Photo: Thomas R Machnitzki · CC BY-SA 3.0Wet weather: 56 inches of rain and melted snow a year in Hernando, more than in 95% of U.S. towns
Nights in January average 32°. Winter and summer sit 58° apart. Summer afternoons here are warmer than in 81% of U.S. towns. Tender plants can go out after about March 28; in half of years the first frost comes by November 5.
A year in Hernando at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Hernando’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Hernando’s place in Mississippi beside it.
What a year in Hernando feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 223 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 28 and the first by November 5. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Hernando, MS, 3 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Hernando’s center in zone 8a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 12°. 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 56 inches of rain a year
April is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain falls on about 114 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.3" in a normal year at Arkabutla Dam, MS, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Hernando
63% of the work is heating. Months averaging under 55° run from November through March.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Hernando, MS.
Living with Hernando’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
223 frost-free days in zone 8a. The last frost comes by Mar 28 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 5.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: March, April, May, October and November. 2.1 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Hernando from natural hazards, earthquakes are the largest share (28%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 22%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Hernando and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Hernando in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Hernando’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hernando, MS | 32° | 91° | 56" | 0.3" |
| Calera, AL | 33° | 91° | 56" | 0.5" |
| Wrightsboro, NC | 34° | 90° | 58" | 0.2" |
| Rome, GA | 32° | 90° | 52" | 0.4" |
| Hot Springs, AR | 31° | 92° | 55" | 1.1" |
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 Hernando averaged 0.5° 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 Hernando compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Hernando’s place among Mississippi’s.
Hernando weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Hernando’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Arkabutla Dam, MS. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 50° | 32° | 4.3" | 0.1" | 11 | 0 | 34° – 48° |
| February | 55° | 36° | 4.8" | 0.1" | 10 | 0 | 35° – 54° |
| March | 64° | 43° | 5.7" | 0.1" | 12 | 0 | 47° – 64° |
| April | 73° | 51° | 5.9" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 55° – 67° |
| May | 81° | 61° | 5.4" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 67° – 76° |
| June | 89° | 68° | 4.5" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 74° – 83° |
| July | 91° | 72° | 4.5" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 76° – 84° |
| August | 91° | 70° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 75° – 86° |
| September | 85° | 63° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 71° – 81° |
| October | 75° | 51° | 4.1" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 59° – 69° |
| November | 62° | 42° | 4.5" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 45° – 57° |
| December | 53° | 35° | 5.7" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 33° – 53° |
| Year | 72° | 52° | 56.1" | 0.3" | 114 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 33° to 53°. July is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where Hernando’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 Hernando’s center.
- Snow: Arkabutla Dam, MS.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Hernando, MS, 3 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 Hernando’s climate
What is the weather like in Hernando?
A typical July afternoon reaches 91°, a January night drops to 32°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 76% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 81% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Hernando in winter?
January nights average 32°. About 61 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 34°.
How much snow does Hernando get?
About 0.3 inches in a normal winter at Arkabutla Dam, MS, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Hernando?
July, with a typical high of 91° and a low of 72°. About 69 days a year reach 90° and 6 reach 100° (Hernando, MS).
When is the first and last frost in Hernando?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 28 and the first fall frost by November 5, about 223 frost-free days, at Hernando, MS.
What growing zone is Hernando in?
Zone 8a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 12°.
What is the best time of year to visit Hernando?
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 Hernando getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.5° 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 Hernando.
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.