Photo: Roastedbeanz1 · CC BY 4.0Florence is among the wettest of U.S. towns: 59 inches of precipitation a year
Nights in January average 36°. In July, afternoons here are warmer than in 87% of U.S. towns. February has warmed most since 1901–2000, part of a 0.6° rise. Seedlings are safe outdoors from about March 14, with the first autumn frost due around November 14.
A year in Florence at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Florence’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Florence’s place in Mississippi beside it.
What a year in Florence feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 245 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 14 and the first by November 14. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Jackson International Airport, 12 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Florence’s center in zone 8b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 18°. 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 1 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Jackson International Airport, falls mostly in December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 59 inches a year; April is the wettest month and October the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 111 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Florence
48% of the work is heating, so air conditioning is the bigger bill. Months averaging under 55° run from December through February.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Jackson International Airport.
Living with Florence’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
245 frost-free days in zone 8b. The last frost comes by Mar 14 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 14.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: March, April, May, October and November. 0.7 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Florence from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (37%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 20%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Florence and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Florence in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Florence’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florence, MS | 36° | 92° | 59" | 1.0" |
| Andalusia, AL | 37° | 91° | 59" | 0.3" |
| Grambling, LA | 35° | 93° | 57" | 0.4" |
| Warren, AR | 34° | 92° | 56" | 1.5" |
| 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 Florence averaged 0.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+1.4°).
A smaller shift than in 97% 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 Florence compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Florence’s place among Mississippi’s.
Florence weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Florence’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Jackson International Airport. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 58° | 36° | 5.7" | 0.2" | 10 | 0 | 41° – 55° |
| February | 63° | 39° | 5.6" | 0.2" | 10 | 0 | 41° – 60° |
| March | 70° | 46° | 5.8" | 0.1" | 10 | 0 | 52° – 67° |
| April | 77° | 52° | 5.8" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 59° – 69° |
| May | 84° | 61° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 69° – 76° |
| June | 90° | 68° | 4.5" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 76° – 83° |
| July | 92° | 71° | 4.8" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 79° – 84° |
| August | 92° | 70° | 4.6" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 76° – 84° |
| September | 88° | 65° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 73° – 82° |
| October | 78° | 53° | 3.7" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 61° – 72° |
| November | 68° | 43° | 4.5" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 51° – 61° |
| December | 60° | 38° | 5.6" | 0.5" | 10 | 0 | 40° – 58° |
| Year | 77° | 53° | 58.5" | 1.0" | 111 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 40° to 58°. July is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Florence’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 Florence’s center.
- Snow: Jackson International Airport.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Jackson International Airport, 12 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 Florence’s climate
What is the weather like in Florence?
A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 36°, and about 1 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 83% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 87% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Florence in winter?
January nights average 36°. About 40 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 41°.
How much snow does Florence get?
About 1.0 inches in a normal winter at Jackson International Airport, most of it in December, with snow on the ground about 0 days a year.
How hot does it get in Florence?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 71°. About 85 days a year reach 90° and 3 reach 100° (Jackson International Airport).
When is the first and last frost in Florence?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 14 and the first fall frost by November 14, about 245 frost-free days, at Jackson International Airport.
What growing zone is Florence in?
Zone 8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 18°.
What is the best time of year to visit Florence?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), March, April, May, October and November. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Florence getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.6° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 97% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Florence.
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.