Oregon Weather

Oregon climate

Oregon's climate is dramatically divided by the Cascade Range, creating a lush, rainy western region and an arid eastern high desert. The Willamette Valley, where most of the state's population lives, has a mild maritime climate with cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers. Portland receives about 37 inches of rain annually, most of it between October and May, with summers that are among the driest of any major U.S. city.

The Oregon coast is one of the wettest and windiest areas in the contiguous United States, with some locations receiving over 90 inches of rain per year. Powerful Pacific storms can bring hurricane-force winds, heavy rain, and dangerous surf to the coastline during winter. The Cascade Mountains receive enormous amounts of snowfall, with Mount Hood's Timberline Lodge area averaging over 400 inches per season.

Eastern Oregon has a high-desert climate with hot summers, cold winters, and very little precipitation. The region experiences extreme temperature swings, with summer highs above 100 degrees and winter lows well below zero. Wildfire season has become increasingly severe across both eastern and western Oregon, with smoke events from nearby fires significantly impacting air quality in the Willamette Valley during late summer and early fall.