Photo: Michael Rivera · CC BY-SA 4.0More precipitation falls on Damascus than on 91% of U.S. towns: 53 inches a year
The coldest hours of a January night bottom out at 38° on average. Seasons differ by 53°, from the coldest nights to the warmest afternoons. Winters are mild: January nights here are milder than in 86% of U.S. towns. For walks and days out, the stretch from February to April and October to December brings highs of 63–79°.
A year in Damascus at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Damascus’ climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Damascus’ place in Georgia beside it.
What a year in Damascus feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 245 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 11 and the first by November 13. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Newton 8 W, GA, 15 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Damascus’ center in zone 8b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 20°. 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 53 inches of rain a year
July is the wettest month and October the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Damascus
46% of the work is heating, so air conditioning is the bigger bill. Months averaging under 55° run from December through February.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Newton 8 W, GA.
Living with Damascus’ climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
245 frost-free days in zone 8b. The last frost comes by Mar 11 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Nov 13.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: February, March, April, October, November and December.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Damascus from natural hazards, hurricanes are the largest share (40%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 11%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Damascus and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Damascus yet.
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 Damascus averaged 0.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.5°).
A smaller shift than in 98% 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 Damascus compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Damascus’ place among Georgia’s.
Damascus weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Damascus’ center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 61° | 38° | 4.9" | 42° – 56° |
| February | 65° | 41° | 4.8" | 45° – 62° |
| March | 72° | 47° | 4.9" | 53° – 68° |
| April | 79° | 53° | 4.0" | 62° – 71° |
| May | 86° | 62° | 3.0" | 70° – 78° |
| June | 90° | 69° | 5.3" | 75° – 83° |
| July | 92° | 71° | 5.6" | 79° – 84° |
| August | 91° | 71° | 5.0" | 79° – 84° |
| September | 88° | 66° | 4.3" | 75° – 81° |
| October | 79° | 56° | 2.7" | 64° – 72° |
| November | 70° | 46° | 3.4" | 52° – 63° |
| December | 63° | 41° | 4.9" | 43° – 61° |
| Year | 78° | 55° | 52.8" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 43° to 61°. July is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Where Damascus’ 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 Damascus’ center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Newton 8 W, GA, 15 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 Damascus’ climate
What is the weather like in Damascus?
A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 38°. Milder January nights than 86% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 85% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Damascus in winter?
January nights average 38°. About 38 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 42°.
How hot does it get in Damascus?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 71°. About 78 days a year reach 90° (Newton 8 W, GA).
When is the first and last frost in Damascus?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 11 and the first fall frost by November 13, about 245 frost-free days, at Newton 8 W, GA.
What growing zone is Damascus in?
Zone 8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 20°.
What is the best time of year to visit Damascus?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), February, March, April, October, November and December. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Damascus getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.5° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 98% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Damascus.
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.