Photo: Katr67 · Public domainWinter nights in Elmira are milder than in 81% of U.S. towns
The warmest part of a July day comes in at 83° on average. Precipitation peaks in December and eases off in July. By July afternoons alone, it runs cooler than 72% of U.S. towns. Seedlings are safe outdoors from about April 18, with the first autumn frost due around October 25.
A year in Elmira at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Elmira’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Elmira’s place in Oregon beside it.
What a year in Elmira feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 189 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 18 and the first by October 25. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Fern Ridge-veneta, OR, 1.7 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Elmira’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 44 inches of rain a year
December is the wettest month and July the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Elmira
95% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Fern Ridge-veneta, OR.
Living with Elmira’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
189 frost-free days in zone 8b. The last frost comes by Apr 18 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 25.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August, September and October. 2.9 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Elmira from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (57%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 2%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Elmira and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Elmira yet.
Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Elmira averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.3°).
A smaller shift than in 70% 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 Elmira compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Elmira’s place among Oregon’s.
Elmira weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Elmira’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 48° | 35° | 6.6" | 35° – 46° |
| February | 52° | 36° | 5.1" | 38° – 49° |
| March | 57° | 37° | 5.1" | 43° – 52° |
| April | 62° | 40° | 3.7" | 47° – 56° |
| May | 69° | 45° | 2.3" | 52° – 62° |
| June | 74° | 48° | 1.2" | 57° – 67° |
| July | 83° | 52° | 0.3" | 61° – 70° |
| August | 83° | 52° | 0.3" | 65° – 71° |
| September | 77° | 48° | 1.2" | 60° – 66° |
| October | 64° | 43° | 3.4" | 49° – 58° |
| November | 53° | 39° | 6.5" | 41° – 50° |
| December | 46° | 35° | 8.2" | 35° – 44° |
| Year | 64° | 42° | 43.9" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 38° to 49°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Elmira’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 Elmira’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Fern Ridge-veneta, OR, 1.7 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 Elmira’s climate
What is the weather like in Elmira?
A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 35°. Milder January nights than 81% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 72% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Elmira in winter?
December nights average 35°. About 66 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 35°.
How hot does it get in Elmira?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 52°. About 20 days a year reach 90° and 1 reach 100° (Fern Ridge-veneta, OR).
When is the first and last frost in Elmira?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 18 and the first fall frost by October 25, about 189 frost-free days, at Fern Ridge-veneta, OR.
What growing zone is Elmira 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 Elmira?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June, July, August, September and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Elmira getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.1° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 70% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Elmira.
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.