Photo: ONUnicorn · CC BY-SA 4.0A middle-of-the-road climate: North Salem is close to most U.S. towns on every count
Sunny July days climb to about 83°. In July, afternoons here are cooler than in 68% of U.S. towns. Since 1901–2000, the year has warmed by 0.9°, most of all in December. Tender plants can go out after about April 23; in half of years the first frost comes by October 19.
A year in North Salem at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about North Salem’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with North Salem’s place in Indiana beside it.
What a year in North Salem feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 178 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 23 and the first by October 19. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Jamestown 2 E, IN, 5 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts North Salem’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 14 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Jamestown 2 E, IN, falls mostly in January. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 43 inches a year; June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 105 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in North Salem
87% 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 Jamestown 2 E, IN.
Living with North Salem’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
178 frost-free days in zone 6a. The last frost comes by Apr 23 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.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in North Salem from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (59%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 12%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →North Salem and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around North Salem yet.
Climates most like North Salem’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 Salem, IN | 19° | 83° | 43" | 14" |
| Northridge, OH | 20° | 84° | 42" | 19" |
| Beaver Falls, PA | 20° | 84° | 41" | 20" |
| Cheat Lake, WV | 22° | 83° | 46" | 14" |
| Wytheville, VA | 24° | 83° | 42" | 18" |
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 North Salem averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.1°).
A smaller shift than in 85% 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 Salem compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with North Salem’s place among Indiana’s.
North Salem weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at North Salem’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Jamestown 2 E, IN. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 34° | 19° | 2.9" | 5.0" | 9 | 18° – 39° |
| February | 39° | 22° | 2.4" | 2.0" | 7 | 18° – 41° |
| March | 50° | 30° | 3.2" | 2.2" | 10 | 33° – 55° |
| April | 63° | 40° | 4.3" | 0.2" | 11 | 44° – 56° |
| May | 73° | 51° | 4.8" | 0.0" | 12 | 56° – 70° |
| June | 81° | 60° | 5.0" | 0.0" | 10 | 66° – 73° |
| July | 83° | 63° | 4.5" | 0.0" | 9 | 67° – 80° |
| August | 82° | 61° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 8 | 67° – 77° |
| September | 77° | 53° | 3.3" | 0.0" | 7 | 60° – 70° |
| October | 65° | 43° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 7 | 50° – 59° |
| November | 51° | 33° | 3.5" | 0.8" | 9 | 34° – 49° |
| December | 39° | 24° | 2.8" | 3.8" | 9 | 18° – 41° |
| Year | 61° | 41° | 43.4" | 14.0" | 105 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 18° to 41°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where North Salem’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 Salem’s center.
- Snow: Jamestown 2 E, IN.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Jamestown 2 E, IN, 5 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 Salem’s climate
What is the weather like in North Salem?
A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 14 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 67% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 68% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in North Salem in winter?
January nights average 19°. About 127 nights a year reach 32° or below and 7 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 18°.
How much snow does North Salem get?
About 14 inches in a normal winter at Jamestown 2 E, IN, most of it in January.
How hot does it get in North Salem?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 63°. About 11 days a year reach 90° (Jamestown 2 E, IN).
When is the first and last frost in North Salem?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 23 and the first fall frost by October 19, about 178 frost-free days, at Jamestown 2 E, IN.
What growing zone is North Salem 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 Salem?
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 Salem getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.9° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 85% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in North Salem.
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.