Portland, Oregon averages 222 cloudy days a year and about 64 hours of sunshine in December, less than a quarter of the sunshine possible. On the shortest day the sun is up for 8 hours and 42 minutes and climbs 21 degrees above the horizon at noon. Here is the Portland year in numbers, month by month, from official weather data.
How grey is Portland?
NOAA's Comparative Climatic Data counts 222 cloudy days a year at Portland, just behind Seattle (226) and ahead of Buffalo (208) and Pittsburgh (203). Add the partly cloudy days and cloud covers more than a quarter of the sky on about 296 days a year, which leaves roughly 69 clear days. See where Portland ranks among the cloudiest cities in the US.
| Portland at a glance | Figure |
|---|---|
| Latitude (Portland International Airport) | 45.6°N |
| Cloudy days a year | 222 |
| Days with measurable rain (0.01 in or more) | 157 |
| Sunshine hours a year | 2,341 |
| December sunshine hours | 64 (23% of possible) |
| Shortest day (21 Dec 2026) | 8 h 42 min, sunrise 7:47 am, sunset 4:30 pm |
| Sun height at noon on the shortest day | 21° |
What does a Portland year look like month by month?
| Month | Sunshine hours | % of possible sunshine | Days with rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 86 | 30% | 18.7 |
| February | 116 | 40% | 15.7 |
| March | 191 | 52% | 17.8 |
| April | 221 | 54% | 17.4 |
| May | 276 | 60% | 13.2 |
| June | 290 | 62% | 9.2 |
| July | 332 | 70% | 3.7 |
| August | 298 | 68% | 3.6 |
| September | 236 | 63% | 6.7 |
| October | 152 | 45% | 13.5 |
| November | 79 | 28% | 18.3 |
| December | 64 | 23% | 19.2 |
November to January is the grey stretch, with under a third of the possible sunshine and rain on more than half of all days. December is the wettest month by days, with rain on about 19 of them.
Is Portland greyer than Seattle?
Very nearly as grey, but a little sunnier. Portland has 222 cloudy days to Seattle's 226 and about 170 more hours of sunshine a year. In December Portland gets about 64 hours of sun to Seattle's 53, and its shortest day is 17 minutes longer.
Can you make vitamin D from the sun in a Portland winter?
Research from Boston (42°N) found skin made no vitamin D from sunlight from November through February, and at 52°N the gap ran from October through March (Webb, Kline and Holick, 1988). Portland sits between the two, and in December the noon sun reaches only 21 degrees. Our guide to vitamin D in Pacific Northwest winters covers how much adults need and where to get it.
FAQ
How many sunny days does Portland get?
Roughly 69 clear days a year, based on NOAA's Comparative Climatic Data. Cloud covers more than a quarter of the sky on the other 296 or so.
How many cloudy days does Portland get?
About 222 a year.
How much rain does Portland get?
About 37 inches a year, falling on about 157 days.
Ray™'s take: Portland gets a few more sunbreaks than Seattle. Make the most of them. Start with our Morning, Afternoon and Evening lineups, or see how Portland compares in The Grey Index.
Sources and method
Cloudy and partly cloudy days: NOAA Comparative Climatic Data, Portland, averaged over the station's period of record. Sunshine hours and percentage of possible sunshine: NOAA averages for Portland International Airport, 1961 to 1990, the latest period NOAA published before its sunshine sensors were retired. Days with rain and annual rainfall: NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals for Portland International Airport. Sunrise, sunset and sun height for 21 December 2026: timeanddate.com. This page is for education and is not medical advice.