Bethel, WA climate
Bethel has mild winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 76°, a January night drops to 36°, and about 3 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade2° warmer than normal today. The forecast high is 67°, and a typical Oct 1 in Bethel peaks around 65°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What a year in Bethel feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Bethel weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 47° | 36° | 7.4" | 0.6" | 19 | 0 | 37° – 45° |
| February | 50° | 36° | 4.9" | 0.7" | 16 | 0 | 36° – 48° |
| March | 54° | 38° | 5.4" | 0.1" | 19 | 0 | 41° – 50° |
| April | 59° | 41° | 3.7" | 0 | 16 | 0 | 45° – 55° |
| May | 66° | 47° | 2.1" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 52° – 60° |
| June | 70° | 51° | 1.5" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 57° – 66° |
| July | 76° | 55° | 0.7" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 61° – 70° |
| August | 77° | 55° | 1.0" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 62° – 69° |
| September | 71° | 51° | 1.8" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 58° – 64° |
| October | 60° | 44° | 4.7" | 0 | 16 | 0 | 49° – 57° |
| November | 51° | 39° | 7.8" | 0.3" | 19 | 0 | 41° – 50° |
| December | 46° | 35° | 7.9" | 1.3" | 19 | 1 | 37° – 43° |
| Year | 60° | 44° | 48.9" | 3.0" | 167 | 2 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Bethel
Bethel gets 49 inches of rain and melted snow a year. December is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 167 days a year.
About 227 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 29 and the first one by November 14. That leaves about 227 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 85% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Bethel
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Bethel, 96% of that work is heating and 4% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
Bethel and its neighbors
Bethel borders 1 town with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.0°. Port Orchard has both the coldest January nights (36°) and the hottest July afternoons (77°). Bethel’s January low is 36° and its July high 76°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Bethel compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Bethel averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.5°). The shift is smaller than in 64% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Bethel’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. February swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 36° to 48°. September is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Bethel’s climate
What is the coldest month in Bethel?
December, with a typical high of 46° and a low of 35°.
What is the hottest month in Bethel?
August, with a typical high of 77° and a low of 55°. About 4 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Bethel get?
About 3 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Bethel?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 14, and the last spring frost by March 29.
What is the rainiest month in Bethel?
December, with 7.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 49 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Bethel itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Bremerton, WA (6 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.