If you live in Washington, you know that the weather can change rapidly from day to day. For example, just a few weeks ago, it went from sunny to snowy in a day. On February 25th, there were highs of 43, and the sun was out, but just the next day snow was falling. Everyone who lives in Washington must learn to accept the weather. Nonetheless, you could still be perplexed as to why Washington has such a wide range of weather, and what causes it to change so rapidly. 

These changing weather conditions are partly due to the jet stream. The jet stream is a fast-moving ribbon of air that circles the globe. It determines the path of storms that hit the west coast. During the winter, the jet stream is often directly over Seattle, which can bring strong storms. 

In the springtime, the jet stream is not so fixed in one position making significant weather less frequent. Though, this does not exclude spring from snowy/stormy weather. In the spring, sun and light rain are common, but snowfall is still possible until late March.

Washington’s large bodies of water also affect its climate. Bodies of water like oceans and large lakes do not heat and cool as fast as land does. So, being around a large body of water can make an area stay cool even when the weather changes. Western Washington borders the Pacific Ocean, so the weather can’t be changed easily compared to other states.

Washington’s weather is one of the many things that makes it so unique. Washington is fortunate enough to rarely encounter bad storms, even though it is annoying to always be on guard against them. The weather can be challenging to live with, but Washington is home to many, and it would not be the same without its crazy weather.

Brown, Angela. “The Weather and Climate in Washington State.” TripSavvy, TripSavvy, 4 Dec. 2020, https://www.tripsavvy.com/washington-state-climate-data-1609256#:~:text=Spring%20in%20 Washington%20State%20 means,areas%20as%20 late%20as%20 March. 

Daily, Anthony Edwards The, and Greta DuBois. “Why Is the Springtime Weather so Variable in Seattle?” The Daily of the University of Washington, 24 Sept. 2021, https://www.dailyuw.com/news/why-is-the-springtime-weather-so-variable-in-seattle/article_64c5fd72-722a-11ea-a772-a3f98f9f2350.html#:~:text=In%20the%20center%20 months%2C%20the,Robert%20Conrick%2C%20a%20Ph. 

“Past Weather in Gig Harbor, Washington, USA – Yesterday and Last 2 Weeks.” Past Weather in Gig Harbor, Washington, USA – Yesterday or Further Back, https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/@5795440/historic. 

US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “How Does the Ocean Affect Climate and Weather on Land?” Ocean Exploration Facts: NOAA Ocean Exploration, 21 June 2013, https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/facts/climate.html#:~:text=Ocean%20currents%20act%20much%20like,solar%20 radiation%20 reaching%20 Earth’s%20 surface.