Bellingham weather in August

In August, Bellingham sees average daytime highs of 67°F and overnight lows near 58°F, with 1.8 in of rain across 5.3 wet days and about 14.2 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 67°F through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 49% of the time in August, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 14 h 54 min at the start of August to 13 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, August is Bellingham's 2nd-clearest and 11th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Bellingham's year-round climate.

Daytime high
67°
1st warmest
Overnight low
58°
12th coldest
Rainfall
1.8 in
5.3 wet days
Daylight
14 h 12 min
5:09 AM – 7:19 PM
Cloud cover
44%
2nd clearest
Wind
5 mph
11th windiest
Solar energy
5.63 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.2
out of 10

Bellingham is city in, and the county seat of, Whatcom County in the State of Washington, United States.

Density
1,084/km²
people per km²
Founded
1852

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in August

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 67°F through the month.

A typical August day in Bellingham reaches about 67°F in the afternoon and slips back to 58°F overnight — a 9°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 62°F and 74°F. Set against its neighbours, August runs on par with July and about 4°F warmer than September.

50°60°70°80°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
16858
26858
36858
46858
56858
66858
76858
86858
96858
106858
116858
126858
136858
146858
156858
166858
176858
186758
196758
206758
216758
226758
236758
246757
256757
266757
276657
286657
296657
306657
316657

How August really feels in Bellingham

Once humidity and wind are folded in, August averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 0 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
0
wind chill below the day's low

August sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Bellingham weather by month

How August compares with the rest of the year at a glance. August is the 1st-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan44° / 38°8.418.63.28.50.6
Feb46° / 38°5.415.32.89.81.0
Mar49° / 40°6.718.91.911.61.5
Apr53° / 43°4.815.20.113.42.5
May57° / 48°3.411.30154.0
Jun61° / 53°2.59.4015.95.2
Jul66° / 57°1.35.1015.57.1
Aug67° / 58°1.85.3014.27.2
Sep64° / 54°3.29.1012.45.9
Oct56° / 48°6.414.7010.53.3
Nov48° / 41°9.518.81.191.4
Dec44° / 38°8.118.33.38.10.5

Cloud cover in August

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 49% of the time in August.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of August, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 34%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
17327
27327
37129
47129
57129
67030
77030
86931
96832
106832
116733
126733
136733
146733
156733
166634
176634
186634
196535
206535
216436
226337
236337
246238
256139
266139
276040
286040
296139
306139
316139

Chance of precipitation in August

Any precipitation

Bellingham gets around 1.8 in of rain over 5.3 wet days in August. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 17% and peaks near 24% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
113
213
313
413
513
613
714
814
914
1014
1115
1215
1315
1415
1515
1616
1716
1817
1917
2018
2118
2219
2320
2420
2521
2621
2722
2822
2923
3023
3124

Humidity in August

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of August feels comfortable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, August lands in the comfortable band about 58% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
12860111
22860111
32860111
42761111
52761111
62761111
72761111
82761111
92761111
102760121
112760121
122761111
132860111
142860111
152960101
163059101
173059101
18315991
19325981
20335881
21345970
22355870
23365860
24375760
25385750
26405550
27415540
28425440
29445240
30455140
31465040

Wind in August

Winds average 5 mph in August.

Across August, daily wind ranges from about 5 mph on the calmest days to 5 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
15calm
25calm
35calm
45calm
55calm
65calm
75calm
85calm
95calm
105calm
115calm
125calm
135calm
145calm
155calm
165calm
175calm
185calm
195calm
205calm
215calm
225calm
235calm
245calm
255calm
265calm
275calm
285calm
295calm
305calm
315calm

