Photo: Thomsonmg2000 · Public domainPrecipitation in Apalachicola tops that of 95% of U.S. towns: 56 inches a year
On a normal January night the air cools to about 44°. The gap between a January night and a July afternoon is 47°. In January, nights here are milder than in 93% of U.S. towns. Picnics, hikes and garden evenings come into their own from October to April, with highs of 64–81°.
A year in Apalachicola at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Apalachicola’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Apalachicola’s place in Florida beside it.
What a year in Apalachicola feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 299 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by February 20 and the first by December 13. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Apalachicola Airport, 1.6 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Apalachicola’s center in zone 9b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 26°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 56 inches of rain a year
August is the wettest month and May the driest. Rain falls on about 87 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Apalachicola Airport, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Apalachicola
30% of the work is heating, so air conditioning is the bigger bill. Months averaging under 55° run from January.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Apalachicola Airport.
Living with Apalachicola’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
299 frost-free days in zone 9b. The last frost comes by Feb 20 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Dec 13.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: January, February, March, April, October, November and December. 1.0 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Apalachicola from natural hazards, hurricanes are the largest share (48%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 10%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Apalachicola and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Apalachicola yet.
Climates most like Apalachicola’s, farther away
TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apalachicola, FL | 44° | 90° | 56" | 0.0" |
| La Porte, TX | 45° | 91° | 55" | 0.0" |
| Morgan City, LA | 44° | 91° | 60" | 0.0" |
| Gulf Shores, AL | 44° | 90° | 62" | 0.0" |
| St. Marys, GA | 43° | 91° | 51" | 0.0" |
Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Apalachicola averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.4°).
A smaller shift than in 82% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.
How Apalachicola compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Apalachicola’s place among Florida’s.
Apalachicola weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Apalachicola’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Apalachicola Airport. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 64° | 44° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 48° – 61° |
| February | 66° | 47° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 48° – 65° |
| March | 72° | 52° | 4.4" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 56° – 70° |
| April | 77° | 59° | 3.3" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 63° – 74° |
| May | 85° | 66° | 2.5" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 72° – 79° |
| June | 89° | 73° | 6.7" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 77° – 85° |
| July | 90° | 74° | 6.9" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 80° – 85° |
| August | 90° | 75° | 7.8" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 80° – 85° |
| September | 88° | 72° | 6.3" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 77° – 84° |
| October | 81° | 62° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 68° – 77° |
| November | 73° | 51° | 3.1" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 56° – 70° |
| December | 66° | 46° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 47° – 66° |
| Year | 78° | 60° | 56.2" | 0.0" | 87 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 47° to 66°. July is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Where Apalachicola’s numbers come from
Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →
- Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at Apalachicola’s center.
- Snow: Apalachicola Airport (NOAA station in town).
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Apalachicola Airport, 1.6 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
- Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
- Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).
Common questions about Apalachicola’s climate
What is the weather like in Apalachicola?
A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 44°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 93% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 79% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Apalachicola in winter?
January nights average 44°. About 13 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 48°.
How much snow does Apalachicola get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Apalachicola Airport, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Apalachicola?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 74°. About 74 days a year reach 90° (Apalachicola Airport).
When is the first and last frost in Apalachicola?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by February 20 and the first fall frost by December 13, about 299 frost-free days, at Apalachicola Airport.
What growing zone is Apalachicola in?
Zone 9b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 26°.
What is the best time of year to visit Apalachicola?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), January, February, March, April, October, November and December. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Apalachicola getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.9° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 82% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Apalachicola.
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.