Few U.S. towns have cooler summers than Federal Way
The coldest hours of a January night bottom out at 36° on average. Seasons differ by 42°, from the coldest nights to the warmest afternoons. Its January nights stay gentler than in 82% of U.S. towns. Warm coats and heating bills mark the months from November to March, when means dip under 50°.
A year in Federal Way at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Federal Way’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Federal Way’s place in Washington beside it.
What a year in Federal Way feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 233 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 20 and the first by November 10. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Kent, WA, 9 miles from the city’s center point, 300 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts Federal Way’s center in zone 8b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 20°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 6 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Seattle Tacoma International Airport, falls mostly in February. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 40 inches a year; November is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 156 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Federal Way
94% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Kent, WA.
Living with Federal Way’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
233 frost-free days in zone 8b. The last frost comes by Mar 20 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 10.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 30 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Federal Way from natural hazards, earthquakes are the largest share (78%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 2%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Federal Way and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Federal Way in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Federal Way’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.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Way, WA | 36° | 77° | 40" | 6.3" |
| Fairfax, CA | 41° | 76° | 38" | 0.0" |
| Silverton, OR | 36° | 81° | 46" | 1.1" |
| Nantucket, MA | 26° | 76° | 44" | 25" |
| Brigantine, NJ | 28° | 83° | 45" | 10" |
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.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Federal Way averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.5°).
A smaller shift than in 80% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.
How Federal Way compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Federal Way’s place among Washington’s.
Federal Way weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Federal Way’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Seattle Tacoma International Airport. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 47° | 36° | 5.8" | 1.8" | 19 | 1 | 37° – 46° |
| February | 50° | 36° | 4.0" | 2.2" | 16 | 1 | 36° – 48° |
| March | 54° | 38° | 4.3" | 0.4" | 17 | 0 | 42° – 50° |
| April | 59° | 41° | 3.3" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 | 45° – 55° |
| May | 66° | 47° | 2.0" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 52° – 60° |
| June | 70° | 51° | 1.5" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 58° – 66° |
| July | 77° | 55° | 0.6" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 61° – 70° |
| August | 77° | 55° | 0.9" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 62° – 69° |
| September | 71° | 51° | 1.6" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 58° – 64° |
| October | 60° | 45° | 4.0" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 | 49° – 57° |
| November | 51° | 39° | 6.4" | 0.2" | 18 | 0 | 41° – 50° |
| December | 46° | 35° | 5.9" | 1.7" | 18 | 1 | 37° – 43° |
| Year | 61° | 44° | 40.4" | 6.3" | 156 | 4 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 36° to 48°. September is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Federal Way’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 Federal Way’s center.
- Snow: Seattle Tacoma International Airport.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Kent, WA, 9 miles from the city’s center point, 300 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 Federal Way’s climate
What is the weather like in Federal Way?
A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 36°, and about 6 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 82% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 97% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Federal Way in winter?
December nights average 35°. About 39 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 37°.
How much snow does Federal Way get?
About 6.3 inches in a normal winter at Seattle Tacoma International Airport, most of it in February, with snow on the ground about 4 days a year.
How hot does it get in Federal Way?
July, with a typical high of 77° and a low of 55°. About 4 days a year reach 90° (Kent, WA).
When is the first and last frost in Federal Way?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 20 and the first fall frost by November 10, about 233 frost-free days, at Kent, WA.
What growing zone is Federal Way in?
Zone 8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 20°.
What is the best time of year to visit Federal Way?
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 Federal Way getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.0° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 80% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Federal Way.
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.