Next 7 departures
- TueOct 13
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 44–65°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature San Francisco7 AM PDT Partly sunny52°F Fairfield7:45 AM PDT Sunny51°F Willows9:15 AM PDT Sunny53°F Redding10:15 AM PDT Sunny62°F Black Butte Summit11:30 AM PDT Sunny52°F Siskiyou Summit12:15 PM PDT Sunny44°F Grants Pass1:15 PM PDT Sunny64°F Eugene3:30 PM PDT Partly sunny65°F Salem4:30 PM PDT Mostly sunny64°F Portland5:15 PM PDT Partly sunny65°F Olympia7 PM PDT Partly cloudy58°F Seattle8:15 PM PDT Mostly cloudy57°F - WedOct 14
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 49–71°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature San Francisco7 AM PDT Mostly sunny53°F Fairfield7:45 AM PDT Sunny49°F Willows9:15 AM PDT Sunny54°F Redding10:15 AM PDT Sunny68°F Black Butte Summit11:30 AM PDT Sunny60°F Siskiyou Summit12:15 PM PDT Sunny53°F Grants Pass1:15 PM PDT Sunny71°F Eugene3:30 PM PDT Sunny70°F Salem4:30 PM PDT Sunny70°F Portland5:15 PM PDT Sunny68°F Olympia7 PM PDT Partly cloudy61°F Seattle8:15 PM PDT Partly cloudy60°F - ThuOct 15
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 54–76°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature San Francisco7 AM PDT Mostly sunny54°F Fairfield7:45 AM PDT Sunny55°F Willows9:15 AM PDT Sunny61°F Redding10:15 AM PDT Sunny72°F Black Butte Summit11:30 AM PDT Sunny64°F Siskiyou Summit12:15 PM PDT Sunny58°F Grants Pass1:15 PM PDT Sunny75°F Eugene3:30 PM PDT Sunny75°F Salem4:30 PM PDT Sunny76°F Portland5:15 PM PDT Sunny74°F Olympia7 PM PDT Mostly clear62°F Seattle8:15 PM PDT Mostly clear59°F - FriOct 16
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 58–77°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature San Francisco7 AM PDT Mostly sunny58°F Fairfield7:45 AM PDT Sunny58°F Willows9:15 AM PDT Sunny64°F Redding10:15 AM PDT Sunny74°F Black Butte Summit11:30 AM PDT Sunny66°F Siskiyou Summit12:15 PM PDT Sunny61°F Grants Pass1:15 PM PDT Sunny77°F Eugene3:30 PM PDT Mostly sunny76°F Salem4:30 PM PDT Mostly sunny75°F Portland5:15 PM PDT Mostly sunny75°F Olympia7 PM PDT Partly cloudy63°F Seattle8:15 PM PDT Partly cloudy62°F - SatOct 17
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 57–73°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature San Francisco7 AM PDT Mostly sunny60°F Fairfield7:45 AM PDT Sunny58°F Willows9:15 AM PDT Sunny62°F Redding10:15 AM PDT Sunny73°F Black Butte Summit11:30 AM PDT Sunny64°F Siskiyou Summit12:15 PM PDT Mostly sunny57°F Grants Pass1:15 PM PDT Mostly sunny69°F Eugene3:30 PM PDT Mostly cloudy68°F Salem4:30 PM PDT Mostly cloudy68°F Portland5:15 PM PDT Partly sunny67°F Olympia7 PM PDT Partly cloudy57°F Seattle8:15 PM PDT Slight chance of light rain57°F - SunOct 18
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 52–70°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature San Francisco7 AM PDT Mostly sunny58°F Fairfield7:45 AM PDT Sunny57°F Willows9:15 AM PDT Sunny60°F Redding10:15 AM PDT Mostly sunny70°F Black Butte Summit11:30 AM PDT Sunny60°F Siskiyou Summit12:15 PM PDT Mostly sunny52°F Grants Pass1:15 PM PDT Mostly sunny67°F Eugene3:30 PM PDT Partly sunny66°F Salem4:30 PM PDT Partly sunny65°F Portland5:15 PM PDT Slight chance of light rain64°F Olympia7 PM PDT Chance of light rain55°F Seattle8:15 PM PDT Chance of light rain55°F - MonOct 19
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 42–66°F along the way. The forecast does not reach the last 2 checkpoints yet.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature San Francisco7 AM PDT Mostly sunny56°F Fairfield7:45 AM PDT Mostly sunny55°F Willows9:15 AM PDT Mostly sunny57°F Redding10:15 AM PDT Mostly sunny66°F Black Butte Summit11:30 AM PDT Chance of light rain48°F Siskiyou Summit12:15 PM PDT Chance of light rain42°F Grants Pass1:15 PM PDT Light rain likely55°F Eugene3:30 PM PDT Chance of light rain61°F Salem4:30 PM PDT Chance of light rain61°F Portland5:15 PM PDT Chance of light rain60°F Olympia7 PM PDT Not forecast yet— Seattle8:15 PM PDT Not forecast yet—
The worst conditions expected at any checkpoint, timed to when you would reach it driving without stops. Levels use Road Travel’s driving-risk scale.
