United States
Seattle in December
🧥 WinterCold and often rainy.
🎒 Pack: warm jacket for evenings · compact umbrella or rain jacket
Why December scores 7.4What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort5.9
- !Cold (8°C highs / 3°C lows)
- ✓Comfortable humidity (dew point 2.9°C)
- !Wet: ~202 mm rain, ~7 heavy-rain days
- Air quality9.2
- ✓Good (within WHO guideline) (PM2.5 ~10 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards9.5
- !Flood: ~7 heavy-rain days in an average December
- Safety baseline7.5
- ·Increased caution
| Dec | Jul | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 7.4 Good | 9.6 Excellent |
| Season | 🧥 Winter | ☀️ Summer |
| High / low | 8° / 3° | 25° / 14° |
| Rain | 202 mm | 14 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 3° | dew pt 14° |
| PM2.5 | 10 µg/m³ | 7 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Seattle weather-station normals.
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 SeattleEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyPacific Northwest city on Puget Sound, known for Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, coffee culture and views of Mount Rainier.
No major events on our calendar for December.
Coming up later
Northwest Folklife FestivalDate variesUsually Memorial Day weekend (late May)
A large community festival of folk music, dance and crafts.
Why go: Free to attend, with donations encouraged.
Where: Seattle Center
Seattle PrideDate variesUsually the last weekend of June
A Pride parade through downtown and events across the city.
Why go: Downtown streets close for the parade.
Where: Downtown and Capitol Hill
SeafairDate variesUsually July to early August
A summer festival season ending with hydroplane boat races and Blue Angels air shows.
Why go: The race weekend draws big crowds to the lake shore.
Where: Lake Washington and neighbourhoods
Pike Place Market
A historic public market with fish stalls, produce and crafts.
Space Needle and Chihuly Garden and Glass
An observation tower next to a museum of glass art.
Museum of Pop Culture
A museum of music and pop culture.
Bainbridge Island ferry
A ferry ride across Puget Sound with city views.
Mount Rainier National Park
A glaciated volcano with wildflower meadows.
💡 Wildflowers peak in midsummer; some roads close in winter.
Ballard Locks
Locks with a fish ladder where salmon can be seen.
Salmon
Pacific salmon, often grilled or smoked.
💡 Seafood restaurants and Pike Place Market
Oysters
Local oysters.
💡 Oyster bars
Dungeness crab
Sweet Pacific crab.
💡 Seafood restaurants
Coffee
Seattle has a strong coffee culture.
💡 Independent cafes
Seattle-style teriyaki
Grilled chicken with a sweet sauce.
💡 Teriyaki shops
Coffee
Beans from local roasters.
💡 Cafes
Smoked salmon
Vacuum-packed smoked salmon.
💡 Pike Place Market
Northwest Coast art
Indigenous art.
💡 Galleries