United States
Portland in December
🧥 WinterCold and very wet. Watch for flood risk.
🎒 Pack: warm jacket for evenings · compact umbrella or rain jacket · waterproof sandals
Why December scores 7.0What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort5.4
- !Cold (8.1°C highs / 2.7°C lows)
- ✓Comfortable humidity (dew point 2.9°C)
- !Wet: ~269 mm rain, ~10 heavy-rain days
- Air quality9.3
- ✓Good (within WHO guideline) (PM2.5 ~9 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards8.5
- !Flood: ~10 heavy-rain days (≥10 mm) in an average December
- Safety baseline7.5
- ·Increased caution
| Dec | Jul | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 7.0 Good | 9.6 Excellent |
| Season | 🧥 Winter | ☀️ Summer |
| High / low | 8° / 3° | 29° / 14° |
| Rain | 269 mm | 7 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 3° | dew pt 13° |
| PM2.5 | 9 µg/m³ | 4 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast).
Holidays & crowdsDecember 2026
Long weekendThere's at least one long weekend. Domestic travel picks up and popular spots get busier over those days.
- Christmas Day 25–27 Dec · 3 days off in a row
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Explore PortlandEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyOregon's largest city, known for its food carts, craft beer and coffee, its gardens and easy day trips to the Columbia River Gorge and Mount Hood.
Christmas Ships ParadeDate variesUsually most evenings in mid-December
A fleet of private boats decorated with lights sails along the rivers on set routes.
Why go: Viewing is free from the riverbanks; dress for cold, wet weather.
Where: Willamette and Columbia rivers
Coming up later
Portland Rose FestivalDate variesUsually late May through June
A city festival since 1907 with a riverside funfair, dragon boat races and the Grand Floral Parade.
Why go: The parade draws large crowds; arrive early for a kerbside spot.
Where: Waterfront Park and city streets
International Rose Test Garden
A free garden in Washington Park with thousands of rose bushes and views over the city.
💡 Roses peak in June.
Portland Japanese Garden
A large Japanese garden in Washington Park with ponds, a tea garden and a cultural village.
Powell's City of Books
A huge independent bookstore covering a full city block, selling new and used books.
Lan Su Chinese Garden
A walled Ming-style Chinese garden in Old Town Chinatown with a teahouse.
Forest Park
One of the largest urban forests in the US, crossed by the Wildwood Trail and many other paths.
Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls
A scenic river canyon east of the city with many waterfalls, the best known being Multnomah Falls.
💡 Some trails close after storms or fires; check conditions before you go.
Food carts
Clusters of food trucks, called pods, sell dishes from all over the world.
💡 Food cart pods across the city
Craft beer
Portland has one of the highest concentrations of breweries in the US.
💡 Brewpubs across the city
Coffee
Small-batch local roasters and independent cafes are a big part of city life.
💡 Independent cafes
Marionberry pie
Pie made with the marionberry, a blackberry variety developed in Oregon.
💡 Bakeries and farmers markets in summer
Dungeness crab
Sweet-fleshed Pacific crab from the Oregon coast.
💡 Seafood restaurants and markets
Pendleton wool blankets
Wool blankets and clothing from Pendleton, an Oregon woollen mill company.
💡 Pendleton stores and outdoor shops
Oregon pinot noir
Wine from the nearby Willamette Valley, known for pinot noir.
💡 Wine shops
Local crafts
Handmade jewellery, ceramics and art by local makers.
💡 Portland Saturday Market (weekends, roughly March to December)
Airport transfer Kiwitaxi
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