The route, stop by stop
Checkpoints in order, with driving time from San Francisco (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.
- San Francisco, CAStart 79 ftelevation
- Fairfield, CAMile 45 · 47 min 14 ftelevation
- Willows, CAMile 138 · 2 h 13 min 136 ftelevation
- Redding, CAMile 214 · 3 h 22 min 564 ftelevation
- Black Butte Summit, CAMountain pass · Mile 277 · 4 h 24 min 3,912 ftelevation
- Siskiyou Summit, ORMountain pass · Mile 337 · 5 h 20 min 4,310 ftelevation
- Grants Pass, ORMile 389 · 6 h 13 min 942 ftelevation
- Eugene, ORMile 525 · 8 h 27 min 424 ftelevation
- Salem, ORMile 588 · 9 h 28 min 159 ftelevation
- Portland, ORMile 633 · 10 h 16 min 34 ftelevation
- Olympia, WAMile 746 · 12 h 3 min 18 ftelevation
- Seattle, WAMile 806 · 13 h 8 min 134 ftelevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and days with an inch or more of snow, at San Francisco, Grants Pass and Seattle.
| Month | San Francisco 150 ft | Grants Pass 932 ft | Seattle Sea-Tac Airport station · 370 ft | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °F | High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | Snow days | |
| Jan | 58° / 47° | 48° / 35° | 0.2 | 48° / 38° | 0.4 |
| Feb | 60° / 48° | 54° / 36° | 0.1 | 50° / 38° | 0.7 |
| Mar | 62° / 49° | 60° / 37° | 0.1 | 54° / 40° | 0.1 |
| Apr | 63° / 50° | 65° / 40° | 0 | 59° / 43° | 0 |
| May | 64° / 51° | 74° / 46° | 0 | 66° / 49° | 0 |
| Jun | 67° / 53° | 81° / 51° | 0 | 71° / 53° | 0 |
| Jul | 66° / 54° | 91° / 56° | 0 | 77° / 57° | 0 |
| Aug | 68° / 56° | 91° / 55° | 0 | 78° / 57° | 0 |
| Sep | 70° / 56° | 84° / 48° | 0 | 72° / 54° | 0 |
| Oct | 70° / 54° | 70° / 41° | 0 | 61° / 47° | 0 |
| Nov | 64° / 51° | 54° / 39° | 0 | 52° / 41° | 0.1 |
| Dec | 58° / 47° | 46° / 35° | 0.1 | 47° / 37° | 0.6 |
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: SAN FRANCISCO DWTN (USW00023272, 150 ft); GRANTS PASS (USC00353445, 932 ft); SEATTLE TACOMA INTL AP (USW00024233, 370 ft). Snow days are days with at least 1 inch of new snow. “—” means the station does not publish that normal.
Road conditions
Closures and chain rules change by the hour, so we link to the official reports for California, Oregon and Washington rather than repeat them.
- For this passCaltrans I-5 highway conditions
- California · CaltransQuickMap conditions and cameras
- California · winter rulesChain controls
- Oregon · ODOTTripCheck road conditions
- Oregon · winter rulesChain laws
- Washington · WSDOTReal-time travel map
- Washington · winter rulesMountain pass reports and traction rules
Check the official National Weather Service forecast and each state's road report before you leave.
Get alerts timed to where you’ll be when you get there
Road Travel plans the drive from San Francisco to Seattle with the forecast at every stretch for the hour you’ll reach it, then warns you about weather ahead while you drive.
Questions about this drive
How long is the drive from San Francisco to Seattle?
806 miles, about 13 hours of driving without stops, by way of I-5. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the highest point on the drive?
Siskiyou Summit, at 4,310 ft. It comes at mile 337, about 5 h 20 min of driving after you leave San Francisco.
How cold is Seattle in January?
The nearest long-term NOAA station, Sea-Tac Airport (370 ft), averages a high of 48°F and a low of 38°F in January (1991–2020 normals).