More precipitation falls on Highlands than on 95% of U.S. towns: 56 inches a year
January mornings start at about 44°. Winters are mild: January nights here are milder than in 93% of U.S. towns. Decade by decade the climate has edged up, 1.3° above 1901–2000. Tender plants can go out after about February 20; in half of years the first frost comes by December 4.
A year in Highlands at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Highlands’ climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Highlands’ place in Texas beside it.
What a year in Highlands feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 292 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by February 20 and the first by December 4. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Baytown, TX, 8 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Highlands’ center in zone 9b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 27°. 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
June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain falls on about 86 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Houston Deer Park, TX, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Highlands
34% of the work is heating, so air conditioning is the bigger bill. Months averaging under 55° run from January.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Baytown, TX.
Living with Highlands’ climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
292 frost-free days in zone 9b. The last frost comes by Feb 20 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Dec 4.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: January, February, March, April, October, November and December. 1.2 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Highlands from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (35%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 15%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Highlands and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Highlands in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Highlands’, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highlands, TX | 44° | 92° | 56" | 0.0" |
| Crawfordville, FL | 41° | 92° | 57" | 0.0" |
| Morgan City, LA | 44° | 91° | 60" | 0.0" |
| Paradise, CA | 40° | 93° | 57" | 0.1" |
| St. Marys, GA | 43° | 91° | 51" | 0.0" |
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 Highlands averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+2.4°).
A smaller shift than in 57% 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 Highlands compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Highlands’ place among Texas’.
Highlands weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Highlands’ center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Houston Deer Park, TX. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 63° | 44° | 4.4" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 48° – 60° |
| February | 67° | 48° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 48° – 66° |
| March | 73° | 54° | 3.7" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 57° – 71° |
| April | 78° | 60° | 4.0" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 64° – 73° |
| May | 85° | 67° | 5.3" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 73° – 79° |
| June | 90° | 73° | 5.9" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 79° – 85° |
| July | 92° | 75° | 4.7" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 81° – 86° |
| August | 93° | 75° | 5.7" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 80° – 89° |
| September | 89° | 71° | 5.5" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 77° – 84° |
| October | 82° | 61° | 5.4" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 68° – 77° |
| November | 72° | 52° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 56° – 67° |
| December | 65° | 46° | 4.5" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 49° – 60° |
| Year | 79° | 61° | 56.4" | 0.0" | 86 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 48° to 66°. July is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Where Highlands’ 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 Highlands’ center.
- Snow: Houston Deer Park, TX.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Baytown, TX, 8 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 Highlands’ climate
What is the weather like in Highlands?
A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 44°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 93% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 89% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Highlands in winter?
January nights average 44°. About 9 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 48°.
How much snow does Highlands get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Houston Deer Park, TX, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Highlands?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 75°. About 84 days a year reach 90° and 2 reach 100° (Baytown, TX).
When is the first and last frost in Highlands?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by February 20 and the first fall frost by December 4, about 292 frost-free days, at Baytown, TX.
What growing zone is Highlands in?
Zone 9b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 27°.
What is the best time of year to visit Highlands?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), January, February, March, April, October, November and December. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Highlands getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.3° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 57% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Highlands.
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.