# Travel >> Destinations >> North America

Washington State's Coastal Range Climate: Mild, Wet Winters; Cool, Dry Summers

The **Coastal Range region of Washington** (Olympic Mountains, Willapa Hills, coastal lowlands) enjoys a **classic Temperate Oceanic (Marine West Coast - Cfb)** climate—nature's "Goldilocks" zone, heavily moderated by the **Pacific Ocean**.

Seasonal Breakdown

Season	Temp Range	Precipitation	Character
Winter (Nov–Mar)	35–45°F (2–7°C) lowlands	Very High. 15–30+ in/month. Rain dominant. Snow rare <500ft; heavy in Olympics (>300 in/yr on peaks).	Cloudy, damp, mild. "Liquid sunshine."
Spring (Apr–Jun)	45–60°F (7–16°C)	Decreasing. Showers.	Green explosion. Wildflowers.
Summer (Jul–Sep)	55–70°F (13–21°C) coast; 70–80°F inland valleys	Very Low. Pronounced drought. July–Sep often <1 in/month. "Mediterranean" pulse.	Sunny, dry, pleasant. Best weather.
Autumn (Oct)	50–60°F (10–16°C)	Rapid increase. "First flush" storms.	Transition. Mushrooms. Salmon return.

Geographic Nuances

Olympic Rain Shadow: **Sequim/Port Angeles (NE Olympics)** get **<16 in/yr** (rain shadow). **Hoh Rainforest (W. Olympics)** gets **140–170+ in/yr**. **<50 miles apart.**
Puget Sound Lowlands (Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma): **35–45 in/yr.** Mildest winters, warmest summers in region. Convergence zone bands.
Willapa Hills (SW): Wet, lower elevation, heavy logging history.

Ecological Result

**Temperate Rainforests (Hoh, Queets, Quinault)** – Sitka spruce, western hemlock, massive biomass. **Productive coniferous forests** (Douglas fir, hemlock) everywhere else. **Salmon rivers.** **Mild climate allows year-round growth** (grass, crops, gardens).

**Pack rain gear Oct–Jun. Sunscreen Jul–Sep. Layers always.**

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North America