December in Seattle means darkness. That's the single most important thing to know before you book. The sun sets before 4:20 PM, and on many days, thick cloud cover makes it feel like it never properly rose. Pair that with 201mm of rain spread across roughly 20 days, and you have the wettest month of the year in a city already famous for its rain. Temperatures hover between 4°C (39°F) and 8°C (47°F), which is not bitter cold, but the damp Pacific chill gets into your bones in a way that dry cold at -10°C sometimes doesn't.
That said, Seattle does December well. The holiday season transforms Pike Place Market, downtown, and neighborhoods like Capitol Hill and Fremont with lights, markets, and a warmth that pushes back against the gloom. Fresh wreaths hang from market stalls next to piles of Dungeness crab at the fish counters. Pacific Northwest Ballet's Nutcracker sells out weekends at McCaw Hall. The Argosy Christmas Ship Festival, a local tradition since 1949, sends decorated boats across Elliott Bay and Lake Washington while choirs sing from the decks.
Should you come? If you want a cozy, indoor-heavy trip built around strong coffee culture, world-class seafood, genuine holiday atmosphere, and hotel rates that are still reasonable for most of the month, December works. If you want to hike Rainier, kayak the San Juans, or eat dinner on a patio in Ballard, wait for July.
Why visit in December
- Dungeness crab season peaks in December, and Seattle's restaurants and markets sell it fresh off the boats from Westport and Ilwaco at prices lower than you'll find the rest of the year.
- Holiday events like the Argosy Christmas Ship Festival, WildLanterns at Woodland Park Zoo, and Pacific Northwest Ballet's Nutcracker at McCaw Hall give the city a festive atmosphere that makes the darkness bearable.
- Hotel rates outside the Christmas-to-New-Year's corridor tend to run 15-25% below summer peak, and you can walk into restaurants in Capitol Hill and Fremont that need 3-week reservations in August.
- Seattle's coffee culture is built for this kind of weather. Spending a rainy afternoon moving between roasters in Capitol Hill or Ballard, 5 minutes apart on foot, is genuinely one of the better December experiences.
Worth knowing
- 201mm of rain across 20 days means you will get wet. It's rarely a dramatic downpour. It's the persistent, fine mist that soaks through inadequate jackets over the course of an afternoon.
- With fewer than 8.5 hours of daylight and heavy overcast, the short days limit outdoor sightseeing. Mount Rainier, nominally visible from Kerry Park, stays hidden behind clouds most of the month.
- The damp cold at 4-8°C (39-47°F) feels colder than the number suggests. Visitors from drier climates consistently underpack.
- Christmas week through New Year's Eve concentrates crowds at Pike Place Market and Seattle Center, and hotel rates jump sharply for those 10 days.
Best for
Think twice if
December is Seattle's wettest month. Expect near-constant overcast with 201mm of rain, most of it falling as a light, persistent drizzle rather than heavy storms. The air stays damp and chilly. Temperatures rarely drop below freezing, but the humidity at 85% makes 5°C feel closer to 0°C. Snow is rare in the city itself, though the Cascade foothills east of Snoqualmie Pass typically have solid snowpack by mid-month.
Seasonal caution
- Persistent rain and wet roads create slippery conditions on steep streets in neighborhoods like Queen Anne and Capitol Hill. The damp cold at 85% humidity feels significantly colder than the 4-8°C readings suggest, so visitors from drier climates should layer as if it were several degrees colder.
- Windstorms occasionally hit the Puget Sound region in December, with gusts reaching 80-100 km/h (50-60 mph). These can knock out power to neighborhoods for hours or, in bad years, days. Check forecasts before planning ferry crossings to Bainbridge Island or the San Juans.