Sunrise & sunset in August

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 14 h 54 min at the start of August to 13 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days shrink by about 96 minutes over August. Sunrise moves from 4:48 AM to 5:30 AM, and sunset from 7:44 PM to 6:50 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
114.94:487:44
214.94:497:43
314.84:507:41
414.84:527:40
514.84:537:38
614.74:557:37
714.74:567:35
814.64:577:33
914.64:597:32
1014.55:007:30
1114.45:027:28
1214.45:037:27
1314.35:047:25
1414.35:067:23
1514.25:077:21
1614.25:097:19
1714.15:107:18
1814.15:127:16
1914.05:137:14
2014.05:147:12
2113.95:167:10
2213.85:177:08
2313.85:197:06
2413.75:207:04
2513.75:227:02
2613.65:237:00
2713.65:256:58
2813.55:266:56
2913.45:276:54
3013.45:296:52
3113.35:306:50

Solar energy in August

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in August, about 5.63 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 0.84 kWh/m² to a high of 6.56 kWh/m² in July across the year — August's 5.63 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.4Intense
26.4Intense
36.3Intense
46.3Intense
56.2Intense
66.2Intense
76.1Intense
86.1Intense
96.0Intense
106.0Bright
115.9Bright
125.9Bright
135.8Bright
145.8Bright
155.7Bright
165.7Bright
175.6Bright
185.6Bright
195.5Bright
205.5Bright
215.4Bright
225.3Bright
235.3Bright
245.2Bright
255.2Bright
265.1Bright
275.1Bright
285.0Bright
295.0Bright
304.9Bright
314.9Bright
Planning a trip in August

Hazard calendar for Bellingham

In seasonPeak

None of Bellingham's seasonal hazards are active in August. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Bellingham's rainy season runs October–April, when most of the year's rain falls.

Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is August a good time to visit Bellingham?

Our two travel scores rate August for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

7.2
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
3.5
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

August is one of the better times to visit Bellingham for general sightseeing.

What to pack for Bellingham in August

From August's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In August, Bellingham sees daytime highs around 67°F and nights near 58°F. Worth packing: sun protection. About 5 days see rain.

sun protection

Sea temperature near Bellingham in August

The nearest coast averages about 60°F in August — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 19 mi away) is warmest in August at about 60°F and coldest in January near 45°F.

The water stays below 68°F all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.

45°50°55°60°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcool
Sea temperature (°F)Comfort
Jan45Bracing
Feb45Bracing
Mar46Bracing
Apr49Bracing
May53Bracing
Jun56Bracing
Jul59Cool
Aug60Cool
Sep57Bracing
Oct52Bracing
Nov49Bracing
Dec46Bracing

UV index in Bellingham in August

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in August peaks around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Bellingham peaks around July 17 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen and a hat are worth it in the middle of the day. It bottoms out near December 17 at about 1 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 7 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJul 17UV 8Dec 17UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb1Low
Mar4Moderate
Apr4Moderate
May7High
Jun6High
Jul8Very high
Aug6High
Sep4Moderate
Oct3Moderate
Nov1Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Bellingham in August

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where August falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Bellingham is worst in September — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 3.2× the cleanest month (December, 6 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodSep 1018 µg/m³Dec 176 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan7Good
Feb9Good
Mar12Good
Apr12Good
May12Good
Jun11Good
Jul11Good
Aug18Moderate
Sep18Moderate
Oct12Good
Nov7Good
Dec6Good
Location & terrain

Where is Bellingham?

Bellingham sits at 48.8°N, 122.5°W, 69 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Anacortes, 18 mi away.

Topography around Bellingham

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Bellingham.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Bellingham has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 666 ft around an average of 102 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,097 ft; within 50 miles, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 10,758 ft.

The land around Bellingham is covered by trees (39%), artificial surfaces (29%) and water (23%) within 2 miles, trees (49%) and water (26%) within 10 miles, and trees (51%) and water (32%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
666 ft
10 miles
3,097 ft
50 miles
10,758 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainsnow and icewater
August weather nearby: Anacortes 18 mi · Townline 22 mi · White Rock 23 mi · Abbotsford 23 mi · South Surrey 24 mi · Mount Vernon 24 mi · Langley 25 mi · Cloverdale 27 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Bellingham (48.7595°, -122.4882°, elevation 69 ft), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).