Washington weather by month & the best time to visit
United States · major city break · humid subtropical climate
The best time to visit Washington is August — its sunniest month (Sunshine Score 75/100), with October and July close behind. Washington averages about 2,293 hours of sunshine a year. Daytime highs around 31°C / 88°F and roughly 95 mm of rain in August.
When is the best time to visit Washington?
For sunshine, the best time to visit Washington is August, then October and July. The dullest month is January (0/100, 65 mm of rain). The full month-by-month picture is in the table below.
How sunny is Washington?
Washington gets a moderate 2,293 hours of sunshine a year. 75 Sunshine Score points separate August (75) from January (0), so the month you pick matters. It ranks #279 of 580 destinations in United States for annual sunshine, above the national median of 2,279 hours. The year's 1,118 mm of rain spreads fairly evenly across the months, with no pronounced dry season.
Sunshine Score by month
| Month | Score | Day high | Night low | Rain | UV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0 | 4° / 39°F | -5° / 23°F | 65 mm | 2 |
| February | 0 | 6° / 43°F | -4° / 25°F | 67 mm | 3 |
| March | 26 | 12° / 54°F | 0° / 32°F | 81 mm | 4 |
| April | 69 | 19° / 66°F | 6° / 43°F | 94 mm | 5 |
| May | 70 | 24° / 75°F | 12° / 54°F | 120 mm | 6 |
| June | 71 | 29° / 84°F | 17° / 63°F | 116 mm | 7 |
| July | 72 | 32° / 90°F | 20° / 68°F | 109 mm | 7 |
| August | 75 | 31° / 88°F | 19° / 66°F | 95 mm | 7 |
| September | 72 | 27° / 81°F | 15° / 59°F | 108 mm | 6 |
| October | 74 | 20° / 68°F | 8° / 46°F | 99 mm | 4 |
| November | 33 | 13° / 55°F | 2° / 36°F | 77 mm | 2 |
| December | 0 | 6° / 43°F | -2° / 28°F | 87 mm | 1 |
Nearest destinations
Head-to-head
How Washington compares month by month: Washington vs Baltimore · Washington vs Harrisburg · Washington vs Charlottesville · Washington vs Latrobe · all comparisons
Washington: questions and answers
What kind of destination is Washington?
Washington is a major city break in United States with a humid subtropical climate.
How many hours of sunshine does Washington get a year?
Washington gets about 2,293 hours of sunshine a year, at its best around August.
When is the best time to visit Washington?
The sunniest time to visit Washington is August, when the Sunshine Score peaks at 75/100 (with October and July close behind). Expect daytime highs around 31°C / 88°F.
What is the least sunny month in Washington?
January is the least sunny month in Washington, scoring 0/100 with about 65 mm of rain.
How strong is the sun in Washington?
The typical midday UV index in Washington peaks around 7 (high) in June, easing to about 1 (low) in December. Month-by-month midday UV values are in the UV column of the table on this page.
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