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

Summit

8,270 people, 470 ft above sea level in Pierce County.

470 ftElevation, city center
8,270People, 2024 estimate
5 sq miLand area
Sunny 59°
Sunny now Dew point 45° · S 10 mph · high 56°
City of Summit River Interstate 2 miles
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The Summit 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 Summit

NWS forecast and National Blend of Models · updated 1:00 PM PST
RIGHT NOW Pierce County-Thun Field (KPLU) · 1:35 PM
Sunny
59° Sunny Feels like 59° · high of 56° near 1 PM
WindS 10 mphno gusts
Humidity59%falling to 69% this afternoon
Pressure29.69 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 10 PMin about 8 hours · 61% chance · rain
LIKELY AMOUNT—amounts come within 3 days
LAST RAINNov. 121.48 in · 2 dry days
ALERTS & OUTLOOKS
No watches or warnings for Pierce County
NWS Seattle and the Storm Prediction Center · checked 1:47 PM
SUN & MOON
↑ 7:11 AM4:36 PM ↓
9 h 24 m of daylight, 3 minutes less than yesterday
Waxing crescent, 26% lit. Next full moon: Nov. 24.
AIR & POLLEN
21
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
1p
4p
7p
10p
1a
4a
7a
10a
1p
4p
7p
10p
1a
4a
7a
10a
1p
4p
7p
10p
1a
4a
7a
10a
mostly cloudy day
mostly cloudy night
mostly cloudy night
rain
mostly cloudy night
mostly cloudy night
rain
showers day
showers day
showers night
showers night
mostly clear night
mostly clear night
mostly clear night
partly cloudy day
showers day
showers day
partly cloudy night
partly cloudy night
partly cloudy night
partly cloudy night
partly cloudy night
partly cloudy day
mostly sunny
TEMPERATURE °F
56°
49°
53°
42°
50°
38°
CHANCE OF RAIN
82% · 0.28 in Sunday afternoon 50%
WIND, MPH
7
6
7
10
14
12
10
9
7
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
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0
0
HOW IT FEELS · DEW POINT
Dry: dew points 38 to 50°

The next seven days, and how sure we are

Forecast, with the range 8 in 10 ensemble members agree on Normal, about 51° / 36°
SAT Nov. 14 Showers likely Showers likely
56° 49°
60% rain — S 7 A
SUN Nov. 15 Showers likely Showers likely
56° 41°
80% rain 0.1–0.3″ SSW 8, gusts 25 B
MON Nov. 16 Chance of showers Chance of showers
53° 37°
50% rain 0.02–0.2″ SSE 0 B
TUE Nov. 17 Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
53° 37°
10% rain — NNE 5 B
WED Nov. 18 Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy
51° 36°
20% rain — NNE 5 B
THU Nov. 19 Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
51° 34°
10% rain — N 5 B
FRI Nov. 20 Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
51° 34°
20% rain — ENE 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 Summit about 5,000 feet above the ground was over the open Pacific three days ago, and over the Pacific off the Northwest a day ago, about 910 miles back along its path. Near the ground the air came from British Columbia; 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 1999 Nov. 12–13, 1999

The wettest two days this week has seen

3.67 inches of rain fell in two days, the most for this week of the year since records began in 1941. The next wettest, 3.42 inches, fell in 2001.

3.42″
3.67″
20011999
Source: NOAA RCC-ACIS, the Mcmillin Reservoir record since 1941.
MILE2
THE GROUND

What Summit stands on

Summit’s center stands about 470 ft above sea level. Within three miles the land runs from 30 ft to 500 ft, a difference of 470 ft: hilly country. The highest named summit within 15 miles is Spar Pole Hill, about 1,900 ft, 13 miles 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 4 rock units mapped at the surface.

Graham to Browns Point, cut in half

A section south to north, 24 miles through the town center
0 ft250 ft500 ft750 ft SUMMIT470 ftGraham810 ftSummit View480 ftWaller430 ftPuyallup Riversea level ← S · GrahamBrowns Point · N →

Heights every 0.1 mile from the Copernicus GLO-90 surface model; vertical exaggeration about 23×. 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 16 mi of the line.

Younger glacial drift

Fine-detrital, coarse-detrital. Age: Pleistocene, less than 2.6 million years old. About 2 mi of the line.

Alluvium

Silt, sand. Age: Holocene, less than 12,000 years old. About 2 mi of the line.

Older glacial drift

Fine-detrital, coarse-detrital. Age: Late Pliocene to Pleistocene, less than 3.6 million years old. About 0.5 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 Summit’s rain goes

A raindrop that lands in Summit reaches Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean by way of Clear Creek and the Puyallup: about 7 river miles.

THE WAY DOWN, TO SCALE
Summit≈ 7 mi · Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean
FROM THE CENTER OF SUMMIT ≈ 7 mi to Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean Clear Creek → Puyallup

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

MILE5
THE ALMANAC

Summit’s year

1991–2020 normals · records since 1941 · Mcmillin Reservoir, 5 mi east-southeast

Summit has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate. Summer afternoons average 77° in August; winter nights fall to about 33° in January. A normal year brings about 6 inches of snow; with the rain, that comes to about 45 inches of water.

