North Eastham sits near the bottom of U.S. towns for July heat
Nights in January average 25°. By January nights alone, it runs milder than 63% of U.S. towns. Decade by decade the climate has edged up, 2.0° above 1901–2000. Warm coats and heating bills mark the months from November to April, when means dip under 50°.
A year in North Eastham at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about North Eastham’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with North Eastham’s place in Massachusetts beside it.
What a year in North Eastham feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 221 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 5 and the first by November 15. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Chatham, MA, 13 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts North Eastham’s center in zone 7b: 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°
About 25 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Chatham, MA, falls mostly in February. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 45 inches a year; December is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 127 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in North Eastham
94% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through May.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Chatham, MA.
Living with North Eastham’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
221 frost-free days in zone 7b. The last frost comes by Apr 5 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Nov 15.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 4.5 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in North Eastham from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (47%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →North Eastham and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of North Eastham in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like North Eastham’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 Eastham, MA | 25° | 78° | 45" | 25" |
| East Quogue, NY | 24° | 81° | 45" | 27" |
| Princeton, WV | 23° | 82° | 41" | 24" |
| Galax, VA | 25° | 82° | 48" | 17" |
| Covington, WA | 35° | 77° | 49" | 18" |
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 Eastham averaged 2.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.4°).
A bigger shift than in 91% 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 Eastham compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with North Eastham’s place among Massachusetts’.
North Eastham weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at North Eastham’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Chatham, MA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 39° | 25° | 4.0" | 7.5" | 12 | 7 | 23° – 38° |
| February | 39° | 26° | 3.3" | 9.9" | 11 | 8 | 23° – 38° |
| March | 44° | 31° | 4.2" | 3.8" | 12 | 4 | 32° – 43° |
| April | 53° | 38° | 4.2" | 0.5" | 12 | 0 | 42° – 49° |
| May | 62° | 47° | 3.1" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 49° – 58° |
| June | 71° | 56° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 59° – 67° |
| July | 78° | 63° | 2.4" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 67° – 74° |
| August | 77° | 63° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 67° – 74° |
| September | 71° | 56° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 61° – 67° |
| October | 61° | 47° | 4.5" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 51° – 60° |
| November | 52° | 38° | 4.1" | 0.2" | 11 | 0 | 41° – 49° |
| December | 44° | 30° | 4.8" | 2.6" | 13 | 2 | 31° – 46° |
| Year | 58° | 43° | 45.1" | 24.5" | 127 | 21 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 23° to 38°. September is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where North Eastham’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 Eastham’s center.
- Snow: Chatham, MA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Chatham, MA, 13 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 Eastham’s climate
What is the weather like in North Eastham?
A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 25°, and about 25 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 63% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in North Eastham in winter?
January nights average 25°. About 83 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 23°.
How much snow does North Eastham get?
About 25 inches in a normal winter at Chatham, MA, most of it in February, with snow on the ground about 21 days a year.
How hot does it get in North Eastham?
July, with a typical high of 78°. 90° days are rare: none in a normal year at Chatham, MA.
When is the first and last frost in North Eastham?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 5 and the first fall frost by November 15, about 221 frost-free days, at Chatham, MA.
What growing zone is North Eastham in?
Zone 7b 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 North Eastham?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is North Eastham getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 2.0° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 91% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in North Eastham.
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.