Year-round climate
Averages from the last 5 years.
| Month | Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | 3 | 171 |
| Feb | 8 | 2 | 109 |
| Mar | 11 | 4 | 98 |
| Apr | 13 | 6 | 73 |
| May | 17 | 9 | 56 |
| Jun | 21 | 12 | 48 |
| Jul | 25 | 15 | 7 |
| Aug | 25 | 15 | 31 |
| Sep | 21 | 13 | 50 |
| Oct | 15 | 9 | 111 |
| Nov | 10 | 6 | 172 |
| Dec | 8 | 4 | 201 |
Best things to do in December
Pike Place Market holiday shopping
shoppingThe market takes on a different character in December. Craftspeople set up additional stalls selling handmade ornaments, candles, and woodwork alongside the year-round fishmongers and produce vendors. The smell of fresh pine wreaths mixes with roasting chestnuts near the main arcade entrance. It gets crowded on weekends, but weekday mornings before 10 AM still feel manageable.
Holiday craft vendors and seasonal decorations appear only in December, and the winter crab and oyster selection at the fish stalls peaks this month.Booking tipNo booking needed. Arrive before 10 AM on weekdays to avoid the thickest crowds. The market closes at 6 PM most days.
Pacific Northwest Ballet's Nutcracker at McCaw Hall
performing artsPNB's Nutcracker has been a Seattle tradition since 1983, with sets and costumes originally designed by Maurice Sendak and later revised by Ian Falconer. The production runs for roughly 4 weeks through late December at McCaw Hall in Seattle Center. The Sendak-inspired designs give it a darker, more storybook quality than most Nutcrackers.
The production runs exclusively in late November through December, and weekend performances typically sell out well in advance.Booking tipBook at least 2-3 weeks ahead for weekend shows. Weeknight performances are easier to get, particularly in early December.
WildLanterns at Woodland Park Zoo
familyHundreds of large-scale illuminated animal lanterns line the paths of Woodland Park Zoo in the Phinney Ridge neighborhood. The displays change from year to year, and the walk takes about 60-90 minutes at a comfortable pace. It feels genuinely atmospheric once you're deep into the zoo grounds with the lantern light reflecting off wet pavement.
WildLanterns runs from mid-November through mid-January, but December offers the earliest sunset and longest dark viewing window. The displays look best in full darkness.Booking tipTimed-entry tickets are required and tend to sell out on weekend evenings. Book online at least a week ahead for Friday-Sunday slots.
Argosy Christmas Ship Festival
culturalA decorated lead boat sails to different waterfront communities around Elliott Bay and Lake Washington on weekend evenings throughout December, with a choir performing from the deck. Bonfire events on shore let you watch the ship arrive. The tradition started in 1949, and the schedule rotates to different neighborhoods each weekend.
The festival runs exclusively in December, with sailings on Friday and Saturday evenings to different shoreline communities each week.Booking tipShore-side bonfire events are free. If you want to ride a follow boat in the parade fleet, tickets go on sale in the fall and sell out quickly.
Capitol Hill coffee crawl
food and drinkCapitol Hill has one of the densest concentrations of specialty roasters in any American neighborhood. Elm Coffee Roasters on Melrose Avenue, Victrola on Pike Street, and Stumptown on 12th Avenue are all within a 10-minute walk of each other. On a rainy December afternoon, moving between warm, well-lit cafes with a book feels like the right way to experience the city.
December's rain and early darkness make this the month when Seattle's indoor coffee culture feels most essential rather than optional.Museum hopping at Seattle Center
cultureThe Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP), Chihuly Garden and Glass, and the Pacific Science Center all sit within walking distance of each other at Seattle Center, below the Space Needle. You can comfortably visit 2 in a day without rushing. MoPOP's music and sci-fi collections tend to hold visitors for 2-3 hours alone.
December's short daylight and rain make indoor attractions more appealing. The Seattle Center campus lets you move between museums with minimal outdoor exposure.Day trip to Leavenworth
day tripThe Bavarian-themed village of Leavenworth, about 135 miles east of Seattle over Stevens Pass, runs its Christmas Lighting Festival on weekend evenings in December. The entire town center is strung with over half a million lights. It's touristy, but the setting against the snow-covered Cascades is hard to dismiss. The drive itself crosses the mountains and can be scenic when the weather cooperates.
