Photo: Public domain · Public domainWeather without surprises: North Manchester keeps close to the norm for U.S. towns
Midwinter brings lows of about 18°. By January nights alone, it runs colder than 70% of U.S. towns. Since 1901–2000, the year has warmed by 1.0°, most of all in February. Tender plants can go out after about April 26; in half of years the first frost comes by October 19.
A year in North Manchester at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about North Manchester’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with North Manchester’s place in Indiana beside it.
What a year in North Manchester feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 174 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 26 and the first by October 19. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at N Manchester Wwtp, IN, 0.7 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts North Manchester’s center in zone 6a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −8°. 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 30 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at N Manchester Wwtp, IN, falls mostly in January. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 39 inches a year; June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 137 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in North Manchester
89% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at N Manchester Wwtp, IN.
Living with North Manchester’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
174 frost-free days in zone 6a. The last frost comes by Apr 26 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 19.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August, September and October. 0.6 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in North Manchester from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (47%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 14%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →North Manchester and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of North Manchester in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like North Manchester’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Manchester, IN | 18° | 84° | 39" | 30" |
| Willard, OH | 18° | 83° | 39" | 33" |
| Sayre, PA | 17° | 84° | 37" | 35" |
| Claverack, NY | 16° | 84° | 42" | 31" |
| Plano, IL | 15° | 84° | 38" | 28" |
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 North Manchester averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+2.1°).
A smaller shift than in 77% 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 North Manchester compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with North Manchester’s place among Indiana’s.
North Manchester weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at North Manchester’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from N Manchester Wwtp, IN. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 33° | 18° | 2.5" | 11.0" | 13 | 16 | 16° – 37° |
| February | 37° | 21° | 2.0" | 9.0" | 12 | 15 | 16° – 39° |
| March | 48° | 29° | 2.5" | 3.5" | 12 | 4 | 30° – 53° |
| April | 61° | 39° | 3.8" | 0.1" | 13 | 0 | 42° – 55° |
| May | 72° | 49° | 4.4" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 | 54° – 67° |
| June | 81° | 59° | 4.7" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 65° – 73° |
| July | 84° | 62° | 4.0" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 68° – 79° |
| August | 82° | 61° | 4.0" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 67° – 77° |
| September | 77° | 53° | 3.1" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 60° – 69° |
| October | 64° | 42° | 3.0" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 49° – 60° |
| November | 49° | 32° | 2.9" | 1.3" | 10 | 1 | 34° – 48° |
| December | 38° | 23° | 2.4" | 5.4" | 13 | 8 | 17° – 41° |
| Year | 60° | 41° | 39.2" | 30.3" | 137 | 44 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 17° to 41°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where North Manchester’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 North Manchester’s center.
- Snow: N Manchester Wwtp, IN (NOAA station in town).
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: N Manchester Wwtp, IN, 0.7 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 North Manchester’s climate
What is the weather like in North Manchester?
A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 30 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 70% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 60% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in North Manchester in winter?
January nights average 18°. About 134 nights a year reach 32° or below and 9 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 16°.
How much snow does North Manchester get?
About 30 inches in a normal winter at N Manchester Wwtp, IN, most of it in January, with snow on the ground about 44 days a year.
How hot does it get in North Manchester?
July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 62°. About 12 days a year reach 90° (N Manchester Wwtp, IN).
When is the first and last frost in North Manchester?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 26 and the first fall frost by October 19, about 174 frost-free days, at N Manchester Wwtp, IN.
What growing zone is North Manchester in?
Zone 6a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −8°.
What is the best time of year to visit North Manchester?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June, July, August, September and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is North Manchester getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.0° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 77% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in North Manchester.
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.