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McChord AFB, Washington Weather

Fireweed Ignites. Day 15 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

McChord AFB weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar

McChord AFB, WA
Sunday, July 5 at 6:15 AM
56
°
Overcast
Feels like
53°
Humidity
73%
Wind
6 mph
Sunrise
10:21 PM
Sunset
2:07 PM
McChord AFB, WA
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastMcChord AFB, WA: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 53 to 74 degrees Fahrenheit.
L 53°H 74°
McChord AFB, WA
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Jul 5
    Overcast
    —
    —
    74°56°—
  2. Monday
    Jul 6
    Overcast
    —
    —
    84°53°+10°
  3. Tuesday
    Jul 7
    Overcast
    —
    —
    81°50°-3°
  4. Wednesday
    Jul 8
    Light Drizzle
    —
    —
    74°54°-7°
  5. Thursday
    Jul 9
    Partly Cloudy
    —
    —
    79°45°+5°
  6. Friday
    Jul 10
    Overcast
    —
    —
    74°51°-5°
  7. Saturday
    Jul 11
    Overcast
    —
    —
    73°54°-1°
McChord AFB, WA
Next 24 hours · Cool now
48°63°78°12a6a12p6pnow 56°high 74°low 53°
McChord AFB, WA
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
NE
045° · veering 177°
Direction
NE
045°
Sustained
6
mph
Gust
17
mph
Peak 24h
17
avg 4
Beaufort · 2 · LIGHT BRZ
0
CALM
<1
1
LIGHT AIR
1–3
2
LIGHT BRZ
4–7
3
GENTLE BRZ
8–12
4
MOD BRZ
13–18
5
FRESH BRZ
19–24
6
STRONG BRZ
25–31
7
NEAR GALE
32–38
24h · sust vs gust · mph
avg 4 · pk 17
01020MPHB1B2B3B4B5-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 205SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Light breeze veering 177° from the ne.
McChord AFB, WA
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
1008.8
0.0 mb in 3h · steady · 29.79 inHg
Now
1008.8
mb
3h
0.0
mb
12h
+0.4
mb
24h
-0.1
mb
Regime · RAIN
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 1008–1010
1000STORM|RAIN10051010RAIN|CHG1015CHG|FAIR-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW1010.11007.71008.8
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Damp, unsettled regime — wet weather lingers nearby.
McChord AFB, WA
Air quality
21
AQI
Good
↓-6 in 6h

AQI 21 (Good), driven by PM2.5. AQI down 6 over the last 6 hours (gradual decline). PM2.5 at 10.0 µg/m³ (AQI 53) with a 0.88 fine-to-coarse ratio and 6 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.

OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.

PM 2.5DRIVERGood
10.0μg/m³
PM 10Good
11μg/m³
NO₂Good
19μg/m³
OzoneGood
23μg/m³
UV IndexLow
0.1

What's driving it

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 10.0 µg/m³ (AQI 53) with a 0.88 fine-to-coarse ratio and 6 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.

PM2.5/PM10
0.88
Wind
light
Recent rain
0h in last 6h
Pattern
stagnant smoke

Trends

Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.

Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).

7-DAY AQI TREND50100SUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³300
McChord AFB, WA
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
100%
OVERCAST
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
42.0mi
UNLIMITED
84 mi0 mi−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Earth · GOES-19 ABI
Full Disk · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 full disk Visible · GeoColor
True-color daytime, blue/IR sandwich at night
13:15 UTC · McChord AFB, WA · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · up to 10848 px
Continental US · GOES-19 ABI
CONUS Sector · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 CONUS Visible · GeoColor
Daytime true-color, blue-light/IR sandwich at night
13:15 UTC · McChord AFB, WA · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
McChord AFB, WA
Satellite · infrared · animated
McChord AFB, WA
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
McChord AFB, WA
Almanac · Sunday, July 5
If the first of July be rainy weather, 'twill rain more or less for four weeks together.
Civil dawn
4:42 AM
Sunrise
10:21 PM
Daylight
15h 46m
Sunset
2:07 PM
Civil dusk
9:48 PM
Planting note
Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.
McChord AFB, WA
The moon
Waning Gibbous
72% illuminated
Moonrise
11:35 PM
Moonset
11:26 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
McChord AFB, WA
Microseason
Jul 1–5

Fireweed Ignites

weather
Jan 151% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

McChord AFB at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 9°F below the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: May 29 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Jul 1–5
  • Planting window: Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.