The Christmas Lighting Festival runs only on December weekends, and the town's Bavarian architecture looks most convincing under snow and holiday lights.Booking tipLeavenworth hotels fill up weeks in advance for lighting weekends. Consider making it a day trip, leaving Seattle by 8 AM to arrive before the crowds build.
Craft beer tasting in Ballard
food and drinkBallard's brewery district along 14th Avenue NW and Leary Way holds over a dozen taprooms within a 15-minute walk. Reuben's Brews, Stoup Brewing, and Obec Brewing all release winter seasonal beers in December. Darker styles like stouts, porters, and winter warmers dominate the tap lists. Most taprooms allow outside food, and several food trucks park along the strip.
Winter seasonal releases from Ballard's breweries hit taps in December, and the cooler weather suits the heavier, darker styles that Pacific Northwest brewers tend to favor this time of year.What to eat in December
On menus now
Dungeness crab
The commercial Dungeness season typically opens in early December along the Washington coast. Pike Place Market fishmongers sell whole cooked crabs, and restaurants across the city run crab specials through January. This is peak freshness and peak supply, so prices tend to be at their most reasonable.
Pacific oysters
Winter is prime oyster season in the Pacific Northwest. Varieties like Shigoku from Willapa Bay and Baywater Sweet from Hood Canal are plump and briny in the cold months. Taylor Shellfish oyster bars in Capitol Hill and Pioneer Square serve them year-round, but December's cold water makes the texture firmer and the flavor cleaner.
Clam chowder
Seattle's version leans thinner and more broth-forward than New England style, often built on razor clams or butter clams from the coast. Pike Place Chowder in the market has been winning chowder cook-offs since 2007, and December's chill makes a bowl of it feel like a necessity rather than a choice.
What to drink
Hot buttered rum and spiked cider
Bars across Ballard, Capitol Hill, and Pioneer Square run seasonal cocktail menus in December. Hot buttered rum is a Pacific Northwest staple, often made with local apple butter. The Washington apple harvest wraps up in November, so fresh-pressed cider is still widely available for warm drinks.
In markets
Winter root vegetables at farmers markets
The Ballard Farmers Market runs year-round on Sundays along Ballard Avenue, and December stalls are heavy with Skagit Valley parsnips, celeriac, rutabaga, and storage apples. Several farm stands sell ready-made soups using the same produce, which is welcome on a cold morning spent browsing the market.
Regular events in December
Westlake Park Holiday Tree LightingFree
The official city tree lighting at Westlake Park in downtown Seattle typically happens on the Friday after Thanksgiving, but the tree and surrounding light displays remain up through December. Live music performances and vendor stalls appear on select evenings.
Tree lit late November, displays through DecemberSeattle Art Museum free first ThursdayFree
The Seattle Art Museum on 1st Avenue offers free admission on the first Thursday of every month. In December, this tends to draw a larger crowd than usual due to holiday visitors, but the museum's rotating exhibitions make it worth the wait.
First Thursday of the monthGeorgetown Brewery holiday events
Several breweries in the Georgetown neighborhood south of downtown host holiday-themed tasting events in December. Georgetown Brewing, one of the city's largest craft producers, opens its tasting room for seasonal releases.
Weekends throughout DecemberSwansons Nursery holiday displaysFree
Swansons Nursery in the Crown Hill neighborhood of north Seattle transforms into a holiday destination in December, with elaborate indoor displays, a model train layout, and reindeer on select weekends. The nursery has operated at the same location since 1924.
Throughout DecemberBest places this December
Pike Place Market
marketThe 9-acre market founded in 1907 is at its most atmospheric in December. Holiday craft vendors join the year-round fishmongers, and the smell of fresh wreaths and hot cider fills the lower levels. The fish counters sell peak-season Dungeness crab and winter oysters. Weekday mornings are quieter.
