Wet weather: 52 inches of rain and melted snow a year in Russell, more than in 89% of U.S. towns
January nights here settle around 33°. March is the wettest month, October the driest. Winters are mild: January nights here are milder than in 77% of U.S. towns. Seedlings are safe outdoors from about April 3, with the first autumn frost due around November 7.
A year in Russell at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Russell’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Russell’s place in Georgia beside it.
What a year in Russell feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 219 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 3 and the first by November 7. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Winder 4s, GA, 4 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Russell’s center in zone 8b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 16°. 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 89 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.5" in a normal year at Winder 4s, GA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Russell
65% 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 Winder 4s, GA.
Living with Russell’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
219 frost-free days in zone 8b. The last frost comes by Apr 3 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 7.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: March, April, May, September, October and November.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Russell from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (41%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 12%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Russell and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Russell yet.
Climates most like Russell’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russell, GA | 33° | 89° | 52" | 0.5" |
| Williamston, NC | 32° | 89° | 51" | 0.5" |
| Little River, SC | 36° | 89° | 53" | 0.5" |
| Decatur, AL | 31° | 90° | 55" | 1.1" |
| Helena-West Helena, AR | 33° | 91° | 52" | 0.3" |
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 Russell averaged 0.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.2°).
A smaller shift than in 92% 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 Russell compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Russell’s place among Georgia’s.
Russell weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Russell’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Winder 4s, GA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 53° | 33° | 4.8" | 0.3" | 9 | 0 | 36° – 50° |
| February | 57° | 36° | 4.7" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 38° – 55° |
| March | 65° | 42° | 4.9" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 47° – 62° |
| April | 73° | 48° | 3.9" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 57° – 65° |
| May | 80° | 57° | 3.9" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 64° – 74° |
| June | 86° | 65° | 4.6" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 71° – 79° |
| July | 89° | 69° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 76° – 82° |
| August | 88° | 68° | 4.9" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 75° – 83° |
| September | 82° | 62° | 4.1" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 70° – 78° |
| October | 73° | 51° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 59° – 67° |
| November | 63° | 41° | 4.1" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 47° – 57° |
| December | 55° | 36° | 4.7" | 0.2" | 7 | 0 | 36° – 55° |
| Year | 72° | 50° | 52.3" | 0.5" | 89 | 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 6°.
Where Russell’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 Russell’s center.
- Snow: Winder 4s, GA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Winder 4s, GA, 4 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 Russell’s climate
What is the weather like in Russell?
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 74% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Russell in winter?
January nights average 33°. About 59 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 36°.
How much snow does Russell get?
About 0.5 inches in a normal winter at Winder 4s, GA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Russell?
July, with a typical high of 89° and a low of 69°. About 38 days a year reach 90° (Winder 4s, GA).
When is the first and last frost in Russell?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 3 and the first fall frost by November 7, about 219 frost-free days, at Winder 4s, GA.
What growing zone is Russell in?
Zone 8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 16°.
What is the best time of year to visit Russell?
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 Russell getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.8° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 92% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Russell.
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.