ZIP code: 98438

16-Day Forecast — McChord AFB

  1. Sun74°56°0%
  2. Mon84°53°0%
  3. Tue81°50°0%
  4. Wed74°54°7%
  5. Thu79°45°1%
  6. Fri74°51°3%
  7. Sat73°54°5%
  8. Sun69°52°4%
  9. Mon85°56°3%
  10. Tue88°57°2%
  11. Wed85°54°1%
  12. Thu91°56°13%
  13. Fri91°57°6%
  14. Sat89°55°0%
  15. Sun81°54°0%
  16. Mon80°50°6%

Forecast data from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0).

Right now in the garden

Peak growing season

As of July 5, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.

January 1–5: The Year's Deep Silence.January 6–10: The First Pressure Shift.January 11–15: The Lengthening.January 16–20: The Crows Begin.January 21–25: Skunk Cabbage Wakens.January 26–31: The Fog Deepens.February 1–5: The Sap Stirs.February 6–10: East Wind Weakens the Marine Layer.February 11–15: Thrush Song at First Light.February 16–20: The Salmon Remember.February 21–25: The Soil Awakens.February 26–28: Mist Begins to Linger.March 1–5: The Buds Emerge.March 6–10: The Small Lives Stir.March 11–15: The Spring Salmon Peak.March 16–20: Alder Catkins Dust the Air.March 21–25: Equinox Fog Clears.March 26–31: Salmonberry First Bloom.April 1–5: Thunder Rolls Down the Valleys.April 6–10: Swallows Arrive at the Bridges.April 11–15: Geese Turn Their Faces North.April 16–20: Rainbows Arc Above the Cascades.April 21–25: Reeds Rise from the Wetlands.April 26–30: Frost Releases the Garden.May 1–5: Warblers Flood the Canopy.May 6–10: Frogs Sing at Twilight.May 11–15: Earthworms Rise to Feed the Forest.May 16–20: Shoots and Sprouts Rise in Ranks.May 21–25: Silkworm Days—Full Canopy.May 26–31: Safflower Days—Late May Blooms.June 1–5: Rufous Hummingbirds Arrive.June 6–10: Oceanspray Towers.June 11–15: Solstice Light Crests.June 16–20: Thimbleberry Sweetens.June 21–25: Summer Solstice Stillness.June 26–30: Dry Pattern Deepens.July 1–5: Fireweed Ignites.July 6–10: Peak Hummingbird Wars.July 11–15: Red Huckleberry Ripens.July 16–20: Smoke Season Beckons.July 21–25: Dog Days Hold.July 26–31: Smoke Deepens.August 1–5: August Arrives Dimmed.August 6–10: Cool Wind Hints Return.August 11–15: Cicadas Crescendo.August 16–20: Marine layer deepens.August 21–25: First sweater morning.August 26–31: August snap arrives.September 1–5: Rivers quicken with silver.September 6–10: Dew settles thick.September 11–15: Raptors funnel through passes.September 16–20: Equinox—darkness gains.September 21–25: Fog locks the valleys.September 26–30: Geese stage southward.October 1–5: Mushroom flush deepens.October 6–10: Maples ignite orange.October 11–15: Frost's first mark.October 16–20: Oaks turn russet.October 21–25: First killing frost.October 26–31: Atmospheric rivers arrive.November 1–5: Maple and ivy turn to amber.November 6–10: Last leaves cling in quiet rain.November 11–15: First frost finds the lowlands.November 16–20: Bare branches open the winter sky.November 21–25: Heavy rains mask the stars.November 26–30: North wind clears the gloom.December 1–5: Darkness settles early.December 6–10: Winter cold locks the sky.December 11–15: The days reach their minimum.December 16–20: Ice forms at the margins.December 21–25: The sun turns at solstice.December 26–31: Year's end in silence.🌱February 14 — First skunk-cabbage spathes thaw their way up☀️March 20 — Spring equinox — day and night balance🌸April 5 — Cherry blossoms peak in the parks🐦May 10 — Warbler migration peaks along the coast✨May 25 — First fireflies scout the meadows at dusk🌞June 21 — Summer solstice — longest day🦗July 25 — Peak cicada chorus in the afternoons🌊August 18 — Warmest sea-surface temperatures of the year🍂September 22 — Autumn equinox — the slow turn❄️October 25 — First widespread frost in the suburbs🍁November 10 — Peak leaf color across the Hudson Valley🌙December 21 — Winter solstice — longest night

Microseason · July 1–5

Fireweed Ignites

Magenta fireweed spires surge from burned and cleared slopes, their blooms climbing from base upward. July's signature color claims the disturbed ground.

