Averaging 39.34 inches of rain per year, Seattle is known as the rainy city, but why did we get this title and as the climate keeps changing, how much longer will we hold it for? Contrary to popular belief, Seattle is only the 44th rainiest city in the USA by total precipitation per year. Seattle has mostly mild weather, never getting too hot or too cold. This is a direct result of the surrounding geography. As worries grow stronger about the changing weather, what can we expect?
Just east of Seattle lies the Cascade Mountain range, which separates the weather of western Washington from eastern Washington. Humid air that passes over mountains is forced to rise, which causes the air to cool. The rain is caused by the other mountain ranges, such as the Olympic Mountains and the Vancouver Island range. These mountains trap the warm air from the Pacific.
The oceans squeeze the moisture out and cause cloud formation. That’s why we have so much overcast weather. So now we know why the climate is mild, but how are other factors changing it?
King County increased 1.6 degrees in the spring from 1970 to 2024. While it would mean warmer days, in the long run climate change can lead to extreme flooding and worsened wildfires. The heatwave in 2021 caused a 44% increase in air conditioning in Seattle homes, according to KOMO News. Since summers in the PNW are drier, increased temperatures lead to more wildfires being able to start and last longer. Increased temperatures also cause warmer oceans, which causes more evaporation, leading to heavier rainfall.
In the future, we can anticipate the local government implementing better infrastructure to accommodate the residents in different climates. One difference is the addition of electric/hybrid transportation, which lowers greenhouse gas emissions. Weather will always be ever-changing, but one thing that is for certain is the ways we will need to adapt to the seasons.
Sources:
https://www.axios.com/local/seattle/2025/03/03/climate-change-spring-temperatures-washington
https://www.seattlesouthside.com/does-it-always-rain-in
seattle/#:~:text=Facts%20vs%20Myths%20about%20Rain,conditions%20for%20a%20few%20d ays
https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/executive/governance-leadership/climate-office/focus areas/climate-preparedness/our-changing-
climate#:~:text=Since%201900%2C%20average%20annual%20air,F%20warmer%20in%20the %202050s.
https://graphical.weather.gov/sectors/sectorDay.php?sector=pdt&view=public&expand=false#ta bs
https://climatecheck.com/washington/seattle
https://seattle.gov/documents/departments/opcd/seattleplan/seattleclimatevulnerabilityassessm entjuly2023.pdf
https://www.seattle.gov/environment/climate-change
https://komonews.com/news/local/trend-in-avoiding-ac-in-seattle-now-reversed-heat-wave-air conditioner-units-power-outages-energy-electricity
