Jefferson Historic District · Photo: Hhoschton · CC BY-SA 3.0More precipitation falls on Jefferson than on 90% of U.S. towns: 52 inches a year
Midsummer highs settle at about 89°. By January nights alone, it runs milder than 77% of U.S. towns. December has warmed most since 1901–2000, part of a 0.7° rise. For walks and days out, the stretch from March to May and September to November brings highs of 63–82°.
A year in Jefferson at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Jefferson’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Jefferson’s place in Georgia beside it.
What a year in Jefferson feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 222 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 31 and the first by November 6. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Commerce 4 Nnw, GA, 11 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Jefferson’s center in zone 8b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 15°. 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 52 inches of rain a year
March is the wettest month and October the driest. Rain falls on about 108 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.7" in a normal year at Commerce 4 Nnw, GA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Jefferson
66% of the work is heating. Months averaging under 55° run from November through March.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Commerce 4 Nnw, GA.
Living with Jefferson’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
222 frost-free days in zone 8b. The last frost comes by Mar 31 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 6.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: March, April, May, September, October and November. 4.7 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Jefferson from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (45%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 15%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Jefferson and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Jefferson in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Jefferson’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson, GA | 33° | 89° | 52" | 0.7" |
| Williamston, NC | 32° | 89° | 51" | 0.5" |
| Little River, SC | 36° | 89° | 53" | 0.5" |
| Guntersville, AL | 32° | 89° | 55" | 0.7" |
| Ripley, TN | 31° | 90° | 53" | 2.4" |
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Jefferson averaged 0.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.1°).
A smaller shift than in 93% 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 Jefferson compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Jefferson’s place among Georgia’s.
Jefferson weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Jefferson’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Commerce 4 Nnw, GA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 53° | 33° | 4.8" | 0.2" | 10 | 0 | 35° – 49° |
| February | 57° | 36° | 4.7" | 0.3" | 10 | 0 | 38° – 55° |
| March | 65° | 42° | 4.9" | 0.1" | 10 | 0 | 47° – 62° |
| April | 73° | 48° | 4.0" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 56° – 65° |
| May | 80° | 57° | 4.0" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 63° – 73° |
| June | 86° | 65° | 4.7" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 71° – 79° |
| July | 89° | 69° | 4.1" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 76° – 83° |
| August | 88° | 68° | 4.9" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 74° – 83° |
| September | 82° | 62° | 4.0" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 69° – 78° |
| October | 73° | 51° | 3.7" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 59° – 66° |
| November | 63° | 41° | 4.1" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 47° – 58° |
| December | 55° | 36° | 4.7" | 0.1" | 10 | 0 | 36° – 55° |
| Year | 72° | 51° | 52.4" | 0.7" | 108 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 36° to 55°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Jefferson’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 Jefferson’s center.
- Snow: Commerce 4 Nnw, GA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Commerce 4 Nnw, GA, 11 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 Jefferson’s climate
What is the weather like in Jefferson?
A typical July afternoon reaches 89°, a January night drops to 33°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 77% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 73% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Jefferson in winter?
January nights average 33°. About 60 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 35°.
How much snow does Jefferson get?
About 0.7 inches in a normal winter at Commerce 4 Nnw, GA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Jefferson?
July, with a typical high of 89° and a low of 69°. About 45 days a year reach 90° (Commerce 4 Nnw, GA).
When is the first and last frost in Jefferson?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 31 and the first fall frost by November 6, about 222 frost-free days, at Commerce 4 Nnw, GA.
What growing zone is Jefferson in?
Zone 8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 15°.
What is the best time of year to visit Jefferson?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), March, April, May, September, October and November. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Jefferson getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.7° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 93% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Jefferson.
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.