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Shaded-relief map of Gig Harbor, Washington: rivers, roads, the city limits and where the water drains.
WASHINGTON · PIERCE COUNTY

Gig Harbor

12,643 people, 40 ft above sea level in Pierce County.

40 ftElevation, city center
12,643People, 2024 estimate
6 sq miLand area
Clear 56°
Clear now Dew point 45° · SSW 7 mph · high 54°
City of Gig Harbor River Interstate 2 miles
Explore the plate Order a print

The Gig Harbor plate. Relief from Copernicus GLO-30; rivers and lakes from USGS NHD; watersheds from the USGS Watershed Boundary Dataset; roads and city limits from Census TIGER 2024.

MILE1
TODAY

Today in Gig Harbor

NWS forecast and National Blend of Models · updated 4:00 PM PST
RIGHT NOW Tacoma Narrows Airport (KTIW) · 4:53 PM
Clear
56° Clear Feels like 56° · high of 54° near 5 PM
WindSSW 7 mphno gusts
Humidity67%rising to 96% by morning
Pressure29.65 in →steady
Visibility10 mihaze-free
CloudsClear
UV index—no forecast
Dew point 45° · Dryabout the same for three days
DryComfortableStickyMuggyOppressive
NEXT RAIN
Mostly cloudy
Tonight, about 9 PMin about 3 hours · 88% chance · rain
LIKELY AMOUNT—amounts come within 3 days
LAST RAINNov. 130.15 in · 1 dry day
ALERTS & OUTLOOKS
No watches or warnings for Pierce County
NWS Seattle and the Storm Prediction Center · checked 5:47 PM
SUN & MOON
↑ 7:13 AM4:36 PM ↓
9 h 23 m of daylight, 3 minutes less than yesterday
Waxing crescent, 27% lit. Next full moon: Nov. 24.
AIR & POLLEN
23
GOODAir quality index · fine particles
Tomorrow: 28, good. No pollen source yet.

The next three days, hour by hour

Sky: clear, cloudy, night Rain likely National Blend of Models
SATURDAY, NOV. 14
SUNDAY, NOV. 15
MONDAY, NOV. 16
TUESDAY, NOV. 17
5p
8p
11p
2a
5a
8a
11a
2p
5p
8p
11p
2a
5a
8a
11a
2p
5p
8p
11p
2a
5a
8a
11a
2p
mostly cloudy night
rain
rain
rain
partly cloudy night
rain
partly cloudy day
showers day
showers night
showers night
partly cloudy night
partly cloudy night
showers night
showers day
showers day
showers day
showers night
showers night
partly cloudy night
mostly cloudy night
mostly cloudy night
partly cloudy day
partly cloudy day
mostly sunny
TEMPERATURE °F
54°
50°
54°
45°
51°
42°
CHANCE OF RAIN
88% · 0.14 in Saturday night 50%
WIND, MPH
9
8
12
13
13
13
13
9
9
8
7
5
4
6
8
7
5
5
5
2
0
0
2
4
HOW IT FEELS · DEW POINT
Dry: dew points 41 to 49°

The next seven days, and how sure we are

Forecast, with the range 8 in 10 ensemble members agree on Normal, about 51° / 40°
SAT Nov. 14 Showers likely Showers likely
54° 50°
90% rain — SSE 9 A
SUN Nov. 15 Showers likely Showers likely
54° 44°
70% rain 0.2–0.4″ S 12 A
MON Nov. 16 Chance of showers Chance of showers
52° 40°
50% rain up to 0.2″ SSW 6 B
TUE Nov. 17 Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
51° 41°
20% rain — NNE 5 A
WED Nov. 18 Chance of showers Chance of showers
50° 40°
40% rain up to 0.08″ N 7 B
THU Nov. 19 Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
51° 37°
10% rain — NNE 5 B
FRI Nov. 20 Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
49° 37°
20% rain — E 5 B
How sure are we? AModels agree: highs within 4° BSome spread: within 8° CWide spread: check back
Range from the National Blend of Models percentiles · graded on Forecast Scores
AIR MAIL

Where today’s air came from

The air arriving over Gig Harbor about 5,000 feet above the ground was over the open Pacific three days ago, and over British Columbia a day ago, about 1,060 miles back along its path. It came down from about 9,500 feet up, warming and drying as it sank. Near the ground the air came from the open Pacific; at 10,000 feet, from the Pacific north of Hawaii. Traced back 72 hours through NOAA’s hourly RAP analyses and the GFS beyond them, nine paths at each of three heights.

