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Climate in Bothell West · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Bothell West’s winters are milder and less snowy than most of the U.S.

A typical July afternoon reaches 75°, a January night drops to 36°, and about 4 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

Milder January nights than 82% of U.S. towns#48Mildest winters  of 265 in WA
Less snow than 72% of U.S. towns#97Least snow  of 253 in WA
All WA rankings →

A year in Bothell West at a glance

Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.

Jan47°36°
Feb49°36°
Mar53°38° Last frost ~Mar 8
Apr58°41°
May65°47°
Jun69°51°
Jul75°55° 1 day 90°+
Aug76°55° 1 day 90°+
Sep70°51°
Oct59°45°
Nov now51°39° First frost ~Nov 23
Dec45°35° Wettest

What stands out about Bothell West’s climate

Compared with towns across the U.S., with Bothell West’s place in Washington beside it.

A normal year

What a year in Bothell West feels like

Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.

Winter
47° / 36°
2 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
59° / 42°
Last frost around Mar 8
Summer
73° / 53°
2 days reach 90°
Fall
60° / 45°
First frost around Nov 23
Best months to be outsideMayJunJulAugSepHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 259 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 8 and the first by November 23. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Seattle Sand Pt Wsfo, WA, 8 miles from the town’s center, 290 ft lower.

25
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
20th fewest of 265 in Washington
Fewer freezing nights than 86% of U.S. towns
0
nights at or below 0°
None in a normal year
2
days that reach 90°
82nd fewest of 265 in Washington
Fewer 90° days than 96% of U.S. towns
<1
days that reach 100°
115th fewest of 265 in Washington
Fewer 100° days than 68% of U.S. towns
9aUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 9a

The 2023 USDA map puts Bothell West’s center in zone 9a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 21°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

7
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

1.0
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 4 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Seattle Sand Pt Wsfo, WA, falls mostly in December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 37 inches a year; December is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 163 days a year.

37"
Rain + melted snow a year
87th driest of 265 in Washington
Drier than 70% of U.S. towns
3.8"
Snow in a normal winter
97th least snowy of 253 in Washington
Less snow than 72% of U.S. towns
2 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
81st fewest of 238 in Washington
Fewer days with snow on the ground than 68% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

5.3"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

2"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Bothell West

96% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.

4,483 heating degree daysLess heating than 66% of U.S. towns
211 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 97% of U.S. towns

Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Seattle Sand Pt Wsfo, WA.

Living here

Living with Bothell West’s climate

What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.

The garden window

259 frost-free days in zone 9a. The last frost comes by Mar 8 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Nov 23.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 3.0 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Bothell West from natural hazards, earthquakes are the largest share (60%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 6%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Bothell West and its neighbors

Every town next door is within a degree of Bothell West in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.

Mountlake Terrace: January low 36°, July high 75°Lynnwood: January low 36°, July high 75°North Lynnwood: January low 36°, July high 74°Larch Way: January low 36°, July high 74°Woodinville: January low 36°, July high 75°Kenmore: January low 36°, July high 76°Kirkland: January low 36°, July high 76°Maltby: January low 35°, July high 74°Mill Creek: January low 36°, July high 74°Mill Creek East: January low 36°, July high 74°Lake Stickney: January low 36°, July high 74°Clearview: January low 36°, July high 74°Brier: January low 36°, July high 74°Alderwood Manor: January low 36°, July high 74°Bothell: January low 36°, July high 76°Martha Lake: January low 36°, July high 74°Bothell East: January low 36°, July high 75°Bothell West: January low 36°, July high 75°Bothell WestBrierAlderwood ManorBothellMartha LakeBothell East
ColderMilder35° to 36°
Martha Lake35.6° about the same
Bothell West35.8°
Brier35.8° about the same
Alderwood Manor35.8° about the same
Bothell East35.8° about the same
Bothell36.0° about the same

Climates most like Bothell West’s, farther away

TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.

TownJan. lowJuly highPrecip.Snow
Bothell West, WA36°75°37"3.8"
Fairfax, CA41°76°38"0.0"
West Haven-Sylvan, OR36°80°44"3.6"
Nantucket, MA26°76°44"25"
Springs, NY24°80°44"27"

Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

The last 30 years in Bothell West averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.4°).

+1.1°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A smaller shift than in 74% of U.S. towns.

Winter+1.1°now 41°, was 40°
Spring+0.9°now 50°, was 49°
Summer+1.5°now 63°, was 62°
Fall+0.7°now 52°, was 52°

Change by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.

Compared with other towns

How Bothell West compares

Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Bothell West’s place among Washington’s.

Summer heat75° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 98% of U.S. towns54th coolest of 265 in Washington
Winter cold36° January low
Milder January nights than 82% of U.S. towns48th mildest of 265 in Washington
Precipitation37" a year
Drier than 70% of U.S. towns87th driest of 265 in Washington
Snow3.8" a winter
Less snow than 72% of U.S. towns97th least snowy of 253 in Washington
Hot days2 days at 90°+
Fewer 90° days than 96% of U.S. towns82nd fewest of 265 in Washington
Freezing nights25 a year
Fewer freezing nights than 86% of U.S. towns20th fewest of 265 in Washington
Growing season259 frost-free days
A longer frost-free season than 92% of U.S. towns7th longest of 265 in Washington
Month by month

Bothell West weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Bothell West’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Seattle Sand Pt Wsfo, WA. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January47°36°4.8"0.9"19136° – 46°
February49°36°3.5"1.0"16135° – 47°
March53°38°4.1"0.0"18041° – 50°
April58°41°3.0"0.0"16045° – 55°
May65°47°2.2"0.0"12051° – 60°
June69°51°1.8"0.0"11057° – 65°
July75°55°0.9"0.0"5061° – 69°
August76°55°1.0"0.0"6061° – 68°
September70°51°1.7"0.0"9058° – 63°
October59°45°3.8"0.0"15049° – 57°
November51°39°5.3"0.2"19041° – 50°
December45°35°5.3"1.7"20136° – 43°
Year60°44°37.4"3.8"1632
Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 35° to 47°. September is the most reliable, staying within 6°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Bothell West’s numbers come from

Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →

  • Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at Bothell West’s center.
  • Snow: Seattle Sand Pt Wsfo, WA.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Seattle Sand Pt Wsfo, WA, 8 miles from the town’s center, 290 ft lower; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
  • Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  • Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
  • Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).

Common questions about Bothell West’s climate

What is the weather like in Bothell West?

A typical July afternoon reaches 75°, a January night drops to 36°, and about 4 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 82% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 98% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Bothell West in winter?

December nights average 35°. About 25 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 36°.

How much snow does Bothell West get?

About 3.8 inches in a normal winter at Seattle Sand Pt Wsfo, WA, most of it in December, with snow on the ground about 2 days a year.

How hot does it get in Bothell West?

July, with a typical high of 75° and a low of 55°. About 2 days a year reach 90° (Seattle Sand Pt Wsfo, WA).

When is the first and last frost in Bothell West?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 8 and the first fall frost by November 23, about 259 frost-free days, at Seattle Sand Pt Wsfo, WA.

What growing zone is Bothell West in?

Zone 9a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 21°.

What is the best time of year to visit Bothell West?

By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.

Is Bothell West getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.1° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 74% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Bothell West.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.