Next 7 departures
- FriNov 13
CautionChance of light rain near Fairfield around 7:45 AM PST. Also at 3 other checkpoints.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature San Francisco7 AM PST Chance of light rain58°F Fairfield7:45 AM PST Chance of light rain53°F Willows9:15 AM PST Light rain56°F Redding10:15 AM PST Rain53°F Black Butte Summit11:30 AM PST Rain43°F Siskiyou Summit12:15 PM PST Light rain likely43°F Grants Pass1:15 PM PST Chance of light rain52°F Eugene3:30 PM PST Slight chance of light rain55°F Salem4:30 PM PST Slight chance of light rain54°F Portland5:15 PM PST Slight chance of light rain54°F Olympia7 PM PST Partly cloudy53°F Seattle8:15 PM PST Mostly cloudy53°F - SatNov 14
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 40–58°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature San Francisco7 AM PST Slight chance of light rain54°F Fairfield7:45 AM PST Partly sunny47°F Willows9:15 AM PST Mostly cloudy50°F Redding10:15 AM PST Chance of light rain50°F Black Butte Summit11:30 AM PST Light rain likely42°F Siskiyou Summit12:15 PM PST Partly sunny40°F Grants Pass1:15 PM PST Mostly cloudy55°F Eugene3:30 PM PST Mostly cloudy58°F Salem4:30 PM PST Slight chance of light rain58°F Portland5:15 PM PST Chance of light rain56°F Olympia7 PM PST Chance of light rain54°F Seattle8:15 PM PST Chance of light rain55°F - SunNov 15
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 41–57°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature San Francisco7 AM PST Slight chance of light rain57°F Fairfield7:45 AM PST Mostly cloudy49°F Willows9:15 AM PST Chance of light rain51°F Redding10:15 AM PST Rain50°F Black Butte Summit11:30 AM PST Light rain41°F Siskiyou Summit12:15 PM PST Light rain42°F Grants Pass1:15 PM PST Light rain50°F Eugene3:30 PM PST Light rain50°F Salem4:30 PM PST Light rain likely52°F Portland5:15 PM PST Chance of light rain52°F Olympia7 PM PST Chance of light rain48°F Seattle8:15 PM PST Light rain likely51°F - MonNov 16
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 35–53°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature San Francisco7 AM PST Chance of light rain53°F Fairfield7:45 AM PST Slight chance of light rain47°F Willows9:15 AM PST Chance of light rain49°F Redding10:15 AM PST Slight chance of light rain50°F Black Butte Summit11:30 AM PST Chance of light snow38°F Siskiyou Summit12:15 PM PST Slight chance of light snow35°F Grants Pass1:15 PM PST Slight chance of light rain50°F Eugene3:30 PM PST Chance of light rain52°F Salem4:30 PM PST Slight chance of light rain50°F Portland5:15 PM PST Chance of light rain51°F Olympia7 PM PST Chance of light rain44°F Seattle8:15 PM PST Chance of light rain49°F - TueNov 17
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 36–52°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature San Francisco7 AM PST Mostly sunny50°F Fairfield7:45 AM PST Mostly sunny43°F Willows9:15 AM PST Mostly sunny48°F Redding10:15 AM PST Mostly sunny52°F Black Butte Summit11:30 AM PST Mostly sunny39°F Siskiyou Summit12:15 PM PST Partly sunny36°F Grants Pass1:15 PM PST Partly sunny50°F Eugene3:30 PM PST Partly sunny52°F Salem4:30 PM PST Slight chance of light rain49°F Portland5:15 PM PST Slight chance of light rain50°F Olympia7 PM PST Slight chance of light rain43°F Seattle8:15 PM PST Partly cloudy48°F - WedNov 18
CautionLight rain likely near Fairfield around 7:45 AM PST. Also at 2 other checkpoints.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature San Francisco7 AM PST Light rain54°F Fairfield7:45 AM PST Light rain likely45°F Willows9:15 AM PST Light rain47°F Redding10:15 AM PST Light rain46°F Black Butte Summit11:30 AM PST Light snow36°F Siskiyou Summit12:15 PM PST Light snow likely34°F Grants Pass1:15 PM PST Light rain likely46°F Eugene3:30 PM PST Light rain likely50°F Salem4:30 PM PST Chance of light rain48°F Portland5:15 PM PST Chance of light rain48°F Olympia7 PM PST Chance of light rain43°F Seattle8:15 PM PST Chance of light rain48°F - ThuNov 19
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 33–51°F along the way. The forecast does not reach the last 3 checkpoints yet.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature San Francisco7 AM PST Chance of light rain51°F Fairfield7:45 AM PST Chance of light rain45°F Willows9:15 AM PST Chance of light rain46°F Redding10:15 AM PST Chance of light rain48°F Black Butte Summit11:30 AM PST Chance of light snow36°F Siskiyou Summit12:15 PM PST Slight chance of light snow33°F Grants Pass1:15 PM PST Slight chance of light rain48°F Eugene3:30 PM PST Slight chance of light rain51°F Salem4:30 PM PST Partly sunny48°F Portland5:15 PM PST Not forecast yet— Olympia7 PM PST Not forecast yet— Seattle8:15 PM PST 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).