About Port Townsend

We are in a "rain shadow." That means the clouds get caught on the Olympic Mountains to the west, go around to Port Angeles to the north, and south to the Hood Canal. The clouds then gather rain over the sound and dump on Seattle! So, if you're watching the weather out of Seattle, you're not getting our weather.

In Sequim, which is in the middle of the rain shadow, the average rainfall is 17 inches a year. In the Port Townsend area, we've averaged 21.91 inches in the past seven years. (High year was 28.5 inches. Low year was 16.91 inches.) To put this in perspective, Seattle is sprinkled with between 30 and 40 inches of rain each year. The southern end of the Hood Canal gathers 84 inches a year. Hard as it may be to believe, our area is actually in a sun belt!

Ever wonder why Sequim residents refer to their area as the "banana belt"? They can thank the Olympic Rain Shadow.

As the air lifts, it condenses and squeezes out its moisture -- think of it as the mountains acting like a sponge soaking up and then squeezing out the rain. That's the reason there are vast rain forests on the southwestern side of the Olympics. They receive over 200 inches of rain a year.

And, of course, Sequim sits on the northeast side of the Olympics, so they are almost always in this dry slot -- although the shadow affects Port Townsend and the San Juan Islands as well. Sequim only gets about 18 inches of rain a year. Meanwhile, just 90 miles to the west, Forks receives over 120 inches of rain a year.

Check out this map of state annual rainfall totals. You can see how dry it is around the Sequim area, and how wet it is on the southwest side of the Olympics.

One interesting statistic: Port Angeles receives about 27 inches of rain a year. However, for each mile you go west of that city, you pick up an extra inch of annual rainfall.

Not Just For Sequim

But the Olympics just don't cast their rain shadow over Sequim. In cases where the wind pattern is more westerly, the shadow will then be over the Seattle Metro area.

That's why Seattle only receives about 37 inches of rain a year -- there are plenty of rainy days where Seattle gets less than others as we get the benefit of the rain shadow. If the Olympics weren't there, Seattle would probably get closer to 50-60 inches of rain a year.

Cascade Rain Shadow

And of course, almost all of Eastern Washington is in the Cascade Rain Shadow.

The physics are the same -- the Cascades squeeze out most of the moisture and leave very little to make it over to Eastern Washington. That's why it's so dry over there. Meanwhile, rainfall totals pick up once again as you head into the western Cascade foothills.

Temperatures

As a rule, this area does not get overly cold or hot. We can get down to 19 or 20 degrees at night in January and/or February in a really cold year. The daily temperature in the winter is in the 40s to low 50s. In March through June, we see 50s into the 60s. Over the summer, it's gorgeous here. We have temperatures in the 70s and even up into the 80s. We locals don't like it too hot. If we want hot, we'll go to the desert. If you want hot, it's not here! We like things cool and green. This doesn't mean we don't like sun. We have sun! (Just don't tell anyone…)

It snows so rarely that someone actually filmed snow in Port Townsend

Wind

Actually, we call them breezes…cool breezes. Granted, in the winter coming up from the south, the breezes can get up to 40 miles an hour, But we get winds over 29 miles an hour only seven to nine days a year. That does not mean all day either. This keeps the skies clear and views beautiful!

The Towns

We have wonderful small towns on the Olympic Peninsula. We are best known for Port Townsend and Port Ludlow, but please allow us to tell you about them all.

Port Townsend

Port Townsend is the county seat. Our Victorian seaport. "Town." Port Townsend has a weekly newspaper that tells about all the local news. The county hospital. Doctors. Dentists (aren't we happy?!). Wonderful restaurants. Dry cleaners. Gas stations. Two grocery store chains: Safeway and QFC. But, it's the local shops that really make the area charming.

Port Townsend Video

Discovery Bay

Discovery Bay is west of Port Townsend. It's a protected bay with sunset views to the west and beautiful views of the Olympic Mountains.

Discovery Bay in Port Townsend

Kala Point

The beach at Kala Point

Kala Point is a community seven miles south of Port Townsend. For all intents and purposes, it's a park…walking trails, a private beach, and all! It's an ideal place to retire, with marvelous community activities to participate in. (You only need to get as involved as you want.)

Marrowstone Island

Marrowstone Island is the getaway place for folks, who want to get away from Port Townsend! The island living is quiet and pastoral. The east side of the island has "in-your-face" views of the ships going to and from Seattle and Bangor. Mystery Bay, on the west side of the island, is one of the most protected and serene bays in the area.

Port Ludlow

Port Ludlow is the recreational boater's dream! A quiet harbor with a five-star restaurant, right next to a community of homes that were developed with peace, quiet, views and maintaining value in mind!

What to do?

Most people who have visited here can tell us what to do! There is so much here, it's amazing! On the peninsula, you can do as much, or as little, as you want. If you want to "drop out" (as we used to say) you can do that very easily. But, you can also…

• Attend concerts. Centrum is a nonprofit organization that sponsors concerts and workshops covering a multitude of different arts, including chamber music, Jazz Port Townsend, Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, Jazz Festival and the Country Blues Festival, to name a few. 
• Attend plays. Key City Players are always looking for an audience! 
• Go sailing, kayaking or boating...or just stare at the water! 
• Walk in one of the state parks: Fort Flagler, Fort Worden or Old Fort Townsend. 
• Attend the monthly Gallery Walk on the first Saturday of every month. 
• Go clamming. 
• Walk the beach. 
• Wine tasting at either The Wine Seller or Aldrich's. 
• Go to the movies at either the Rose Theatre or the Uptown Theater. 
• Go fishing! 

Enjoy one or all of our many festivals: 

• Rhody Festival - a weeklong event in May. 
• Wooden Boat Festival — world famous! We are well known for boat making. 

Wooden Boat Festival

• Kinetic Festival - it's just really weird and cool! 

Port Townsend Kinetic Festival

• And too many more to mention 

 
 
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