Precipitation in La France tops that of 80% of U.S. towns: 49 inches a year
July afternoons average 90°. The gap between a January night and a July afternoon is 57°. Summer afternoons here are warmer than in 78% of U.S. towns. Garden planting can start around April 1; autumn frost returns near November 3.
A year in La France at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about La France’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with La France’s place in South Carolina beside it.
What a year in La France feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 217 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 1 and the first by November 3. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Clemson Univ, SC, 4 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts La France’s center in zone 8a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 15°. 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 2 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Clemson Univ, SC, is heaviest from January through February, about 1 inches a month. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 49 inches a year; December is the wettest month and October the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 120 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in La France
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 Clemson Univ, SC.
Living with La France’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
217 frost-free days in zone 8a. The last frost comes by Apr 1 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 3.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: March, April, May, September, October and November. 4.3 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in La France from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (48%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 20%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →La France and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of La France in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like La France’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La France, SC | 33° | 90° | 49" | 2.2" |
| Dunn, NC | 32° | 91° | 49" | 2.1" |
| Stuttgart, AR | 33° | 91° | 50" | 3.3" |
| Carrollton, VA | 32° | 89° | 49" | 2.7" |
| Kennett, MO | 29° | 90° | 51" | 2.9" |
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 La France averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.6°).
A smaller shift than in 64% 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 La France compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with La France’s place among South Carolina’s.
La France weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at La France’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Clemson Univ, SC. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 53° | 33° | 4.5" | 0.8" | 11 | 0 | 36° – 49° |
| February | 57° | 36° | 4.1" | 0.8" | 11 | 0 | 39° – 54° |
| March | 65° | 42° | 4.6" | 0.3" | 11 | 0 | 47° – 63° |
| April | 74° | 48° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 56° – 65° |
| May | 80° | 57° | 3.9" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 64° – 73° |
| June | 87° | 66° | 4.1" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 72° – 80° |
| July | 90° | 69° | 4.1" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 77° – 84° |
| August | 89° | 69° | 4.4" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 75° – 84° |
| September | 83° | 63° | 3.7" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 69° – 78° |
| October | 73° | 51° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 58° – 67° |
| November | 63° | 40° | 3.7" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 47° – 57° |
| December | 55° | 35° | 4.7" | 0.3" | 11 | 0 | 36° – 55° |
| Year | 72° | 51° | 48.8" | 2.2" | 120 | 1 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 36° to 55°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where La France’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 La France’s center.
- Snow: Clemson Univ, SC.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Clemson Univ, SC, 4 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 La France’s climate
What is the weather like in La France?
A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 33°, and about 2 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 77% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 78% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in La France in winter?
January nights average 33°. About 57 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 36°.
How much snow does La France get?
About 2.2 inches in a normal winter at Clemson Univ, SC, heaviest from January through February, about 1 inches a month, with snow on the ground about 1 days a year.
How hot does it get in La France?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 69°. About 55 days a year reach 90° and 1 reach 100° (Clemson Univ, SC).
When is the first and last frost in La France?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 1 and the first fall frost by November 3, about 217 frost-free days, at Clemson Univ, SC.
What growing zone is La France in?
Zone 8a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 15°.
What is the best time of year to visit La France?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), March, April, May, September, October and November. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is La France getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 64% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in La France.
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.