Shaded Seats at Husky Stadium

Husky Stadium is one of college football’s most scenic venues. Primarily the home field for the Washington Huskies, the stadium is known for its stunning views overlooking Lake Washington and its fun gameday atmosphere. Seattle’s climate is known for its variability, with sunny days early in the season and cooler, damp days as the season progresses. Huskies fans can reference this guide along with the stadium’s seating chart to identify the sunny and shaded seats at Husky Stadium.

Where are the seats in the shade and sun at Husky Stadium?

As a general rule, the seats in the shade at Husky Stadium are located:

• South Sideline: Shade on the away team’s side of the stadium
• Under Cover: Most upper-deck and club seats are covered and shaded

And the seats in the sun at Husky Stadium are located:

• North Sideline: Sunny on the Huskies’ home side of the stadium

Games at Husky Stadium usually kick off at 12:30 PM, 4:30 PM or 7:30 PM, with a few other times mixed into the schedule as well. For specific details about shaded sections at different start times, please continue reading.

Husky Stadium Orientation to the Sun

Husky Stadium is oriented northwest to southeast. By noon, the sun is above and behind the southeast corner of the stadium. Over the course of the afternoon, it dips behind the south side of the stadium and eventually sets near the west end zone. This configuration makes the south side of the stadium the “shade side” and the north side the sunny side. The end zones are sunny for day games but become shaded for evening games.

The graphic below shows the approximate hour-by-hour position of the sun throughout the day on September 1st.

See an interactive seating chart for the next event at Husky Stadium

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Early Afternoon Husky Stadium Games

Husky Stadium is a historic venue that has been modernized over the years. It uses a horseshoe design, with seating along the sidelines and behind the west end zone, plus a few bleachers behind the east end zone. The sidelines are covered by cantilevered metal roofs that extend out over the upper deck and toward the field. The roofs help keep fans dry during Seattle’s rainy seasons and also provide shade during the warmer months early in the football season.

That said, shade is somewhat limited at Husky Stadium early in the afternoon. For a game that starts in the noon hour, the sun is high above, and the key for shade is to look for cover. Sections 301-311 and 325-333 are the best bet for shade, as both upper decks are under cover of the sideline roofs and are shaded earlier in the day. Shade is also abundant in club-level Sections 201-212 and 224-234, which are covered and shaded. Shade-seeking fans who want to sit at field level should prefer the south (away team) side of the stadium. Sections 101-110 may start the game in the sun, but as the game progresses, more and more seats will shift into the shade.

The sunniest seats are at field level on the north (home) side of the stadium and behind the end zones. Barring a cloudy day, all seats in end zone Sections 114-122, 135-139, and 213-223 are in the path of the sun for the entirety of an afternoon game. On the sideline, Sections 125-133 are sunny during an early-day game. In the upper deck, the rows of 325-333 closest to the field will shift from shade to sun as the game progresses.

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Late Afternoon and Evening Husky Stadium Games

When the Huskies are scheduled for a game at 4:00 PM or later, shade is more abundant, and the same basic principles apply for finding it. Shade seekers should focus on south (away) sideline Sections 101-110, 201-212, and 301-311. As the sun dips behind the stadium, fans in these sections will have the sun at their backs and shade covering their seats.

The sunniest seats are on the north (home) side of the stadium. Sections 125-133 are sun-soaked at the start of a mid-afternoon game. In the upper deck, Sections 325-333 are partially shaded thanks to the roof. However, by late afternoon and into the evening, the angle of the sun is pointed directly toward these seats. Fans here, aside from those in the very back rows, will find the sun in their eyes and their seats in the shade. Seats behind the end zone will be sunny at the start of a 4:00 PM game but will be shaded by 7:00 PM.

By mid-afternoon seats on the south side of the stadium (left) are safely shaded while those on the east side (right) and behind the end zones are in the sun.
Photo by Jesse Beals/Icon Sportswire

Ready to buy shaded seats at Husky Stadium?

Use the individual game links or click or tap here to see the upcoming game list for Husky Stadium.