White Center, WA climate
White Center has mild winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 76°, a January night drops to 36°, and about 6 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in White Center feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
White Center 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° | 6.0" | 1.8" | 19 | 1 | 37° – 46° |
| February | 50° | 36° | 4.2" | 2.2" | 16 | 1 | 36° – 49° |
| March | 54° | 38° | 4.6" | 0.4" | 17 | 0 | 42° – 51° |
| April | 59° | 42° | 3.3" | 0 | 15 | 0 | 46° – 56° |
| May | 65° | 47° | 2.1" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 52° – 60° |
| June | 70° | 51° | 1.6" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 57° – 67° |
| July | 76° | 56° | 0.7" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 61° – 70° |
| August | 76° | 56° | 1.0" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 62° – 69° |
| September | 71° | 52° | 1.7" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 59° – 65° |
| October | 60° | 45° | 4.1" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 50° – 58° |
| November | 51° | 39° | 6.6" | 0.2" | 18 | 0 | 41° – 50° |
| December | 46° | 36° | 6.2" | 1.7" | 18 | 1 | 37° – 44° |
| Year | 60° | 45° | 42.0" | 6.3" | 156 | 4 |
“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 White Center
White Center gets 42 inches of rain and melted snow a year. November is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 156 days a year.
About 247 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 13 and the first one by November 17. That leaves about 247 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 90% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in White Center
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In White Center, 94% of that work is heating and 6% 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.
White Center and its neighbors
White Center borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.6°. Burien has the coldest January nights (36°) and Boulevard Park the hottest July afternoons (77°). White Center’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 White Center 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 White Center averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.5°). The shift is smaller than in 59% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at White Center’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 49°. September is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about White Center’s climate
What is the coldest month in White Center?
December, with a typical high of 46° and a low of 36°.
What is the hottest month in White Center?
August, with a typical high of 76° and a low of 56°. About 3 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does White Center get?
About 6 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in White Center?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 17, and the last spring frost by March 13.
What is the rainiest month in White Center?
November, with 6.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 42 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for White Center itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Seattle Tacoma Intl Airport, WA (5 mi, snow) and Seattle Boeing Fld, WA (3 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.