Graugnard Farms Plantation House · Photo: Z28scrambler · CC BY-SA 3.0St. James is among the wettest of U.S. towns: 64 inches of precipitation a year
The warmest part of a July day comes in at 92° on average. June is the wettest month, November the driest. In January, nights here are milder than in 92% of U.S. towns. Picnics, hikes and garden evenings come into their own from October to April, with highs of 63–81°.
A year in St. James at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about St. James’ climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with St. James’ place in Louisiana beside it.
What a year in St. James feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 291 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by February 21 and the first by December 5. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Donaldsonville 4 Sw, LA, 11 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts St. James’ center in zone 9b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 25°. 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 64 inches of rain a year
June is the wettest month and November the driest. Rain falls on about 113 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.1" in a normal year at Donaldsonville 4 Sw, LA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in St. James
36% of the work is heating, so air conditioning is the bigger bill. Months averaging under 55°: December and January.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Donaldsonville 4 Sw, LA.
Living with St. James’ climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
291 frost-free days in zone 9b. The last frost comes by Feb 21 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Dec 5.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: January, February, March, April, October, November and December. 6.6 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in St. James from natural hazards, hurricanes are the largest share (61%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 4%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →St. James and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of St. James in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like St. James’, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. James, LA | 43° | 92° | 64" | 0.1" |
| Foley, AL | 42° | 91° | 63" | 0.1" |
| Gonzalez, FL | 42° | 91° | 64" | 0.0" |
| Orange, TX | 42° | 91° | 62" | 0.0" |
| Magalia, CA | 38° | 92° | 61" | 0.1" |
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 St. James averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+1.7°).
A smaller shift than in 84% 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 St. James compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with St. James’ place among Louisiana’s.
St. James weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at St. James’ center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Donaldsonville 4 Sw, LA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 63° | 43° | 5.7" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 45° – 60° |
| February | 67° | 47° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 47° – 66° |
| March | 73° | 51° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 56° – 70° |
| April | 79° | 58° | 4.8" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 64° – 73° |
| May | 86° | 65° | 5.8" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 72° – 79° |
| June | 90° | 72° | 7.1" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 79° – 83° |
| July | 92° | 74° | 6.7" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 80° – 85° |
| August | 92° | 73° | 6.9" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 79° – 85° |
| September | 89° | 69° | 5.4" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 76° – 83° |
| October | 81° | 59° | 4.4" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 66° – 75° |
| November | 72° | 49° | 4.0" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 55° – 66° |
| December | 65° | 45° | 4.8" | 0.1" | 9 | 0 | 48° – 63° |
| Year | 79° | 59° | 64.0" | 0.1" | 113 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 47° to 66°. June is the most reliable, staying within 4°.
Where St. James’ 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 St. James’ center.
- Snow: Donaldsonville 4 Sw, LA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Donaldsonville 4 Sw, LA, 11 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 St. James’ climate
What is the weather like in St. James?
A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 43°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 92% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 85% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in St. James in winter?
January nights average 43°. About 16 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 45°.
How much snow does St. James get?
About 0.1 inches in a normal winter at Donaldsonville 4 Sw, LA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in St. James?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 74°. About 80 days a year reach 90° (Donaldsonville 4 Sw, LA).
When is the first and last frost in St. James?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by February 21 and the first fall frost by December 5, about 291 frost-free days, at Donaldsonville 4 Sw, LA.
What growing zone is St. James in?
Zone 9b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 25°.
What is the best time of year to visit St. James?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), January, February, March, April, October, November and December. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is St. James getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.9° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 84% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in St. James.
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.