Tacoma, WA weather in August
Expect mild, mostly dry weather in Tacoma in August, with highs near 77°F and lows near 57°F. Rain falls on about 4 days. It is one of the warmest months in Tacoma. Great for outdoor plans.
- Normal high
- 77°F
- Normal low
- 57°F
- Wet days
- 4
- 0.8 in total
- Muggy days
- 0
- dew point 65°F+
How August changes from start to finish
| August 1 | August 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 78°F | 75°F |
| Normal low | 58°F | 55°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 11% | 17% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 5:48 am / 8:43 pm | 6:27 am / 7:52 pm |
| Daylight | 14.9 h | 13.4 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Pacific Time).
A typical August day
- 6 am55°Fdew point 52°F
- 9 am65°Fdew point 54°F
- Noon72°Fdew point 54°F
- 3 pm76°Fdew point 53°F
- 6 pm74°Fdew point 53°F
- 9 pm65°Fdew point 53°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Tacoma Mcchord AFB (7 mi away); average wind 5 mph.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F and dew point under 60°F22 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain, afternoon wind under 15 mph9 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more0 of 31
- Muggy daysdaily mean dew point 65°F or more0 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow4 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in2 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more0 of 31
Average days per August, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in August
Normal precipitation is 0.8 in; a dry August brings about 0.1 in and a wet one about 1.2 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 1 day brings half an inch or more.
How August varies from year to year
- Warmest August, 1991-20201997: average high 79°F
- Coolest August1995: average high 72°F
- Wettest August1991: 2.9 in
- Driest August1998: no measurable precipitation
- Highest reading96°F (August 16, 2020)
- Lowest reading42°F (August 2, 2007)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
August compared with July and September
| July | August | September | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 77°F | 77°F | 71°F |
| Normal low | 57°F | 57°F | 53°F |
| Wet days | 4 | 4 | 7 |
| Comfortable days | 23 | 22 | 24 |
| Daylight | 15.5 h | 14.2 h | 12.6 h |
Highs change by 0°F from July and -6°F into September.
Nearby alternatives in August
- Warmer: Leavenworth, WA87 mi · high 87°F · 2 wet days
- Cooler: Port Angeles, WA75 mi · high 70°F · 6 wet days
How Tacoma ranks in August
- Normal high346th warmest of 378 cities; 6th of 9 in Washington
- Wet days78th driest of 378
- Comfortable days13th most of 341
What to pack for Tacoma in August
- Sunglasses and sunscreen – about 14.2 hours of daylight and highs near 77°F
Heating and cooling
August has 21 heating degree days and 81 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 2% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is Tacoma in August?
The normal high is 77°F and the normal low is 57°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest August reading was 96°F (August 16, 2020).
Does it rain a lot in Tacoma in August?
About 4 days in August have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 0.8 in. The wettest August in 1991-2020 was in 1991 (2.9 in); the driest was in 1998, with no measurable precipitation.
Is August a good time to visit Tacoma?
August ranks 3rd of 12 months on our comfort score for Tacoma (85 out of 100). It has about 22 comfortable days. The best months are June, July and August.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: Tacoma #1 (USC00458278), 1.6 mi ESE of the city center, 25 ft (225 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: Mcmillin Rsvr (USC00455224), 12 mi SE of the city center, 579 ft (329 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Tacoma Mcchord AFB (USW00024207), 7.3 mi SSW of the city center, 289 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Daily humidity and wind: Mcchord AFB Airport (742060-24207), 7.3 mi SSW of the city center, 322 ft (72 ft higher than the city). Hourly observations, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: cloud cover (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).