Seattle receives more than half of its yearly rainfall between November and April. With sunrise coming as late as eight o'clock and sunset before five in the evening; Seattle's rainy season has a well-deserved reputation for being gloomy. Winter temperatures are mild, however, often around 40 degrees, with fewer than 15 days each year at or below freezing and snow relatively rare.
Seattle is best viewed during the summer season, when it truly is the Emerald City. Rain during the summer is not infrequent, but thunderstorms are rare. Temperatures are mild, rarely climbing above 80 degrees.
Despite Seattle's yearly mild temperatures and frequent precipitation, it does have distinct transitions between the dry summer and wet winter. Morning fog is frequent as autumn takes hold in October and November. November and December sometimes see powerful windstorms.
It seems that Seattle looks for reasons to celebrate the return of sunshine and a daily temperature that hovers near 60. The city hosts numerous festivals that begin in March and continue well into May.
