Best time to visit Portland
Re-score for me — drag the dial — every chart on the page recolours live for your heat limit 27°C
Default 27 °C is the upper edge of the Holiday Climate Index "ideal comfort" band (Scott, Rutty, Amelung & Tang, 2016). Above this, most warm-tourism travellers report measurable discomfort.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
How is this scored? HCI / Steadman / CCI gate — full methodology and citations below.
Compare with another destination
Add as many as you like — stacked below the main strips above. Each row is just the recent-window score strip and (for beach destinations) sea-temperature strip.
Tours in Portland
16 top-rated tours via Viator. Booking links earn this site a commission at no cost to you. Map locations are approximate (centred on Portland).
- 1
Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls Tour from Portland, OR - 2
Willamette Valley Wine Tour with Lunch - 3
Portland to Multnomah Falls a Waterfall Tour of 5 Falls and More - 4
Sunset Tour of Multnomah Falls plus Vista House and Other Falls - 5
Columbia Gorge Waterfalls & Wineries from Portland: All-Inclusive Afternoon Tour - 6
Oregon Coast Scenic Day Tour - 7
Willamette Valley Wine Tasting Tour from Portland - 8
Portland Pizza Walking Tour: 4 Stops, Full Slice Each - 9
Portland Party Bike Tours: The Classic Crawl - Public - 10
Full-Day Guided Oregon Coast Tour from Portland - 11
Multnomah Falls and Columbia River Gorge Half-Day Hiking Tour - 12
Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls & Mt Hood Tour from Portland, OR - 13
Mt Hood Day Trip from Portland to Multnomah Falls and Hood River - 14
Multnomah Falls and Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls Tour Morning - 15
Portland's Original Delicious Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour - 16
Small Group: Willamette Valley Wine Tour From Portland (Tasting Fees Included)
Last refreshed 2026-05-30.
Similar climatesSeattle90% · Vancouver87% · Victoria86%
Other destinations with the most-alike year-round climate to Portland (apparent temperature, rain hours, sunshine — matched within the same trip-profile). The ±N chip compares each match's typical score for the current month against Portland's. Based on the 2020-2024 climatology, not this year's actual weather.
Month-by-month
| Month | Temp °C | Feels °C | Rain days | Rain h | Rain h/day | Humidity | Wind km/h | Sun h | UV | Interest | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2–8 | 5 | 22 | 307 | 14.0 | 82% | 21 | 83 | 1 | Quiet | 2 |
| Feb | 2–9 | 5 | 15 | 223 | 14.9 | 76% | 18 | 115 | 1 | Quiet | 3 |
| Mar | 3–11 | 9 | 17 | 242 | 14.2 | 71% | 16 | 166 | 2 | Quiet | 4 |
| Apr | 5–15 | 12 | 15 | 198 | 13.2 | 63% | 17 | 200 | 3 | Quiet | 5 |
| May | 8–19 | 17 | 13 | 173 | 13.3 | 61% | 16 | 234 | 5 | Quiet | 7 |
| Jun | 12–23 | 23 | 10 | 130 | 13.0 | 55% | 16 | 264 | 6 | Quiet | 8 |
| Jul | 15–29 | 29 | 2 | 21 | 10.5 | 42% | 16 | 314 | 8 | Quiet | 9 |
| Aug | 15–29 | 29 | 3 | 31 | 10.3 | 43% | 16 | 276 | 6 | Moderate | 8 |
| Sep | 13–25 | 25 | 6 | 81 | 13.5 | 51% | 15 | 224 | 4 | Quiet | 9 |
| Oct | 9–18 | 16 | 11 | 139 | 12.6 | 67% | 16 | 163 | 3 | Quiet | 7 |
| Nov | 4–11 | 8 | 18 | 234 | 13.0 | 79% | 19 | 107 | 1 | Peak | 3 |
| Dec | 3–8 | 4 | 20 | 281 | 14.1 | 83% | 21 | 81 | 1 | Quiet | 2 |
UV Index in Portland by Month
UV index in Portland peaks at 8 (high) in July, dropping to 1 (low) in December. June, July, August have high UV — SPF 30+ and sunglasses recommended.
