Puget Sound’s temperature moderating effect reduces accumulation and speeds melting speed comparison between low and high elevations.

East-facing hillside neighborhoods (more snow):

• Neighborhoods facing toward the Cascade Mountains — including parts of the Rainier Valley — receive more exposure to cold continental air pushing west through mountain gaps, increasing snow frequency relative to west-facing slopes.

Seattle’s weather in December through February does not produce uniform conditions citywide. Snowfall micro-forecasting is needed to understand which neighborhoods will accumulate versus which will receive cold rain during the same storm.

Historic Seattle Snowstorms — The 2 Biggest Events

Seattle’s 2 largest recorded snowstorms in the modern weather record are:

December 1996 Seattle Snowstorm: Seattle received over 20 inches (50 cm) of snow accumulation across a multi-day event in December 1996 — the largest single-month snowfall in the city’s modern climate record. The December 1996 event disrupted operations at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, caused widespread road closures across the city’s hills, and remains the primary historical reference point for Seattle’s worst-case winter weather scenario.

February 2019 Seattle Snowstorm: The February 2019 event produced comparable accumulation across a 10-day period, with some Seattle neighborhoods recording over 20 inches (50 cm) total. The February 2019 storm generated significant attention from KING-TV (Seattle), KIRO 7 (Seattle), and KOMO News (Seattle), and weather blogger Cliff Mass published detailed post-event analysis on the University of Washington Atmospheric Sciences blog comparing the storm to the December 1996 event.

Both events exposed Seattle’s limited snowplow deployment frequency — the city maintains a small fleet relative to its size, which Northwest Weather analysts and The Seattle Times Weather reporters consistently note as a structural challenge during unexpected snowstorms.

Will It Snow in Seattle This Winter?

Whether Seattle gets significant snow in any given winter depends primarily on 2 atmospheric factors: the La Niña/El Niño cycle and whether the polar vortex displaces far enough south to push cold continental air across the Cascade Mountains into the Puget Sound lowlands.

The National Weather Service (NWS) Seattle office issues winter weather advisories when snow accumulation forecast for sea-level Seattle reaches 1 inch (2.5 cm) or more. NWS snow accumulation forecasts for Seattle are most reliable within 24–48 hours; beyond 72 hours, the rain/snow boundary uncertainty makes specific accumulation predictions unreliable.

Check these 4 Seattle-specific sources for real-time and forecast Seattle weather conditions:

• National Weather Service (NWS) Seattle office
• Cliff Mass Weather Blog — University of Washington Atmospheric Sciences; the most detailed local analysis of Seattle climate patterns
• KING-TV (Seattle) — local TV winter weather advisory coverage
• The Seattle Times Weather — news-context coverage of significant Seattle snow events

Does Seattle Get More Snow Than Other Pacific Northwest Cities?

No, Seattle gets less snow than most major Pacific Northwest cities east of the Cascade Mountains. Seattle’s annual snowfall of 5 to 6 inches (12 to 15 cm) is significantly lower than Spokane’s 40+ inches (101+ cm) per year. Portland, Oregon sits in a similar maritime climate position and records comparable annual snowfall to Seattle.

Within Western Washington, Seattle also receives less snow than cities at higher elevation or farther from Puget Sound’s moderating effect — including parts of the Cascade foothills, where even 500 feet (152 m) of additional elevation increases snow frequency noticeably.

What to Expect During a Seattle Snow Event

Seattle’s response to snow events has 5 consistent characteristics that distinguish Seattle from snow-experienced cities:

• Road closures on hills occur quickly — Seattle’s grid of steep hills becomes impassable for standard vehicles after 2–3 inches (5–7.6 cm) of accumulation
• Snowplow deployment frequency is limited — Seattle operates fewer plows per road mile than comparable northern US cities, so coverage is prioritized on major arterials
• Travel disruptions at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport begin when runway accumulation requires de-icing operations, which slows the full departure/arrival schedule
• School and business closures activate on lower snow thresholds than East Coast or Midwest cities — 2 inches (5 cm) of accumulation produces school closures that a Chicago or Minneapolis winter would treat as a normal commute
• Grocery and supply runs spike immediately when snow accumulation forecasts are issued — Seattle residents who grew up here or moved from non-snow regions both treat forecast snow events with high concern

Seattle Snow Summary — The 6 Facts Worth Knowing

The 6 key facts about snow in Seattle, Washington:

• Seattle’s average annual snowfall is 5 to 6 inches (12 to 15 cm) at sea level
• January is Seattle’s snowiest month, averaging 2.1 inches (5.3 cm)
• Measurable snow accumulation events occur 2 to 4 times per year on average
• A white Christmas in Seattle happens in roughly 10–15% of years
• December 1996 and February 2019 are Seattle’s 2 largest modern snowstorms
• Elevation impacts Seattle snow significantly — Capitol Hill accumulates more than the waterfront during the same storm

Seattle’s winter climate here is mild, wet, and overcast — not the snow-heavy winter visitors from the East Coast and Midwest expect. The Cascade Mountains hold the deep snow. Snoqualmie Pass and Stevens Pass are under 1.5 hours from Seattle and receive reliable snowfall all winter. If you want guaranteed Pacific Northwest snow, the mountains deliver it year after year.

Seattle snowfall data sourced from National Weather Service (NWS) Seattle climate records, University of Washington Atmospheric Sciences historical analyses, and The Seattle Times Weather archives.Share