Ocean Shores Weather and Climate

Ocean Shores features a marine climate regulated by the Pacific Ocean. This means summers aren’t too hot and winters aren’t too cold. It’s always windy and beach goers can fly a kite every day of the year.

Clothing

When visiting Ocean Shores plan on layering just about anytime of the year. It will probably be windy so even if the temperature is fairly warm you can still get a wind chill. Don’t bother with the umbrella, it will just get turned inside out in a gust of wind. Opt for hats and hooded coats.

Ocean Shores Climate: Temperature and rainfall

If it’s extremely hot and sunny inland towards the Puget Sound region, it is likely 10 to 30 degrees cooler in Ocean Shores. If it is extremely cold and snowing inland, it is likely 10 to 20 degrees warmer in Ocean Shores. Many visitors come from the Puget Sound region every year and are very surprised by the difference in the Ocean Shores climate and weather. Ocean Shores is milder: cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter than most of Washington.

With annual temperatures averaging 44-58 degrees Ocean Shores is no California beach. However, it is popular for storm watchers in the winter and those looking for a little milder experience to beat the heat in the summer. Average temperatures and rainfall making up the unique Ocean Shores climate are illustrated below.

Wind

You may have seen footage from Ocean Shores on local news stations during winter storms in the past. This is actually a fairly popular destination for people who enjoy storm watching. Due to it’s location on a coastal peninsula, Ocean Shores tends to get pretty extreme winds. These winds cause the waves and tide to get extremely rough on the beach during winter storms. Even during the calmer days it is almost always windy enough on the beach to fly a kite.

Fog

When it’s very hot in Western Washington moisture draws from the ocean and the entire coast can be completely foggy. When this happens it often shocks people that it’s 10+ degrees warmer and sunny only a few minute drive inland. This is one of the main attractions for people who swarm to Ocean Shores to escape the extreme highs only a couple hours drive inland. It’s very common during hot summer days for the temperature to be 20 or more degrees cooler in Ocean Shores than nearby Puget Sound areas such as Olympia and Seattle.