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Weather & Climate in South Cle Elum, WA
Temperature, precipitation, air quality, natural hazards, and monthly weather data.
South Cle Elum experiences four distinct seasons with an average annual temperature of 47°F (8°C). Winters average 29°F in January while summers reach 67°F in July. The area gets 276 sunny days per year, well above the U.S. average of 205 / making it one of the sunnier locations in the country. Annual precipitation totals 24.7 inches (drier than the 38-inch national average). Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 28 / among the cleanest air in the country. The city sits at an elevation of 1,925 feet.
Temperature
29°F Jan (-2°C)
67°F Jul (19°C)
| Annual Average | 46.5°F |
| 14% below US avg | |
| January Average | 29°F (-2°C) |
| July Average | 67°F (19°C) |
| Sunny Days | 276 days/yr |
Geography
| Elevation | 1,925 ft (587 m) |
| Area | 0.2 sq mi (0.4 km²) |
| Population Density | 1,768/sq mi |
| Coordinates | 47.1862°N, 120.9525°W |
| Timezone | America/Los_Angeles |
| County | Kittitas County County |
| Nearest Airport | Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) 66 miles away |
Precipitation & Snow
Air Quality
| AQI Median | 28.0 |
| Rating | Good |
Natural Hazard Risk
| Overall Risk | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk Score | 89.1 / 100 |
| Social Vulnerability | 40.2 / 100 |
| Community Resilience | 64.6 / 100 |
Hazard Breakdown
| Tornado | Very Low |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate |
| Wildfire | Relatively High |
| Flood | Relatively Moderate |
| Hail | Very Low |
| Strong Wind | Very Low |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low |
| Lightning | Relatively Low |
| Ice Storm | Very Low |
| Drought | Very Low |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low |
| Landslide | Relatively High |
| Volcano | Very Low |
| Avalanche | Very High |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (Dec 2025)
Earthquake History
1,359 earthquakes (M2.5+) recorded within 150 km since 1990. Strongest on record: M6.8.
| Feb 28, 2001 | 7 km SSE of Longbranch, Washington | M6.8 | 134 km | 52 km |
| May 3, 1996 | 8 km NNE of Lake Marcel-Stillwater, Washington | M5.4 | 94 km | 4 km |
| Jan 29, 1995 | 3 km WSW of Des Moines, Washington | M5.0 | 109 km | 15 km |
| Jun 23, 1997 | 2 km NE of Enetai, Washington | M4.9 | 130 km | 13 km |
| Jan 30, 2009 | 6 km ESE of Lofall, Washington | M4.7 | 140 km | 62 km |
| Jul 12, 2019 | 2 km S of Roosevelt, Washington | M4.6 | 111 km | 29 km |
| Jun 18, 1994 | 11 km SE of Skykomish, Washington | M4.3 | 54 km | -1 km |
| Feb 14, 2011 | 31 km S of Morton, Washington | M4.3 | 139 km | 4 km |
| Jul 22, 2001 | 4 km WSW of DuPont, Washington | M4.3 | 132 km | 52 km |
| Jun 27, 2013 | 25 km N of Leavenworth, Washington | M4.3 | 74 km | 8 km |
| Jun 17, 2010 | 30 km S of White Swan, Washington | M4.2 | 121 km | 3 km |
| Feb 18, 2015 | 15 km ENE of Cle Elum, Washington | M4.2 | 17 km | 4 km |
| May 20, 1995 | 15 km NNE of Ashford, Washington | M4.1 | 82 km | 12 km |
| Aug 16, 2004 | 16 km ENE of Packwood, Washington | M4.0 | 69 km | -1 km |
| Oct 9, 1998 | 20 km S of White Swan, Washington | M4.0 | 111 km | 2 km |
| Aug 8, 2023 | 9 km NNE of Snoqualmie, Washington | M3.9 | 77 km | 16 km |
| Sep 10, 1994 | 2 km SE of Enumclaw, Washington | M3.9 | 77 km | 17 km |
| Oct 1, 2004 | 37 km NNE of Amboy, Washington | M3.9 | 145 km | -1 km |
| Jun 25, 2004 | 17 km W of Packwood, Washington | M3.9 | 95 km | -1 km |
| Jun 27, 1997 | 3 km SW of Bainbridge Island, Washington | M3.9 | 129 km | 1 km |
Source: USGS Earthquake Catalog (M2.5+, 1990–2025). Sorted by magnitude.
Tornado History
13 tornadoes (EF0+) recorded within 100 km since 1950. Strongest on record: EF2.