46°33°48°33°52°36°57°39°64°44°69°49°76°52°77°53°70°48°59°42°50°36°45°33° JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC 12 TODAY SUMMIT 45.1 in rain and snowmelt
Normal high to low, by month Record high to low, by day Rain by month
August, average77° / 53°high / low, the warmest month
January, average46° / 33°high / low, the coldest month
Rain and melted snow45.1 inwettest months: November and January
Snow a year5.6 insnowiest: January
Hottest on record102°FJuly 30, 2009
Coldest on record−1°FDecember 23, 1983
Wettest day on record3.59 inNovember 7, 2006
Snowiest day on record16.0 inDecember 27, 1974
90° days a year2on average, 1991–2020
Nights at or below 32°59and 2 days that stay below freezing
Climate typeWarm-summer MediterraneanKöppen Csb

AROUND THE RING

1Freeze seasonfrom the first fall freeze, about Oct. 28, to the last in spring, about April 11 (median dates)
2Wettest stretchNovember through January: 19.2 of the year’s 45.1 inches
NOVEMBER 14 IN THE RECORD

On November 14 Summit normally reaches 51° and falls to 36°. The record high is 63°, in 1975; the record low 4°, in 1955. The most rain on this date, 2.35 in, fell in 2001.

MONTH BY MONTH
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Normal high46°48°52°57°64°69°76°77°70°59°50°45°
Normal low33°33°36°39°44°49°52°53°48°42°36°33°
Rain and melt, in6.124.334.803.902.972.280.920.901.784.087.065.99
Snow, inches1.50.50.60.00.00.00.00.00.00.01.51.5
Record high66° (2005)67° (1986)79° (2004)84° (2016)92° (2008)99° (2021)102° (2009)100° (1981)95° (1988)86° (1987)73° (1949)66° (2014)
Record low0° (1950)3° (1950)9° (1955)23° (2004)26° (1954)32° (1976)36° (1952)37° (1980)29° (1972)21° (1971)0° (1955)−1° (1983)

Normals 1991–2020 and records since 1941 at Mcmillin Reservoir, 5 miles east-southeast, 100 ft higher. NOAA, through RCC-ACIS.

MILE7
ON THE NETWORK

Around Summit on the Forecast Network

Neighboring plates

Tacoma WA · 7 MI 7 miles northwest Seattle WA · 31 MI 31 miles north Everett WA · 56 MI 56 miles north Vancouver WA · 106 MI 106 miles south Portland OR · 114 MI 114 miles south Gresham OR · 115 MI 115 miles south
FORECASTCITY
Map of Summit, Washington. Explore the plate
WASHINGTON · PIERCE

Summit

8,270 people, 470 ft above sea level in Pierce County.

470 ftElevation
8,270People
5 sq miLand
Sunny 59°
SunnyDew point 45°
1

Today in Summit

NEXT 15 HOURS
Now mostly cloudy day 56° 0%
4p mostly cloudy day 55° 13%
7p partly cloudy night 54° 7%
10p rain 52° 37%
1a rain 51° 32%
4a rain 51° 42%
Mostly cloudy
NEXT RAINTonight about 10 PM · 61%
→
Sat60%
Showers likely Showers likely
49
56
A
Sun80%
Showers likely Showers likely
41
56
B
Mon50%
Chance of showers Chance of showers
37
53
B
Tue10%
Mostly sunny Mostly sunny
37
53
B
Wed20%
Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy
36
51
B
Thu10%
Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
34
51
B
Fri20%
Partly cloudy Partly cloudy
34
51
B
Letters show how sure the forecast is: A, models agree; B, some spread; C, check back. Sample data.
THIS WEEK IN 1999 · NOV. 12–13, 1999

3.67 inches in two days, the most for this week since 1941.

2

What Summit stands on

Summit’s center stands about 470 ft above sea level. Within three miles the land runs from 30 ft to 500 ft, a difference of 470 ft: hilly country. The highest named summit within 15 miles is Spar Pole Hill, about 1,900 ft, 13 miles southeast.

Summit, south to north Summit470 ftPuyallup Riversea level ← SN → 24 miles through the town center; vertical exaggeration about 43×. Colors: rock at the surface.
Elevation, center470 ft
Within 3 miles30 to 500 ft
Lie of the landHilly (470 ft of relief)
High point nearbySpar Pole Hill, 1,900 ft, 13 mi southeast
Rock at the surfaceYounger glacial drift
Its agePleistocene, less than 2.6 million years old
5

Summit’s year

Summit has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate. Summer afternoons average 77° in August; winter nights fall to about 33° in January. A normal year brings about 6 inches of snow; with the rain, that comes to about 45 inches of water.

JANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDEC 12 45.1 in
August, average77° / 53° · high / low, the warmest month
January, average46° / 33° · high / low, the coldest month
Rain and melted snow45.1 in · wettest months: November and January
Snow a year5.6 in · snowiest: January
Hottest on record102°F · July 30, 2009
Coldest on record−1°F · December 23, 1983
Wettest day on record3.59 in · November 7, 2006
Snowiest day on record16.0 in · December 27, 1974
90° days a year2 · on average, 1991–2020
Nights at or below 32°59 · and 2 days that stay below freezing
Climate typeWarm-summer Mediterranean · Köppen Csb
1Freeze season · from the first fall freeze, about Oct. 28, to the last in spring, about April 11 (median dates)
2Wettest stretch · November through January: 19.2 of the year’s 45.1 inches
NOVEMBER 14 IN THE RECORD

On November 14 Summit normally reaches 51° and falls to 36°. The record high is 63°, in 1975; the record low 4°, in 1955. The most rain on this date, 2.35 in, fell in 2001.

Normals 1991–2020 and records since 1941 at Mcmillin Reservoir, 5 miles east-southeast, 100 ft higher. NOAA, through RCC-ACIS.
3

Where the rain goes

≈ 7 mito the PacificClear Creek → Puyallup

A raindrop that lands in Summit reaches Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean by way of Clear Creek and the Puyallup: about 7 river miles.