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John W. McClain HousePhoto: Nyttend · Public domain
Climate in Washington Township · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Washington Township’s winters are colder and snowier than most of the U.S.

A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 22 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

Colder January nights than 62% of U.S. towns#286 coldest of 552 in IN
More snow than 50% of U.S. towns#259Snowiest  of 551 in IN
All IN rankings →

A year in Washington Township at a glance

Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.

Jan35°19° 7" snow
Feb40°23° 5" snow
Mar50°31°
Apr63°41° Last frost ~Apr 12
May73°52°
Jun81°61° 3 days 90°+Wettest
Jul84°64° 7 days 90°+
Aug83°62° 4 days 90°+
Sep77°55° 2 days 90°+
Oct65°43° First frost ~Oct 29
Nov now51°33°
Dec39°25° 6" snow

What stands out about Washington Township’s climate

Compared with towns across the U.S., with Washington Township’s place in Indiana beside it.

A normal year

What a year in Washington Township feels like

Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.

Winter
38° / 22°
7 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
62° / 41°
Last frost around Apr 12
Summer
83° / 63°
17 days reach 90°
Fall
64° / 44°
First frost around Oct 29
Best months to be outsideAprMayJunJulAugSepOctHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 198 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 12 and the first by October 29. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Indianapolis Eagle Creek Airport, 7 miles from the city’s center point, at about the same height.

106
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
97th fewest of 552 in Indiana
Fewer freezing nights than 56% of U.S. towns
3
nights at or below 0°
400th most of 552 in Indiana
More nights at or below 0° than 61% of U.S. towns
17
days that reach 90°
293rd fewest of 552 in Indiana
Fewer 90° days than 57% of U.S. towns
<1
days that reach 100°
176th most of 552 in Indiana
More 100° days than 52% of U.S. towns
6aUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 6a

The 2023 USDA map puts Washington Township’s center in zone 6a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −6°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

26
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

6.6
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Rain & snow

About 22 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Danville 3 Sw, 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 122 days a year.

43"
Rain + melted snow a year
245th wettest of 552 in Indiana
Wetter than 52% of U.S. towns
22"
Snow in a normal winter
259th snowiest of 551 in Indiana
More snow than 50% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

5.0"
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Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

7"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Washington Township

82% of the work is heating. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.

5,221 heating degree daysLess heating than 52% of U.S. towns
1,127 cooling degree daysMore cooling than 61% of U.S. towns

Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Indianapolis Eagle Creek Airport.

Living here

Living with Washington Township’s climate

What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.

The garden window

198 frost-free days in zone 6a. The last frost comes by Apr 12 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 29.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: April, May, June, July, August, September and October. 14 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Washington Township from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (56%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 15%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Washington Township and its neighbors

Every town next door is within a degree of Washington Township in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.

Brown Township: January low 19°, July high 84°Brown Township: January low 20°, July high 85°Decatur Township: January low 20°, July high 85°Pittsboro: January low 19°, July high 83°Marion Township: January low 19°, July high 83°Union Township: January low 18°, July high 83°Clay Township: January low 19°, July high 84°Lawrence: January low 20°, July high 85°Pike Township: January low 19°, July high 84°Zionsville: January low 19°, July high 84°Lawrence Township: January low 20°, July high 84°Franklin Township: January low 20°, July high 84°Perry Township: January low 20°, July high 85°Vernon Township: January low 20°, July high 85°McCordsville: January low 20°, July high 85°Washington Township: January low 20°, July high 84°Warren Township: January low 20°, July high 84°Center Township: January low 20°, July high 85°Harrison Township: January low 18°, July high 83°Monroe Township: January low 20°, July high 84°Franklin Township: January low 19°, July high 84°Avon: January low 19°, July high 84°Lincoln Township: January low 19°, July high 84°Guilford Township: January low 20°, July high 84°Plainfield: January low 20°, July high 85°Brownsburg: January low 19°, July high 84°Center Township: January low 19°, July high 84°Indianapolis: January low 20°, July high 85°Wayne Township: January low 20°, July high 85°Middle Township: January low 19°, July high 83°Liberty Township: January low 19°, July high 84°Washington Township: January low 19°, July high 84°Washington TownshipAvonLincoln TownshipGuilford TownshipPlainfieldBrownsburgCenter TownshipIndianapolisWayne TownshipMiddle TownshipLiberty Township
ColderMilder18° to 20°
Middle Township18.6° about the same
Center Township18.7° about the same
Brownsburg18.9° about the same
Lincoln Township19.2° about the same
Washington Township19.4°
Avon19.4° about the same
Liberty Township19.4° about the same
Guilford Township19.9° about the same
Wayne Township19.9° about the same
Indianapolis20.0° about the same
Plainfield20.1° about the same