Best months in detail
September
9/1013–25°C · 6 rain days (81h) · 224 sun hours · 51% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 4 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 6 (high)
July
9/1015–29°C · 2 rain days (21h) · 314 sun hours · 42% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 8 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 9 (very high)
August
8/1015–29°C · 3 rain days (31h) · 276 sun hours · 43% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 6 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 8 (very high)
Every month
Show the other 9 months in detail
January
2/102–8°C (feels 5°C) · 22 rain days (307h) · 83 sun hours · 82% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 1 (low)
February
3/102–9°C (feels 5°C) · 15 rain days (223h) · 115 sun hours · 76% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 1 (low)
March
4/103–11°C (feels 9°C) · 17 rain days (242h) · 166 sun hours · 71% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 2 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 4 (moderate)
April
5/105–15°C (feels 12°C) · 15 rain days (198h) · 200 sun hours · 63% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 3 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 6 (moderate)
May
7/108–19°C (feels 17°C) · 13 rain days (173h) · 234 sun hours · 61% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 5 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 8 (high)
June
8/1012–23°C · 10 rain days (130h) · 264 sun hours · 55% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 6 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 9 (very high)
October
7/109–18°C (feels 16°C) · 11 rain days (139h) · 163 sun hours · 67% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 3 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 4 (moderate)
November
3/104–11°C (feels 8°C) · 18 rain days (234h) · 107 sun hours · 79% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 1 (low)
December
2/103–8°C (feels 4°C) · 20 rain days (281h) · 81 sun hours · 83% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 1 (low)
Frequently asked questions about visiting Portland
When is the best time to visit Portland?
September is the highest-scoring month (9/10 on the Holiday Climate Index). Typical conditions: 13–25°C (6 rainy days). The top three months by score are September, July, August.
What is the worst time to visit Portland?
January is the lowest-scoring month (2/10). Typical conditions: 2–8°C (22 rainy days).
When are crowds lowest in Portland?
Search-interest seasonality (Google Trends 2021-2025) is lowest in January and peaks in November. Interest tracks both in-trip visitors and lead-time planners, so treat it as a "destination is on people's minds" signal rather than literal arrivals.
Which months in Portland have good weather but fewer tourists?
July (climate 9/10, crowd index 15) and September (climate 9/10, crowd index 27) — shoulder months with above-average climate and below-median search-interest. Often the best value-for-weather trade.
What is the UV index in Portland by month?
UV peaks at 8 (high) in July and is lowest in December at 1 (low). Monthly peak values: Jan 1, Feb 1, Mar 2, Apr 3, May 5, Jun 6, Jul 8, Aug 6, Sep 4, Oct 3, Nov 1, Dec 1.
What is the UV index in Portland in July?
July is the peak UV month in Portland, with a daily-peak UV index of 8 (high). Apply SPF 30+, wear sunglasses, and seek shade during midday hours.
How high can UV get in Portland on the sunniest days?
Most days look like the monthly average, but on the sunniest ~1 in 10 days UV climbs higher than the mean suggests. July is the worst case: typical days average UV 8 (high), but the top 10% of days reach UV 9 (very high) — and even higher. Months where the sunniest days routinely exceed the typical reading: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October. Plan sun protection for the worst case, not the average.
Is air quality in Portland bad for travelers?
PM2.5 (fine-particle pollution) exceeds the WHO sensitive-group guideline (15 µg/m³) in 5 months: January, February, March, October, November. The worst month is November with a typical-day mean of 10 µg/m³ (moderate); on the worst 10% of days PM2.5 reaches 19 µg/m³ (unhealthy for sensitive) and higher. People with asthma, heart conditions, or sensitive children may want to avoid these months or limit outdoor activity. Source: CAMS via Open-Meteo.