THIS WEEK IN 2001 Nov. 13–14, 2001

The wettest two days this week has seen

4.65 inches of rain fell in two days, the most for this week of the year since records began in 1982. The next wettest, 3.43 inches, fell in 2015.

3.43″
4.65″
20152001
Source: NOAA RCC-ACIS, the Tacoma No. 1 record since 1982.
MILE2
THE GROUND

What Gig Harbor stands on

Gig Harbor’s center stands about 40 ft above sea level. Within three miles the land runs from 10 ft to 410 ft, a difference of 400 ft: hilly country. Open water lies within three miles. The highest named summit within 15 miles is Indian Hill, about 550 ft, 8 miles east-southeast.

Under the town center the state geologic map shows Younger glacial drift (fine-detrital, coarse-detrital), from the Pleistocene, less than 2.6 million years old.

The section below crosses 2 rock units mapped at the surface.

Herron Island to Des Moines, cut in half

A section west to east, 24 miles through the town center
0 ft200 ft400 ft GIG HARBOR40 ftHome220 ftArtondale330 ftHigh point of the line440 ft ← W · Herron IslandDes Moines · E →

Heights every 0.1 mile from the Copernicus GLO-90 surface model; vertical exaggeration about 43×. The colored band under the surface is the rock the state geologic map shows at the surface, not a picture of what lies beneath.

Rock at the surface along the line

Younger glacial drift

Fine-detrital, coarse-detrital. Age: Pleistocene, less than 2.6 million years old. About 12 mi of the line.

Older glacial drift

Fine-detrital, coarse-detrital. Age: Late Pliocene to Pleistocene, less than 3.6 million years old. About 1 mi of the line.

From the USGS State Geologic Map Compilation (Horton and others, 2017), the states’ geologic maps joined at a common scale.

Heights from Copernicus GLO-90 (a surface model: it includes buildings and tree canopy); summits from USGS GNIS; rivers from USGS NHDPlus HR; rock from the USGS State Geologic Map Compilation.

MILE3
THE WATER

Where Gig Harbor’s rain goes

A raindrop that lands in Gig Harbor reaches Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean by way of North Creek: about 1 river miles.

FROM THE CENTER OF GIG HARBOR < 2 mi to Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean North Creek

Traced down the USGS NHDPlus V2.1 river network from the Census center point of Gig Harbor; river miles along the main stem, rounded.

MILE5
THE ALMANAC

Gig Harbor’s year

1991–2020 normals · records since 1982 · Tacoma No. 1, 10 mi southeast

Gig Harbor has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate. Summer afternoons average 77° in July; winter nights fall to about 37° in February. About 41 inches of rain fall in a normal year.

48°38°50°37°55°40°60°44°66°49°71°53°77°57°77°57°71°53°61°47°52°40°47°37° JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC 12 TODAY GIG HARBOR 40.8 in rain a year
Normal high to low, by month Record high to low, by day Rain by month
July, average77° / 57°high / low, the warmest month
February, average50° / 37°high / low, the coldest month
Rain a year40.8 inwettest months: November and January
Hottest on record105°FJune 27, 2021
Coldest on record5°FNovember 24, 1985
Wettest day on record4.73 inNovember 22, 2011
90° days a year1on average, 1991–2020
Nights at or below 32°28and 1 days that stay below freezing
Climate typeWarm-summer MediterraneanKöppen Csb

AROUND THE RING

1Freeze seasonfrom the first fall freeze, about Nov. 13, to the last in spring, about March 9 (median dates)
2Wettest stretchNovember through January: 18.6 of the year’s 40.8 inches
NOVEMBER 14 IN THE RECORD

On November 14 Gig Harbor normally reaches 53° and falls to 41°. The record high is 65°, in 2021; the record low 24°, in 2014. The most rain on this date, 4.20 in, fell in 2001.