DowntownKerry Park
viewpointThis small viewpoint park on West Highland Drive offers the classic Seattle skyline view with the Space Needle and, on clear days, Mount Rainier behind it. In December, clear days are rare, but sunset around 4:15 PM means you might catch a brief golden-hour window before the light fades. Worth checking the forecast and going on any day the clouds break.
Queen AnneChihuly Garden and Glass
museumDale Chihuly's permanent exhibition at Seattle Center features eight galleries and an outdoor garden of glass sculptures. The indoor galleries stay warm and dry, and the illuminated garden pieces look particularly striking against the early-dark December sky. Budget about 90 minutes for a full visit.
Seattle CenterMuseum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)
museumFrank Gehry's crumpled-metal building at Seattle Center houses rotating and permanent exhibits on music, science fiction, and pop culture. The Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix exhibits connect to Seattle's music history. Plan for 2-3 hours if you engage with the interactive sound and film exhibits.
Seattle CenterBallard Locks (Hiram M. Chittenden Locks)
landmarkThe locks connect Puget Sound to Lake Washington and Lake Union, and you can watch boats transit for free year-round. In December, the fish ladder viewing windows sometimes show early steelhead heading upstream, though salmon runs peak earlier in the fall. It's quieter and colder this time of year, but the engineering is still worth seeing.
BallardElliott Bay Book Company
bookstoreThis independent bookstore on 10th Avenue in Capitol Hill is one of the best in the country, with over 150,000 titles and a reading series that hosts notable authors year-round. On a rainy December evening, the warm wooden interior and the sound of rain on the skylights make it feel like exactly the right place to be.
Capitol HillPioneer Square
neighborhoodSeattle's oldest neighborhood, built after the Great Fire of 1889, has redbrick buildings housing galleries, wine tasting rooms, and restaurants. The monthly First Thursday Art Walk draws gallery-goers, and in December the neighborhood's covered sidewalks and warm interiors feel welcoming. The Underground Tour beneath the streets runs year-round.
Pioneer Square
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Insider tips
The upper levels of Pike Place Market get all the crowds, but the lower levels (DownUnder shops) have smaller vendors, vintage poster shops, and comic stores with barely any foot traffic, even on December weekends.
If you're visiting Leavenworth for the Christmas Lighting Festival, take US-2 east over Stevens Pass rather than I-90. The drive is more scenic through the Cascades, though you should check WSDOT pass reports for chain requirements before leaving.
Taylor Shellfish's oyster bar on Melrose Avenue in Capitol Hill does walk-in counter seating. It's a better experience than their Pioneer Square location for solo travelers or couples, and December wait times are shorter than summer.
The Link Light Rail runs directly from Sea-Tac Airport to downtown Seattle in about 40 minutes. It's the most practical way to get into the city, and it connects to Capitol Hill and the University District on the same line.
The Seattle Art Museum's free first Thursday falls on December's first Thursday. Combined with an evening walk through the holiday lights at Westlake Park, two blocks away, it makes a solid free evening plan.
Sunset happens before 4:20 PM in December. If you want any outdoor photos with natural light, plan them for late morning or early afternoon. By 3:30 PM the light is already fading behind the cloud cover.
Avoid these mistakes
- Packing a water-resistant jacket instead of a fully waterproof one. Seattle's December rain is light but constant, and water-resistant fabrics fail after 2-3 hours of continuous drizzle.
- Assuming Mount Rainier will be visible from Kerry Park. The mountain is hidden behind clouds on the majority of December days. Check a webcam or weather forecast before making the trip to Queen Anne specifically for the view.
- Booking a hotel for the Christmas-to-New-Year's window without checking rates first. Prices jump sharply during that 10-day period, sometimes matching or exceeding summer peak rates. Early-to-mid December offers much better value.
- Trying to do too much outdoors. December's 8.5 hours of daylight and frequent rain make outdoor-heavy itineraries frustrating. Plan around 2-3 indoor attractions per day with a short outdoor walk between them.
