Mt Rainier NP Weather Sites and Data
Find weather sites via a map
MPG V2.7, July 2010
After any visitor to Mt. Rainier National Park decides they want to visit the NP, and they have a list of places to go, their next thought is, "So, what will the weather be like when we're there?" To answer that you'll need some information, namely the current data and the forecast. And that is the goal of this and the map Web page, to provide you the data, information and links, see bottom of this Web page.
Background
It's always been said that whatever the weather in Western Washington, the Puget Sound, or even the central Cascade Mountains, Mt. Rainier makes its own weather. This is true even in the summer, when the NP gets most of its visitors, Memorial Day to Labor Day. If you look at the monthly average temperatures for three sites and the monthly extreme temperatures you can see the reason. It can get cold, and sometimes in a hurry, especially at night.
What you need to know is based on the seasons, which divided less by the actual dates of each season and more the common usage, are described below. You should adjust your clothes according to what temperatures you acclimated to where you live or have travelled, but it's always best to follow the layer approach to add or remove layers as needed for the temperatures. And always bring a rain coat, the protection and temperature level appropriate for the season.
Seasons
Spring, March through May to Memorial Day, is the last of the snow accumulation in the NP, usually ending between late march to late May, as seen in the graphs for Paradise, at 5,130 feet, and earlier at lower elevations. Any trip in this period should consider encountering snow except in the worst drought years, but always cold temperatures. The weather slowly warms from mid-to-late April through May with occasional unusual late springs storms.
Summer is obviously the best time to visit the NP, and also busiest. The weather from Memorial Day to Labor Day is best described as variable. It's not likely you'll be snowed on, but cold and rain are always possibilities, even in July and August, the driest months. And being as the elevations are 2,500 and up, it's always cold at night. Your best bet is to prepare for cool to warm daytime temperatures and cool to cold at night.
Fall, Labor Day through Thanksgiving Day, is usually the transistion period, although we can easily have an Indian summer through September and into October. However, normally, and often earlier, the cooler to colder and rainy weather of fall starts sometime mid-to-late September and is in full force by mid-to-late October. November is the most variable month for rain, as noted in the November 2006 record storms and floods in the NP.
Winter, December to April-May, is for those serious about winter. The snowpack normally starts in November as the freezing and snow levels falls to the 2,500 elevation early in winter, becoming a seasonal fixture by December. After that it's snow, often down to 1,000 feet or lower. It's the time the NP goes into winter recreation rules with seasonal road closures and temporary closures of the Longmire to Paradise road.
Additional Resources
The next important information is where to find information and links, which are listed below.
- Books in Print
- Forecast Links
Please use the contact link to send e-mail.