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Fatalities |
| Apr 30, 1957 | EF2 | 74 km | 1.0 mi | 0 |
| Sep 6, 2009 | EF1 | 90 km | 9.6 mi | 0 |
| Jun 27, 2001 | EF1 | 93 km | 2.3 mi | 0 |
| May 1, 2024 | EF0 | 69 km | 0.4 mi | 0 |
| Apr 7, 2008 | EF0 | 76 km | 0.1 mi | 0 |
| Jun 16, 2006 | EF0 | 96 km | 0.5 mi | 0 |
| May 9, 2005 | EF0 | 73 km | 0.2 mi | 0 |
| May 19, 2004 | EF0 | 58 km | 0.3 mi | 0 |
| May 15, 2000 | EF0 | 98 km | 0.2 mi | 0 |
| May 9, 1999 | EF0 | 63 km | — | 0 |
| Aug 26, 1997 | EF0 | 91 km | 1.0 mi | 0 |
| Jul 4, 1992 | EF0 | 83 km | 0.1 mi | 0 |
| Aug 18, 1964 | EF0 | 93 km | 5.2 mi | 0 |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center (EF0+, 1950–2024, US only).
Tsunami History
5 tsunamis recorded within 500 km. Highest wave on record: 250.0 m (820 ft).
| Year | Location | Cause | Max Wave | Deaths | Distance |
| 1980 | WASHINGTON | Explosion | 250.0 m | 61 | 144 km |
| 1894 | PUYALLUP RIVER DELTA, TACOMA, WA | Meteorological | 3.0 m | 2 | 113 km |
| 1949 | PUGET SOUND, WA | Meteorological | 2.4 m | — | 120 km |
| 1949 | PUGET SOUND, WA | Eruption + Earthquake | — | 8 | 126 km |
| 1820 | CAMANO ISLAND, WA | Meteorological | — | — | 143 km |
Source: NOAA/NCEI Historical Tsunami Database.
Nearby Volcanoes
7 volcanoes within 200 km. Closest: Rainier (72 km).
| Name | Type | Elevation | Last Eruption | Distance |
| Rainier | Stratovolcano | 4,392 m (14,409 ft) | 1450 | 72 km |
| Glacier Peak | Stratovolcano | 3,213 m (10,541 ft) | 1700 | 104 km |
| Adams | Stratovolcano | 3,742 m (12,277 ft) | 950 | 116 km |
| St. Helens | Stratovolcano | 2,549 m (8,363 ft) | 2008 | 144 km |
| Indian Heaven | Shield(s) | 1,806 m (5,925 ft) | -6250 | 155 km |
| West Crater | Volcanic field | 1,329 m (4,360 ft) | -5750 | 169 km |
| Baker | Stratovolcano(es) | 3,285 m (10,778 ft) | 1880 | 188 km |
Source: Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program (GVP).
Wildfire History
20 wildfires (100+ acres) recorded within 100 km. Largest: TYEE CREEK (123,618 acres, 1994).
| Year | Name | Acres Burned | Distance |
| 1994 | TYEE CREEK | 123,618 | 82 km |
| 2021 | SCHNEIDER SPRINGS | 114,743 | 40 km |
| 2013 | COLOCKUM TARPS | 79,279 | 62 km |
| 2020 | EVANS CANYON | 76,288 | 46 km |
| 1996 | COLD CREEK | 72,859 | 89 km |
| 2018 | BOYLSTON | 66,292 | 74 km |
| 2012 | TABLE MOUNTAIN COMPLEX | 65,887 | 34 km |
| 2017 | NORSE PEAK | 51,017 | 40 km |
| 2024 | RETREAT | 44,681 | 54 km |
| 2018 | COUGAR CREEK | 42,681 | 79 km |
| 2017 | JOLLY MOUNTAIN | 38,159 | 17 km |
| 2004 | POT PEAK-SISI RIDGE COMPLEX | 37,603 | 99 km |
| 1988 | DINKELMAN | 36,246 | 67 km |
| 2003 | UMTANUM RIDGE | 34,351 | 88 km |
| 2017 | SUTHERLAND CANYON | 29,492 | 80 km |
| 2022 | VANTAGE HIGHWAY | 29,299 | 68 km |
| 1994 | HATCHERY COMPLEX (RAT) | 27,265 | 43 km |
| 2017 | 400 | 27,218 | 92 km |
| 2012 | TAYLOR BRIDGE | 23,987 | 20 km |
| 2021 | TWENTYFIVE MILE | 23,379 | 97 km |
Source: NIFC/IRWIN Wildfire Records (100+ acres).
Monthly Weather
| Month | Avg Temperature | Precipitation | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29°F (-2°C) | 6.0 in | |
| February | 30°F (-1°C) | 3.9 in | |
| March | 37°F (3°C) | 2.8 in | |
| April | 43°F (6°C) | 1.7 in | |
| May | 51°F (10°C) | 1.2 in | |
| June | 57°F (14°C) | 1.1 in | |
| July | 67°F (19°C) | 0.6 in | Warmest, Driest |
| August | 64°F (18°C) | 0.8 in | |
| September | 56°F (13°C) | 1.3 in | |
| October | 46°F (8°C) | 2.6 in | |
| November | 34°F (1°C) | 5.2 in | |
| December | 27°F (-3°C) | 6.2 in | Coldest, Wettest |
South Cle Elum has a seasonal temperature swing of 40°F / from 27°F in December to 67°F in July. Total annual precipitation is 33.4 inches, with December being the wettest month (6.2") and July the driest (0.6").