Our mid-latitude location, the moderating effect of the Pacific's east edge, and our seasonally switching winds give the Oregon Coast a very temperate climate.

In fact, the effect of the adjacent sea is so profound that climate–probably including today's weather–changes dramatically as you move inland from the beach.   Rule of thumb:  The climate near Oregon's shoreline changes more traveling ten miles to the east of a given beach location than it does a hundred miles north or south.

In winter, our prevailing winds are from the south, bringing blustery storms with the warming tendencies.  In summer, prevailing winds come from the north, barreling down fresh from the Arctic.

What temperatures might you expect?  When using the chart below, keep in mind that the City of Coos Bay is about ten miles inland:  on summer days temperatures in inland forests will be warmer than for Coos Bay, and breezy beach temperatures will be cooler.  Late summer beach walks can be chilly:  bring a jacket!

"Oregon" makes some people think of "rain."  In fact, Portland, Oregon receives about the same amount of annual precipitation as does New York City.  The difference is:    northwestern North America gets most of its precipitation in the winter months, giving us generally dry summers.

We also have more details on our seasons:  For a current forecast, click here.

For a map showing annual precipitation state wide, check out the Oregon Climate Service map.

For more detail about el Niño, check out this article by our state climatologist, George Taylor.

We also post snapshots of regional natural history and human history.

We offer walks, tours, excursions, extended sessions, and special activities; as well as a calendar of slated activities.