Next 7 departures
- SatOct 3
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 11–22°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Vancouver7 AM PDT Partly sunny14°C British Columbia–Washington border7:45 AM PDT Fog11°C Bellingham8 AM PDT Fog11°C Seattle9:30 AM PDT Cloudy14°C Tacoma10 AM PDT Fog13°C Tumwater10:30 AM PDT Cloudy15°C Longview11:30 AM PDT Partly sunny17°C Portland12:15 PM PDT Sunny22°C - SunOct 4
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 11–23°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Vancouver7 AM PDT Fog14°C British Columbia–Washington border7:45 AM PDT Fog11°C Bellingham8 AM PDT Fog12°C Seattle9:30 AM PDT Cloudy14°C Tacoma10 AM PDT Fog13°C Tumwater10:30 AM PDT Cloudy14°C Longview11:30 AM PDT Partly sunny18°C Portland12:15 PM PDT Sunny23°C - MonOct 5
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 13–20°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Vancouver7 AM PDT Cloudy13°C British Columbia–Washington border7:45 AM PDT Partly sunny13°C Bellingham8 AM PDT Mostly sunny14°C Seattle9:30 AM PDT Cloudy13°C Tacoma10 AM PDT Mostly sunny13°C Tumwater10:30 AM PDT Cloudy14°C Longview11:30 AM PDT Partly sunny16°C Portland12:15 PM PDT Cloudy20°C - TueOct 6
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 12–18°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Vancouver7 AM PDT Partly sunny13°C British Columbia–Washington border7:45 AM PDT Cloudy12°C Bellingham8 AM PDT Partly sunny12°C Seattle9:30 AM PDT Cloudy14°C Tacoma10 AM PDT Cloudy15°C Tumwater10:30 AM PDT Cloudy15°C Longview11:30 AM PDT Partly sunny16°C Portland12:15 PM PDT Partly sunny18°C - WedOct 7
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 12–19°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Vancouver7 AM PDT Cloudy14°C British Columbia–Washington border7:45 AM PDT Cloudy12°C Bellingham8 AM PDT Cloudy12°C Seattle9:30 AM PDT Partly sunny14°C Tacoma10 AM PDT Mostly sunny15°C Tumwater10:30 AM PDT Sunny15°C Longview11:30 AM PDT Sunny18°C Portland12:15 PM PDT Sunny19°C - ThuOct 8
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 12–20°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Vancouver7 AM PDT Partly sunny14°C British Columbia–Washington border7:45 AM PDT Cloudy12°C Bellingham8 AM PDT Partly sunny12°C Seattle9:30 AM PDT Partly sunny14°C Tacoma10 AM PDT Cloudy14°C Tumwater10:30 AM PDT Sunny15°C Longview11:30 AM PDT Mostly sunny18°C Portland12:15 PM PDT Sunny20°C - FriOct 9
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 12–16°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Vancouver7 AM PDT Heavy rain13°C British Columbia–Washington border7:45 AM PDT Rain13°C Bellingham8 AM PDT Rain12°C Seattle9:30 AM PDT Rain14°C Tacoma10 AM PDT Rain14°C Tumwater10:30 AM PDT Rain14°C Longview11:30 AM PDT Mostly sunny15°C Portland12:15 PM PDT Mostly sunny16°C
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 Vancouver (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.
- Vancouver, BCStart 45 melevation
- British Columbia–Washington borderState line · Km 50 · 40 min 13 melevation
- Bellingham, WAKm 85 · 1 h 1 min 17 melevation
- Seattle, WAKm 227 · 2 h 29 min 41 melevation
- Tacoma, WAKm 278 · 3 h 2 min 27 melevation
- Tumwater, WAKm 327 · 3 h 34 min 54 melevation
- Longview, WAKm 430 · 4 h 33 min 7 melevation
- Portland, ORKm 505 · 5 h 22 min 11 melevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and monthly rain, at Vancouver, Seattle and Portland.
| Month | Vancouver Vancouver Airport station · 4 m | Seattle Seattle (Sand Point) station · 18 m | Portland 48 m | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °C | Precip (mm) | High / low °C | Precip (mm) | High / low °C | Precip (mm) | |
| Jan | 7° / 1° | 170 | 9° / 3° | 130 | 8° / 3° | 163 |
| Feb | 8° / 2° | 90 | 10° / 3° | 89 | 10° / 4° | 119 |
| Mar | 10° / 3° | 113 | 12° / 4° | 99 | 13° / 5° | 122 |
| Apr | 13° / 6° | 87 | 15° / 6° | 76 | 16° / 7° | 91 |
| May | 17° / 9° | 60 | 19° / 9° | 56 | 20° / 10° | 66 |
| Jun | 20° / 12° | 52 | 21° / 12° | 41 | 23° / 12° | 38 |
| Jul | 22° / 14° | 36 | 25° / 14° | 20 | 27° / 14° | 10 |
| Aug | 22° / 14° | 38 | 25° / 14° | 25 | 27° / 15° | 13 |
| Sep | 19° / 11° | 54 | 22° / 12° | 43 | 24° / 13° | 41 |
| Oct | 14° / 7° | 125 | 16° / 8° | 91 | 17° / 9° | 102 |
| Nov | 9° / 4° | 177 | 11° / 5° | 147 | 11° / 5° | 168 |
| Dec | 7° / 1° | 168 | 8° / 3° | 140 | 8° / 3° | 185 |
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: SEATTLE SAND PT WSFO (USW00094290, 18 m); PORTLAND KGW-TV (USC00356749, 48 m). 1991–2020 averages computed from NOAA NCEI daily station records (GHCN-Daily): VANCOUVER INT'L A (CAN01108447, 4 m). Precipitation is the monthly total of rain and melted snow, in millimetres. “—” 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 British Columbia, Washington and Oregon rather than repeat them.
- British Columbia · DriveBCDriveBC road conditions and cameras
- British Columbia · winter rulesWinter tire and chain rules
- Washington · WSDOTReal-time travel map
- Washington · winter rulesMountain pass reports and traction rules
- Oregon · ODOTTripCheck road conditions
- Oregon · winter rulesChain laws
Check the official forecast from Environment Canada and National Weather Service and each road report before you leave.
Get alerts timed to where you’ll be when you get there
Road Travel plans the drive from Vancouver to Portland 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 Vancouver to Portland?
505 km (314 miles), about 5½ hours of driving without stops, by way of I-5. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the wettest month in Portland?
December. Portland averages 185 mm of rain and melted snow that month (1991–2020 normals).
How cold is Portland in January?
Portland averages a high of 8°C and a low of 3°C in January (1991–2020 normals).