David Worth Dennis House · Photo: Nyttend · Public domainWeather without surprises: Richmond keeps close to the norm for U.S. towns
On a normal July day the thermometer tops out near 84°. The gap between a January night and a July afternoon is 65°. The heating season runs November to March: each of those months averages under 50°.
A year in Richmond at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Richmond’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Richmond’s place in Indiana beside it.
What a year in Richmond feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 180 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 24 and the first by October 20. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Richmond Wtr Wks, IN, 1.7 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Richmond’s center in zone 6a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −7°. 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 44 inches of rain a year
June is the wettest month and February the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Richmond
85% 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 Richmond Wtr Wks, IN.
Living with Richmond’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
180 frost-free days in zone 6a. The last frost comes by Apr 24 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 20.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: April, May, June, August, September and October. 13 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Richmond from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (56%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 6%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Richmond and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Richmond in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
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 Richmond averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.2°).
A smaller shift than in 57% 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 Richmond compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Richmond’s place among Indiana’s.
Richmond weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Richmond’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 35° | 20° | 3.2" | 20° – 39° |
| February | 39° | 22° | 2.4" | 18° – 41° |
| March | 50° | 31° | 3.5" | 34° – 53° |
| April | 63° | 40° | 4.4" | 46° – 57° |
| May | 73° | 51° | 4.7" | 55° – 69° |
| June | 81° | 60° | 4.8" | 66° – 73° |
| July | 84° | 63° | 4.5" | 69° – 79° |
| August | 83° | 61° | 3.2" | 68° – 77° |
| September | 77° | 54° | 3.3" | 62° – 70° |
| October | 65° | 43° | 3.0" | 50° – 60° |
| November | 51° | 32° | 3.3" | 35° – 48° |
| December | 40° | 25° | 3.2" | 20° – 43° |
| Year | 62° | 42° | 43.6" |
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 8°.
Where Richmond’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 Richmond’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Richmond Wtr Wks, IN, 1.7 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 Richmond’s climate
What is the weather like in Richmond?
A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 20°. Colder January nights than 60% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 56% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Richmond in winter?
January nights average 20°. About 117 nights a year reach 32° or below and 5 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 20°.
How hot does it get in Richmond?
July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 63°. About 16 days a year reach 90° (Richmond Wtr Wks, IN).
When is the first and last frost in Richmond?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 24 and the first fall frost by October 20, about 180 frost-free days, at Richmond Wtr Wks, IN.
What growing zone is Richmond in?
Zone 6a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −7°.
What is the best time of year to visit Richmond?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), April, May, June, August, September and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Richmond getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.3° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 57% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Richmond.
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.