Washington Climate – July 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Vancouver, and Bellevue
Summary
Washington state endured an unusually dry and warm start to summer, culminating in a period of heightened wildfire activity across the region driven by persistent moisture deficits and low snowpack. July averaged 19.56°C, making it the 20th warmest such month in 77 years of record-keeping, while seasonal rainfall was among the lowest recorded. The background climate setting is influenced by ENSO, where a moderate El Niño is intensifying and forecast to peak at Very Strong in Sep-Nov with a 93% probability, with warmer and drier conditions expected to persist into autumn.
This month in numbers
The 3-month period from May to July 2026 recorded an average temperature of 16.17°C, standing 1.8°C above the 1961–1990 baseline and ranking as the 7th warmest May–July in records dating back to 1950. Daytime conditions were particularly intense, with May–July maximum temperatures reaching 23.24°C, also the 7th highest on record. July itself registered an average temperature of 19.56°C, 1.9°C warmer than the baseline. Rainfall was severely deficient throughout the season: July brought just 9.4 mm of rain (16.2 mm below average, ranking 64th out of 77 years, or 14th driest), which dragged the 3-month precipitation total down to 88.9 mm (39.7 mm below average, the 8th driest May–July on record).
What changed
The dry spell across the Pacific Northwest forms part of a wider planetary pattern. Globally, land temperatures reached their 2nd highest May–July on record at 1.5°C above baseline, while July on its own ranked as the 3rd warmest globally at 1.6°C above baseline. Within the United States, Washington's 1-month temperature anomaly of +1.88°C ran 0.50°C cooler than the Northwest US climate region average of +2.38°C, positioning it behind neighbouring Oregon and Idaho. Nevertheless, Washington's 12-month rolling average temperature of 9.51°C (+2.08°C above baseline) aligns with a broader national trend in which 7 of the top 10 warmest 12-month anomalies worldwide were US states.
What’s driving change?
The elevated temperatures and seasonal dryness have been amplified by that held high-pressure ridges over the region, blocking Pacific storms and promoting warm, continental air flow. worsened the summer heat, as parched soils could no longer cool the surface through evaporation, intensifying local warming. All of Washington's 2 droughts this year have occurred in the past month, tracked on our live map at Extreme Weather tracker. The overarching atmospheric pattern is further shaped by ENSO, where a moderate El Niño in the tropical Pacific is reinforcing warm and dry tendencies across the Pacific Northwest, with further details available at ENSO.
Looking ahead
Seasonal forecast models indicate that warmer and drier than average conditions are likely to persist across Washington over the next 1 to 3 months into autumn.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – USUnited States
Source: NOAA Climate at a Glance — US states & climate regions (tavg, pcp), plus GPCC (Snow, water-equivalent). Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline. See methodology.
Typical Climate – Washington
Köppen Csb · TemperateWashington has a temperate climate (Köppen Csb: Mediterranean - warm summer), with both a warm/cold cycle and a wet/dry cycle through the year. August is typically the warmest month, averaging 19.4°C, while December is the coldest at 0.0°C. Annual precipitation averages around 1072mm, concentrated mostly in the wet season.
Monthly climate normals (2016–2025) - bar colour and height show average temperature, the shaded area shows average monthly rain, with snow (water-equivalent) shown separately.
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Long-Term Trends
Combined Timeline – Washington
Precipitation, Sunshine, Frost and Snow are converted to standard deviations from their own average so they can share an axis with Temperature.
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Heatwave Days – Washington
Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - days in a 6+ day run above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that time of year.
Data: World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5-derived). Refreshed roughly 1-2x/year, ~7-8 months behind present.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Washington
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Monthly Temperature – Washington
Background lines show the last 40 years (plus the record year and its opposite, wherever they fall).
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Records – Washington
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)) - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm/cold + wet/dryKöppen Dsb · ContinentalWashington has both a clear warm/cold cycle (±10.0°C) and a wet/dry cycle (8× wet:dry ratio). Both sides of the annual rhythm are shown below.
Monthly precipitation climatology. A “wet month” exceeds the baseline monthly mean (dashed gold line). Biggest month-to-month shift: Jan (-18 mm, -10%).
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Climate Systems
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Emissions & Energy
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Data Sources
Data Sources for Washington
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
Statewide monthly temperature and precipitation (nClimDiv).
Frost Days and Heatwave Days (Warm Spell Duration Index), ERA5-derived. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal.
Monthly snow water-equivalent, Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD).
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Washington changing?
Washington is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
What is the climate like in Washington?
Washington has a temperate climate (Köppen Csb: Mediterranean - warm summer), with both a warm/cold cycle and a wet/dry cycle through the year. August is typically the warmest month, averaging 19.4°C, while December is the coldest at 0.0°C. Annual precipitation averages around 1072mm, concentrated mostly in the wet season.
Where does the climate data for Washington come from?
Climate data for Washington comes from NOAA Climate at a Glance (temperature and precipitation), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Washington climate data cover?
The Washington climate profile covers Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Vancouver and surrounding areas. Washington climate data from NOAA Climate at a Glance
How often is the Washington climate update refreshed?
The Washington climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.
What counts as a Heatwave Day on the Washington climate page?
Heatwave Days use the Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI-standard heatwave measure: days that are part of a run of 6 or more consecutive days above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that calendar day. The 90th-percentile threshold varies by time of year (a hot day in January is judged differently to one in July) but is fixed to the 1961-1990 baseline for every year shown - it does not shift as the climate warms, which is why Heatwave Days trend upward over time.
Does the Washington climate page include frost and snow data?
Yes. Frost Days (days with a minimum temperature below 0°C, World Bank CCKP) and snow water-equivalent (GPCC) are shown alongside temperature and precipitation, each measured against the 1961-1990 baseline where a like-for-like historical comparison is available.