Seattle weather

It happens, barely

The Space Needle during Seattle's February 2021 snowstorm. Photo: Seattle City Council, CC BY 2.0.

The real odds

6.3 inches a year

Spread across about 5 days, most of it a dusting.

Why so rare

Blame the ocean

Real snow needs cold air from inland Canada first.

The microclimate

The “snow hole”

Ballard has a reputation for staying dry.

The record

20.2 inches

Buses stopped running for days.

Read the full guide

The real numbers

How often, how much, and why some neighborhoods see it and others don't.

Read the full guide