Day 186 of 365 · Wedge 37 of 72

The solar year drawn as a wheel of 72 five-day windows. Each wedge is one microseason; the four colored arcs mark winter, spring, summer, and autumn; the small icons sit at notable phenological events. The crimson pointer creeps clockwise as the year turns.

Planting calendar

MonthPlantHarvest
January——
February——
March——
April——
Maylettuce, peas, spinach, radisheslettuce, peas, radishes
Junelettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Julytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashtomatoes, beans, summer squash
Augusttomatoes, peppers, beans, squash, fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotstomatoes, beans, summer squash
Septemberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotstomatoes, beans, summer squash
October—winter squash, tomatoes (last)
November——
December——

A year in weather

McChord AFB's warmest month is August (~69°F mean) and its coldest is January (~40°F). Rainfall peaks in January (7.2 inches) and bottoms out in July (0.4 inches).

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January40°7.2″22
February41°5.3″19
March44°5.2″22
April49°3.6″20
May56°2.4″19
June61°1.9″17
July68°0.4″7
August69°0.7″7
September61°1.9″13
October53°5.3″20
November45°7.2″23
December40°6.9″22

Regional context

By the nearest station's NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals, McChord AFB sees 40°F Januarys and 68°F Julys, a 28°F range, plus around 48.1 inches of precipitation across 213 days.

McChord AFB's moisture rides winter storm tracks: January brings 7.2 inches over 22.0 wet days, while July sees only 0.4 inches across 7.4 days in the dry warm season. That cool-season-wet pattern aligns McChord AFB with places like Parkland, WA, Lakewood, WA and Spanaway, WA.

By late-May the frosts ease in McChord AFB, opening the season for peas, lettuce, spinach, and radishes. In McChord AFB, warm-season transplants — tomatoes, peppers, basil — wait two weeks past McChord AFB's frost date. It shuts near early-October, when freezes return to McChord AFB and tender plants need cover. In McChord AFB, low spots run 4-7°F colder than nearby slopes, nudging McChord AFB's frost dates a week.

Similar climates: Parkland, WA, Lakewood, WA, Spanaway, WA, Fort Lewis, WA, Midland, WA.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in McChord AFB?
Frost typically leaves McChord AFB by mid-May and returns to McChord AFB near mid-October.
What is the rainy season in McChord AFB?
Rainfall in McChord AFB peaks in January near 7.2 inches, out of about 48 inches annually.
What is the warmest month in McChord AFB?
On average August tops the year in McChord AFB at about 69°F.
What is the coldest month in McChord AFB?
The coldest stretch in McChord AFB falls in January, around 40°F on average.
When can I start a vegetable garden in McChord AFB?
Hardy spring crops go in near mid-May in McChord AFB; tender peppers and squash wait 10–14 days.
How many rainy days does McChord AFB get?
McChord AFB records around 213 days of measurable precipitation annually.
What hardiness zone is McChord AFB?
Because McChord AFB bottoms near 40°F in January, that winter low sets McChord AFB's USDA zone — verify by ZIP.
What is the 10-day forecast for McChord AFB?
McChord AFB's extended outlook — daily high and low temperatures and precipitation chances for each upcoming day — is in the daily forecast above.
Will it rain this week in McChord AFB?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for McChord AFB in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in McChord AFB?
Current conditions for McChord AFB and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the McChord AFB forecast updated?
The McChord AFB forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in McChord AFB?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for McChord AFB are in the Almanac section above, along with civil dawn, civil dusk, and day length. Day length is longest near the summer solstice and shortest near the winter solstice.
How accurate is the weather forecast for McChord AFB?
The next few days in McChord AFB's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

Set in a warm-summer Mediterranean zone, McChord AFB, Washington swings from 40°F in the heart of winter to 68°F at midsummer — a 28°F arc.

Across the year, McChord AFB collects about 48 inches of precipitation over roughly 213 days with measurable rain or snow.

McChord AFB sits at 47.1°N; that 28°F seasonal swing frames planting windows and frost dates across McChord AFB.

All cities in Washington →

Lakewood, WA weather →

ZIP codes in McChord AFB

  • 98439
  • 98438

Climate normals from the Open-Meteo Climate API. Köppen approximation from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Regions. See methodology for data sources, editorial rules, and corrections. Maintainer: Brian Tighe.