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Sequim's Weather

When the first settlers to the Sequim Valley tried to set up farming, they found that the inland prairie turned dry and brown in the summer. In those days the Sequim prairie was called "the desert" and there was even a unique type of cactus growing.

It wasn't until a small group of daring pioneers built the first irrigation system in the 1890's with a series of flumes from the Dungeness River that the Sequim prairie began to flourish as a farming community. Ultimately, nine main irrigation districts and companies were formed, and the opening of the first ditch is celebrated annually in May. In May 1995 the 100th Sequim Irrigation Festival will be held.

The reason for this quest for water is a unique phenomenon which places Sequim in the "rain shadow" of the Olympic Mountains. While areas all around the Sequim Valley get anywhere from 30 to 150 inches per year, the rainfall in Sequim averages between 14 and 17 inches annually. In a 15 year period between 1979 and 1993, the highest rainfall was 20.24 inches in 1983, and the lowest was 11.71 inches in 1987.

Although the Olympic mountains are snow-capped for most of the year very little snow falls in the Sequim Valley. It may snow in November, December or January but usually it is gone within a day or two. December 1992 was an exception when 6 to 7 inches of snow stayed on the ground into January and the coldest temperature dipped to 12 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sequim has been dubbed "the blue hole" by pilots, as when they fly over there is a patch of blue at Sequim in contrast to the clouds all around it. The sun shines more in Sequim than anywhere else in western Washington.  We can expect an increase in rainfall of about 1.5 inches as  we travel west and an increase of .9 inches as you travel east from Sequim.

The warmest and driest months are July, August and September but even the summer climate is moderate and the residents start complaining about the heat when the thermometer hits 80 degrees. April and May are quite nice with the rhododendrons and azaleas bursting into bloom. June can go either way and be cold and rainy or warm and dry, but it is risky to plan an outdoor wedding in June.

Since each year is different, this is only a generalization of normal or "average" weather patterns for Sequim and the Dungeness Valley based on statistical data.

A couple of good resources to keep an eye on the weather is Sequim include:

Destination Sequim
- Check out our weather - updated every 5 minutes.

Welcome to Sunny Sequim
- area information, weather, and great resources.

Click here to see an average rainfall chart.

Click here to see annual precipitation averages.

Copyright 2007 Nanc Smith, Windermere /Sequim Central, 279 W. Washington, Sequim, WA -
360.683.1741. Email me.

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360.681.7111. Email webmaster.