Climates most like Washington Township’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.

TownJan. lowJuly highPrecip.Snow
Washington Township, IN19°84°43"22"
Sunbury, OH20°84°42"19"
Beaver Falls, PA20°84°41"20"
Wheeling, WV22°84°42"15"
Westbrook, CT22°83°47"25"

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.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

The last 30 years in Washington Township averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.1°).

+0.9°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A smaller shift than in 83% of U.S. towns.

Winter+1.5°now 30°, was 29°
Spring+1.3°now 52°, was 50°
Summer+0.1°now 73°, was 73°
Fall+0.8°now 54°, was 53°

Change by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.

Compared with other towns

How Washington Township compares

Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Washington Township’s place among Indiana’s.

Summer heat84° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 60% of U.S. towns217th coolest of 552 in Indiana
Winter cold19° January low
Colder January nights than 62% of U.S. towns286th coldest of 552 in Indiana
Precipitation43" a year
Wetter than 52% of U.S. towns245th wettest of 552 in Indiana
Snow22" a winter
More snow than 50% of U.S. towns259th snowiest of 551 in Indiana
Hot days17 days at 90°+
Fewer 90° days than 57% of U.S. towns293rd fewest of 552 in Indiana
Freezing nights106 a year
Fewer freezing nights than 56% of U.S. towns97th fewest of 552 in Indiana
Growing season198 frost-free days
A longer frost-free season than 65% of U.S. towns43rd longest of 552 in Indiana
Month by month

Washington Township weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Washington Township’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Danville 3 Sw, IN. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet days30-yr range
January35°19°2.9"6.7"1119° – 39°
February40°23°2.4"5.2"1019° – 42°
March50°31°3.3"2.9"1134° – 55°
April63°41°4.3"0.4"1145° – 57°
May73°52°4.6"0.0"1356° – 71°
June81°61°5.0"0.0"1167° – 74°
July84°64°4.3"0.0"1068° – 81°
August83°62°3.3"0.0"868° – 78°
September77°55°3.4"0.0"861° – 71°
October65°43°3.4"0.0"950° – 60°
November51°33°3.4"0.3"935° – 49°
December39°25°2.8"6.0"1119° – 41°
Year62°42°43.1"21.5"122
Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 19° to 42°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Washington Township’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 Washington Township’s center.
  • Snow: Danville 3 Sw, IN.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Indianapolis Eagle Creek Airport, 7 miles from the city’s center point, 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 Washington Township’s climate

What is the weather like in Washington Township?

A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 22 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 62% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 60% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Washington Township in winter?

January nights average 19°. About 106 nights a year reach 32° or below and 3 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 19°.

How much snow does Washington Township get?

About 22 inches in a normal winter at Danville 3 Sw, IN, most of it in January.

How hot does it get in Washington Township?

July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 64°. About 17 days a year reach 90° (Indianapolis Eagle Creek Airport).

When is the first and last frost in Washington Township?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 12 and the first fall frost by October 29, about 198 frost-free days, at Indianapolis Eagle Creek Airport.

What growing zone is Washington Township in?

Zone 6a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −6°.

What is the best time of year to visit Washington Township?

By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), April, May, June, July, August, September and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.

Is Washington Township getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.9° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 83% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Washington Township.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.