MONTH BY MONTH
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Normal high48°50°55°60°66°71°77°77°71°61°52°47°
Normal low38°37°40°44°49°53°57°57°53°47°40°37°
Rain, inches6.034.034.383.392.001.420.550.831.574.096.506.02
Record high66° (2005)68° (1986)77° (2004)83° (2016)92° (1983)105° (2021)94° (2025)96° (2020)89° (1987)82° (1991)70° (2017)68° (1993)
Record low16° (2024)11° (1989)15° (1989)29° (1991)34° (1982)37° (1982)46° (2009)41° (1984)34° (1983)26° (2002)5° (1985)6° (1983)

Normals 1991–2020 and records since 1982 at Tacoma No. 1, 10 miles southeast. NOAA, through RCC-ACIS.

MILE7
ON THE NETWORK

Around Gig Harbor on the Forecast Network

Neighboring plates

Tacoma WA · 9 MI 9 miles southeast Seattle WA · 23 MI 23 miles northeast Everett WA · 47 MI 47 miles northeast Bellingham WA · 98 MI 98 miles north Yakima WA · 110 MI 110 miles southeast Vancouver WA · 117 MI 117 miles south
FORECASTCITY
Map of Gig Harbor, Washington. Explore the plate
WASHINGTON · PIERCE

Gig Harbor

12,643 people, 40 ft above sea level in Pierce County.

40 ftElevation
12,643People
6 sq miLand
Clear 56°
ClearDew point 45°
1

Today in Gig Harbor

NEXT 15 HOURS
Now mostly cloudy night 54° 15%
8p mostly cloudy night 54° 23%
11p rain 52° 88%
2a rain 52° 45%
5a rain 52° 31%
8a rain 50° 33%
Mostly cloudy
NEXT RAINTonight about 9 PM · 88%
→
Sat90%
Showers likely Showers likely
50
54
A
Sun70%
Showers likely Showers likely
44
54
A
Mon50%
Chance of showers Chance of showers
40
52
B
Tue20%
Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
41
51
A
Wed40%
Chance of showers Chance of showers
40
50
B
Thu10%
Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
37
51
B
Fri20%
Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
37
49
B
Letters show how sure the forecast is: A, models agree; B, some spread; C, check back. Sample data.
THIS WEEK IN 2001 · NOV. 13–14, 2001

4.65 inches in two days, the most for this week since 1982.

2

What Gig Harbor stands on

Gig Harbor’s center stands about 40 ft above sea level. Within three miles the land runs from 10 ft to 410 ft, a difference of 400 ft: hilly country. Open water lies within three miles. The highest named summit within 15 miles is Indian Hill, about 550 ft, 8 miles east-southeast.

Gig Harbor, west to east Gig Harbor40 ft ← WE → 24 miles through the town center; vertical exaggeration about 83×. Colors: rock at the surface.
Elevation, center40 ft
Within 3 miles10 to 410 ft
Lie of the landHilly (400 ft of relief)
High point nearbyIndian Hill, 550 ft, 8 mi east-southeast
Rock at the surfaceYounger glacial drift
Its agePleistocene, less than 2.6 million years old
5

Gig Harbor’s year

Gig Harbor has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate. Summer afternoons average 77° in July; winter nights fall to about 37° in February. About 41 inches of rain fall in a normal year.

JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC 12 40.8 in
July, average77° / 57° · high / low, the warmest month
February, average50° / 37° · high / low, the coldest month
Rain a year40.8 in · wettest months: November and January
Hottest on record105°F · June 27, 2021
Coldest on record5°F · November 24, 1985
Wettest day on record4.73 in · November 22, 2011
90° days a year1 · on average, 1991–2020
Nights at or below 32°28 · and 1 days that stay below freezing
Climate typeWarm-summer Mediterranean · Köppen Csb
1Freeze season · from the first fall freeze, about Nov. 13, to the last in spring, about March 9 (median dates)
2Wettest stretch · November through January: 18.6 of the year’s 40.8 inches
NOVEMBER 14 IN THE RECORD

On November 14 Gig Harbor normally reaches 53° and falls to 41°. The record high is 65°, in 2021; the record low 24°, in 2014. The most rain on this date, 4.20 in, fell in 2001.

Normals 1991–2020 and records since 1982 at Tacoma No. 1, 10 miles southeast. NOAA, through RCC-ACIS.
3

Where the rain goes

< 2 mito the PacificNorth Creek

A raindrop that lands in Gig Harbor reaches Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean by way of North Creek: about 1 river miles.