Will Washington see snow on Christmas? Rain? What experts say
Are you hoping for a white Christmas in Washington state — or keeping your fingers crossed for dry weather?
Whether you’re traveling for the holidays or staying, you may be wondering what’s in store in Washington after a series of wild winter storms.
Here’s what to know about Christmastime weather in the Evergreen State:
Will Washington see rain or snow Christmas in 2025?
Washington’s mountains, including the Cascades, could see snow on Christmas Day in 2025, according to meteorologists.
What about lower-elevation parts of the state?
There’s no Christmas snow in the forecast for the Puget Sound lowlands in Western Washington, Anna Lindeman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Seattle, told The Olympian.
Lindeman said the region that includes Seattle, Tacoma and Olympia could see showers on Thursday, Dec. 25, but “we’re fairly confident it’ll stay rain” and not turn into snow.
Farther north, the Bellingham area could see snow but “we’re not expecting it to stick,” Lindeman told The Bellingham Herald.
It’s a similar story east of the Cascades.
It’s “not looking like a white Christmas” in Spokane and the Columbia Basin, said Antoinette Serrato, a weather service meteorologist in Spokane.
However, a rainy Christmas is possible in parts of Eastern Washington, including in Spokane and Moses Lake, according to forecasts from the weather service. Pasco is expected to be mostly cloudy.
Wind gusts forecast in Columbia Basin, Puget Sound
Strong winds might have Washington residents holding onto their Santa hats this week, experts said.
The Columbia Basin in Eastern Washington could see wind gusts up to 25 mph on Wednesday, Dec. 24, especially along U.S. 2 and Interstate 90, Serrato told The Olympian.
The Puget Sound region could experience even windier conditions on Christmas Eve, Lindeman said.
The region could see gusts of 50 mph or higher on Wednesday, Lindeman said.
Conditions could still be “breezy” on Christmas Day, although not as strong as the day before, the meteorologist added
Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts warm, mild weather
The Old Farmer’s Almanac agreed a white Christmas is unlikely in Washington.
Western Washington is in for mild, then warm weather conditions during Christmas week, while Eastern Washington could see relatively warm and rainy conditions, the almanac said.
This story was originally published December 23, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
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