- Skipping the neighborhoods for downtown. Pike Place Market and Seattle Center are worthwhile, but spending all your time downtown means missing Capitol Hill's coffee and restaurant scene, Ballard's breweries, and Fremont's quirky shops.
Practical tips for December
Book hotels for early-to-mid December to get the best rates, as prices rise sharply from December 20 through January 1. A waterproof jacket and waterproof shoes are the two most important items in your bag. Layer with wool or synthetic fabrics rather than cotton, which holds moisture in Seattle's humid air. The Link Light Rail connects Sea-Tac Airport to downtown, Capitol Hill, and the University District, and runs every 8-10 minutes during peak hours. Carry a portable phone charger, since the short daylight means you'll likely use your phone flashlight and maps app more than usual. Restaurant reservations are still a good idea for popular spots in Capitol Hill and Ballard on Friday and Saturday nights, though weeknight walk-ins are easier than summer. If you're planning the Leavenworth day trip, check Stevens Pass conditions on the WSDOT website the morning of your drive. The Ballard Farmers Market runs every Sunday year-round, rain or shine, and is worth visiting even in December for seasonal produce and hot food vendors.
FAQ
Does it snow in Seattle in December?
Snow in Seattle proper is uncommon in December. The city averages only about 2-3 days of measurable snow per winter season, and many years see none at all in December. When it does snow, the city tends to shut down quickly because of the steep hills and limited plowing equipment. The Cascade foothills east of Snoqualmie Pass, about an hour's drive from the city, typically have reliable snowpack by mid-December for skiing at Snoqualmie Summit or Stevens Pass.
Is December a good time to visit Seattle?
It depends on what you want. December ranks around 10th out of 12 months for visiting Seattle, mainly because of the heavy rain, limited daylight, and overcast skies. But if you prefer indoor activities, holiday atmosphere, peak seafood season, and lower hotel rates in early-to-mid December, it can be a satisfying trip. The city's coffee culture, food scene, and museums are at their most appealing when the weather pushes you inside.
How much rain should I expect in Seattle in December?
Seattle typically receives about 201mm of rain in December across roughly 20 days. The rain is almost never a heavy downpour. It tends to be a light, persistent drizzle or mist that lasts most of the day. You might go hours thinking it's not really raining, then notice your jacket is thoroughly damp. A waterproof shell is more useful than an umbrella, though having both doesn't hurt.
What should I wear in Seattle in December?
A fully waterproof jacket with sealed seams is the most important item. Layer underneath with wool or synthetic base layers and a fleece or down mid-layer. Waterproof shoes or boots are essential since the streets stay wet all day. Bring wool socks, a warm hat, and gloves for evenings. Avoid cotton, which holds moisture and gets cold in Seattle's damp climate. The temperature range of 4-8°C (39-47°F) sounds mild, but the 85% humidity makes it feel several degrees colder.
Are there good day trips from Seattle in December?
Leavenworth, about 135 miles east over Stevens Pass, runs its Christmas Lighting Festival on December weekends and is the most popular day trip this time of year. Bainbridge Island is reachable by a 35-minute ferry from downtown, though December weather makes the crossing gray and cold. The Snoqualmie Falls viewpoint is about 30 minutes east of the city and is particularly dramatic in December when winter rains raise the water volume. Skiing at Snoqualmie Summit or Stevens Pass typically opens by mid-December.
Things to Do in Seattle in December
Free cancellation Chef Guided Food Tour of Pike Place Market
City tour — 2 hours, free cancellation.
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Free cancellation Mt. Rainier National Park Highlights Tour
Outdoor experience — free cancellation.
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Free cancellation Seattle City Highlights Tour
City tour — 3 hours, free cancellation.
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Free cancellation Seattle's Original Guided Harbor Cruise
Cruise — 1 hour, free cancellation.
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Free cancellation Mt. Rainier Day Tour from Seattle
Day trip — free cancellation.
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Free cancellation Seattle City and Snoqualmie Falls Half-Day Guided Tour
Outdoor experience — 4 hours, free cancellation.
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