Photo: Meronim · CC BY-SA 3.0Gearhart is among the wettest of U.S. towns: 80 inches of precipitation a year
High summer brings afternoon highs near 67°. November is the wettest month here, with about 13 times the rain of July. Its July afternoons stay fresher than in almost every U.S. town. Warm coats and heating bills mark the months from November to April, when means dip under 50°.
A year in Gearhart at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Gearhart’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Gearhart’s place in Oregon beside it.
What a year in Gearhart 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 April 2 and the first by November 12. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Seaside, OR, 3 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Gearhart’s center in zone 9a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 23°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
About 80 inches of rain a year
November is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain falls on about 181 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Seaside, OR, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Gearhart
Nearly all of the work is heating: a normal year has almost no cooling days. 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 Seaside, OR.
Living with Gearhart’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
223 frost-free days in zone 9a. The last frost comes by Apr 2 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 12.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 7.9 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Gearhart from natural hazards, tsunamis are the largest share (83%). Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Gearhart and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Gearhart yet.
Climates most like Gearhart’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gearhart, OR | 37° | 67° | 80" | 0.0" |
| Crescent City, CA | 42° | 64° | 69" | 0.0" |
| Woods Creek, WA | 35° | 75° | 70" | 3.0" |
| Kodiak, AK | 26° | 62° | 78" | 70" |
| East Flat Rock, NC | 29° | 83° | 64" | 6.7" |
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 Gearhart averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.9°).
A smaller shift than in 67% 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 Gearhart compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Gearhart’s place among Oregon’s.
Gearhart weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Gearhart’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Seaside, OR. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 50° | 37° | 12.0" | 0.0" | 21 | 0 | 39° – 48° |
| February | 51° | 37° | 8.2" | 0.0" | 18 | 0 | 38° – 50° |
| March | 53° | 38° | 9.3" | 0.0" | 21 | 0 | 43° – 50° |
| April | 56° | 40° | 6.6" | 0.0" | 17 | 0 | 44° – 53° |
| May | 61° | 45° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 | 49° – 56° |
| June | 64° | 49° | 2.7" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 53° – 60° |
| July | 67° | 52° | 1.0" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 57° – 63° |
| August | 68° | 52° | 1.3" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 58° – 63° |
| September | 68° | 49° | 3.0" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 56° – 62° |
| October | 61° | 44° | 7.3" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 | 50° – 58° |
| November | 53° | 40° | 12.4" | 0.0" | 20 | 0 | 42° – 52° |
| December | 49° | 37° | 12.4" | 0.0" | 22 | 0 | 39° – 47° |
| Year | 58° | 43° | 80.0" | 0.0" | 181 | 0 |
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 50°. August is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Where Gearhart’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 Gearhart’s center.
- Snow: Seaside, OR.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Seaside, OR, 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 Gearhart’s climate
What is the weather like in Gearhart?
A typical July afternoon reaches 67°, a January night drops to 37°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 85% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than all but 48 U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Gearhart in winter?
February nights average 37°. About 29 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest February of the last 30 years the month averaged 38°.
How much snow does Gearhart get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Seaside, OR, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Gearhart?
July, with a typical high of 67°. 90° days are rare: none in a normal year at Seaside, OR.
When is the first and last frost in Gearhart?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 2 and the first fall frost by November 12, about 223 frost-free days, at Seaside, OR.
What growing zone is Gearhart in?
Zone 9a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 23°.
What is the best time of year to visit Gearhart?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Gearhart getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.1° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 67% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Gearhart.
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.