{{About|the geographic region|the university|Western Washington University}} {{Infobox settlement | name = Western Washington | native_name = | other_name = | settlement_type = Region <!-- images, nickname, motto --> | image_skyline = {{Photomontage | photo1a = Downtown Seattle skyline from Kerry Park - October 2019.jpg | photo2a = Washington State Capitol Legislative Building.jpg | photo2b = Ferry Wenatchee enroute to Bainbridge Island WA.jpg | photo3a = Mount Rainier sunset.jpg | photo4a = Diablo Lake.jpg | photo4b = Mt Shuksan from Picture Lake (7942389350).jpg | photo5a = Bellevue Sunset.jpg | size = 280 | spacing = 2 | color = white | border = 0 | foot_montage = Left-right from top: Seattle skyline, Washington State Capitol, WSF MV Wenatchee, Mount Rainier, Diablo Lake, Mount Shuksan, Bellevue skyline }} | image_caption = | image_flag = | image_shield = | motto = | nickname = | etymology = <!-- location --> | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = United States | subdivision_type1 = State | subdivision_name1 = Washington | subdivision_type2 = | subdivision_name2 = | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = <!-- maps and coordinates --> | image_map = Western Washington map.svg | map_caption = | pushpin_map = | pushpin_relief = | pushpin_map_caption = | coordinates = {{coord|48|N|122|W|display=inline,title}} | coordinates_footnotes = <!-- established --> | established_title = | established_date = <!-- area --> | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = | area_total_sq_mi = | area_land_sq_mi = 24742 | area_water_sq_mi = <!-- elevation --> | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = | elevation_ft = <!-- population --> | population_as_of = 2020 census | population_footnotes = | population_total = 6,037,688 | population_density_km2 = auto | population_density_sq_mi = auto | population_demonym = <!-- time zone(s) --> | timezone1 = | utc_offset1 = | timezone1_DST = | utc_offset1_DST = <!-- postal codes, area code --> | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_code_type = | area_code = | geocode = | iso_code = <!-- website, footnotes --> | website = | footnotes = }}

'''Western Washington''' is a region of the United States defined as the area of Washington State west of the Cascade Mountains. This region is home to the state's largest city, Seattle, the state capital, Olympia, and most of the state's residents. The climate is generally far more damp and temperate than that of Eastern Washington.

==Climate== [[File:Western Washington Köppen.png|250px|thumb|left|Köppen climate types in western Washington]] Western Washington is known as having a far wetter climate than the eastern portion of the state, primarily due to the effects of the Cascades' rain shadow. The average location in Eastern Washington only receives an average of {{convert|46.87|cm|in|abbr=off}} of precipitation per year,<ref name="WRCCprecip">https://www.wrcc.dri.edu/summary/Climsmwa.html Western Regional Climate Data Center Website</ref> whereas the average place in Western Washington receives {{convert|167.72|cm|in|abbr=off}}.<ref name="WRCCprecip"/> The average location in Western Washington gets 168 days of measurable precipitation per year.<ref name="WRCCRainDays">https://www.wrcc.dri.edu/htmlfiles/wa/wa.01.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111227164033/https://www.wrcc.dri.edu/htmlfiles/wa/wa.01.html |date=2011-12-27 }} Western Regional Climate Data Center, Days of Precipitation</ref>

The place that receives the most recorded precipitation is Lake Quinault on the Olympic Peninsula, with an average of {{convert|332.92|cm|in|abbr=off}} per year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?wa6864|title=QUINAULT RS, WASHINGTON - Climate Summary|work=dri.edu|access-date=20 June 2015}}</ref> The Long Beach Experimental Station has the most days of measurable precipitation, averaging 215 each year.<ref name="WRCCRainDays"/>

==Population== As of the 2020 census, Western Washington was home to 6,037,688 of the state's total 7,705,281 residents, making its population comparable to that of Missouri.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/WA/PST045219|title=Census QuickFacts: Washington|access-date=15 August 2021}}</ref><ref name="StatePops">See List of U.S. states and territories by population for the most recent state population figures.</ref> The region has a land area of {{convert|24742|sqmi|km2}}, making its land area comparable to that of West Virginia. The population density of Western Washington is {{convert|244.03|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people&nbsp;|abbr=off|sp=us}}.

==Counties== Counties in Western Washington:

{{Div col start | colwidth=15em}} * Clallam * Clark * Cowlitz * Grays Harbor * Island * Jefferson * King * Kitsap * Lewis * Mason * Pacific * Pierce * San Juan * Skagit * Skamania * Snohomish * Thurston * Wahkiakum * Whatcom {{Div col end}}

==Cities of note== Major cities in Western Washington:<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_event=Search&_name=&_state=04000US53&_county=&_cityTown=&_zip=&_sse=on&_lang=en&pctxt=fph |title=US Census Bureau for Washington |access-date=2005-08-08 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212052249/https://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_event=Search&_name=&_state=04000US53&_county=&_cityTown=&_zip=&_sse=on&_lang=en&pctxt=fph |archive-date=2020-02-12 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

{{Div col start | colwidth=15em}} *Aberdeen *Anacortes *Auburn *Bellevue *Bellingham *Bremerton *Everett *Edmonds *Federal Way *Issaquah *Kelso *Kirkland *Lake Stevens *Longview *Lynnwood *Monroe *Mount Vernon *Oak Harbor *Olympia *Port Angeles *Port Townsend *Puyallup *Redmond *Renton *Seattle *Shelton *Tacoma *Vancouver {{Div col end}}

== References == {{Reflist}}

{{Washington}} {{Authority control}}

Category:Western Washington Category:Regions of Washington (state)