Photo: Carol M. Highsmith · Public domainPort Arthur sits near the top of U.S. towns for precipitation, with 61 inches a year
On a normal July day the thermometer tops out near 91°. Precipitation peaks in August and eases off in February. Its January nights stay gentler than in 92% of U.S. towns. Tender plants can go out after about February 14; in half of years the first frost comes by December 7.
A year in Port Arthur at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Port Arthur’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Port Arthur’s place in Texas beside it.
What a year in Port Arthur feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 301 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by February 14 and the first by December 7. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Port Arthur Se Tx Airport, 8 miles from the city’s center point, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Port Arthur’s center in zone 9b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 26°. 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 61 inches of rain a year
August is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain falls on about 100 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Port Arthur City, TX, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Port Arthur
29% of the work is heating, so air conditioning is the bigger bill. Months averaging under 55°: December and 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 Port Arthur Se Tx Airport.
Living with Port Arthur’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
301 frost-free days in zone 9b. The last frost comes by Feb 14 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 7.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: January, February, March, April, October, November and December. 18 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Port Arthur from natural hazards, hurricanes are the largest share (43%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 12%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Port Arthur and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Port Arthur in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Port Arthur’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port Arthur, TX | 44° | 91° | 61" | 0.0" |
| Schriever, LA | 44° | 91° | 63" | 0.0" |
| West Pensacola, FL | 43° | 91° | 63" | 0.0" |
| Orange Beach, AL | 43° | 90° | 62" | 0.0" |
| Waveland, MS | 42° | 90° | 64" | 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 Port Arthur averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+2.0°).
A smaller shift than in 74% 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 Port Arthur compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Port Arthur’s place among Texas’.
Port Arthur weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Port Arthur’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Port Arthur City, TX. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 62° | 44° | 5.4" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 48° – 60° |
| February | 66° | 48° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 47° – 65° |
| March | 72° | 53° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 56° – 69° |
| April | 77° | 59° | 4.0" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 64° – 72° |
| May | 84° | 67° | 4.6" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 73° – 79° |
| June | 90° | 73° | 6.6" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 80° – 84° |
| July | 91° | 75° | 6.0" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 81° – 85° |
| August | 92° | 74° | 6.7" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 80° – 87° |
| September | 88° | 70° | 6.1" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 77° – 83° |
| October | 81° | 61° | 5.3" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 67° – 76° |
| November | 71° | 51° | 4.4" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 56° – 66° |
| December | 64° | 46° | 4.9" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 47° – 61° |
| Year | 78° | 60° | 61.0" | 0.0" | 100 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 47° to 65°. July is the most reliable, staying within 4°.
Where Port Arthur’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 Port Arthur’s center.
- Snow: Port Arthur City, TX.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Port Arthur Se Tx Airport, 8 miles from the city’s center point, 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 Port Arthur’s climate
What is the weather like in Port Arthur?
A typical July afternoon reaches 91°, a January night drops to 44°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 92% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 83% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Port Arthur in winter?
January nights average 44°. About 8 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 48°.
How much snow does Port Arthur get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Port Arthur City, TX, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Port Arthur?
July, with a typical high of 91° and a low of 75°. About 93 days a year reach 90° and 1 reach 100° (Port Arthur Se Tx Airport).
When is the first and last frost in Port Arthur?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by February 14 and the first fall frost by December 7, about 301 frost-free days, at Port Arthur Se Tx Airport.
What growing zone is Port Arthur in?
Zone 9b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 26°.
What is the best time of year to visit Port Arthur?
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 Port Arthur getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.1° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 74% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Port Arthur.
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.