Photo: Visitor7 · CC BY-SA 3.0Nights stay kind in Lowell each January, milder than in 83% of U.S. towns
On a normal July day the thermometer tops out near 82°. Only 48° separates winter nights from summer afternoons. Summers stay cool: July afternoons here are cooler than in 77% of U.S. towns. For walks and days out, the stretch from May to October brings highs of 65–83°.
A year in Lowell at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Lowell’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Lowell’s place in Oregon beside it.
What a year in Lowell feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 263 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 7 and the first by November 27. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Lookout Pt Dam, OR, 1.2 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Lowell’s center in zone 9a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 21°. 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 47 inches of rain a year
December is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain falls on about 162 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.6" in a normal year at Lookout Pt Dam, OR, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Lowell
94% 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 Lookout Pt Dam, OR.
Living with Lowell’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
263 frost-free days in zone 9a. The last frost comes by Mar 7 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 27.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August, September and October. 0.6 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Lowell from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (88%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 2%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Lowell and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Lowell yet.
Climates most like Lowell’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowell, OR | 36° | 82° | 47" | 0.6" |
| Kelso, WA | 35° | 80° | 47" | 2.3" |
| Kill Devil Hills, NC | 35° | 86° | 50" | 1.1" |
| Healdsburg, CA | 38° | 85° | 41" | 0.0" |
| Virginia Beach, VA | 32° | 87° | 48" | 3.4" |
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 Lowell averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.6°).
A smaller shift than in 65% 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 Lowell compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Lowell’s place among Oregon’s.
Lowell weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Lowell’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Lookout Pt Dam, OR. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 48° | 36° | 6.3" | 0.4" | 19 | 0 | 37° – 47° |
| February | 52° | 36° | 4.9" | 0.2" | 17 | 0 | 38° – 49° |
| March | 56° | 38° | 5.3" | 0.0" | 19 | 0 | 43° – 52° |
| April | 61° | 40° | 4.8" | 0.0" | 19 | 0 | 46° – 56° |
| May | 68° | 45° | 3.3" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 | 51° – 62° |
| June | 73° | 49° | 1.9" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 58° – 67° |
| July | 82° | 53° | 0.4" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 61° – 71° |
| August | 83° | 52° | 0.5" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 64° – 71° |
| September | 77° | 49° | 1.6" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 60° – 66° |
| October | 65° | 44° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 50° – 59° |
| November | 53° | 39° | 6.7" | 0.0" | 19 | 0 | 40° – 51° |
| December | 46° | 35° | 7.7" | 0.0" | 20 | 0 | 36° – 45° |
| Year | 64° | 43° | 47.3" | 0.6" | 162 | 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 49°. September is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Lowell’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 Lowell’s center.
- Snow: Lookout Pt Dam, OR (NOAA station in town).
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Lookout Pt Dam, OR, 1.2 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 Lowell’s climate
What is the weather like in Lowell?
A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 36°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 83% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 77% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Lowell in winter?
December nights average 35°. About 27 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 36°.
How much snow does Lowell get?
About 0.6 inches in a normal winter at Lookout Pt Dam, OR, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Lowell?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 53°. About 9 days a year reach 90° (Lookout Pt Dam, OR).
When is the first and last frost in Lowell?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 7 and the first fall frost by November 27, about 263 frost-free days, at Lookout Pt Dam, OR.
What growing zone is Lowell in?
Zone 9a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 21°.
What is the best time of year to visit Lowell?
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 Lowell getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 65% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Lowell.
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.