Photo: Ntsimp · Public domainDry weather: only 17 inches of rain and melted snow a year in Orem, less than in 91% of U.S. towns
The coldest hours of a January night bottom out at 20° on average. The seasons are far apart: from a winter night to a summer afternoon the average spans 72°. In July, afternoons here are warmer than in 85% of U.S. towns. Radiators earn their keep from November to April, the months that average under 50°.
A year in Orem at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Orem’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Orem’s place in Utah beside it.
What a year in Orem feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 185 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 18 and the first by October 21. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Provo Byu, UT, 4 miles from the city’s center point, 180 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts Orem’s center in zone 7a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 2°. 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 41 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Pleasant Grove, UT, falls mostly in January. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 17 inches a year; May is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 86 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Orem
80% of the work is heating. 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 Provo Byu, UT.
Living with Orem’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
185 frost-free days in zone 7a. The last frost comes by Apr 18 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 21.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June and September. 14 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Orem from natural hazards, earthquakes are the largest share (75%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 3%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Orem and its neighbors
Provo the hottest July afternoons (93°, 1° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Orem’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orem, UT | 20° | 92° | 17" | 41" |
| Sterling, CO | 16° | 91° | 16" | 37" |
| Gering, NE | 15° | 90° | 15" | 43" |
| Colby, KS | 17° | 91° | 20" | 27" |
| Dalhart, TX | 21° | 92° | 16" | 20" |
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 Orem averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+3.2°).
A bigger 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 Orem compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Orem’s place among Utah’s.
Orem weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Orem’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Pleasant Grove, UT. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 38° | 20° | 2.0" | 11.5" | 10 | 14 | 21° – 36° |
| February | 44° | 24° | 1.6" | 8.3" | 9 | 7 | 29° – 41° |
| March | 54° | 31° | 1.5" | 3.9" | 8 | 1 | 38° – 48° |
| April | 61° | 36° | 1.9" | 2.8" | 9 | 0 | 44° – 56° |
| May | 72° | 44° | 2.1" | 0.3" | 9 | 0 | 52° – 63° |
| June | 83° | 52° | 0.9" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 62° – 73° |
| July | 92° | 60° | 0.6" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 69° – 79° |
| August | 89° | 58° | 0.8" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 70° – 78° |
| September | 80° | 49° | 1.3" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 60° – 68° |
| October | 65° | 38° | 1.6" | 0.8" | 6 | 0 | 45° – 57° |
| November | 51° | 28° | 1.3" | 3.5" | 7 | 2 | 31° – 46° |
| December | 39° | 21° | 1.6" | 10.3" | 8 | 10 | 23° – 34° |
| Year | 64° | 38° | 17.1" | 41.4" | 86 | 33 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 21° to 36°. September is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where Orem’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 Orem’s center.
- Snow: Pleasant Grove, UT.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Provo Byu, UT, 4 miles from the city’s center point, 180 ft lower; 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 Orem’s climate
What is the weather like in Orem?
A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 20°, and about 41 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 58% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 85% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Orem in winter?
January nights average 20°. About 111 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 21°.
How much snow does Orem get?
About 41 inches in a normal winter at Pleasant Grove, UT, most of it in January, with snow on the ground about 33 days a year.
How hot does it get in Orem?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 60°. About 74 days a year reach 90° and 9 reach 100° (Provo Byu, UT).
When is the first and last frost in Orem?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 18 and the first fall frost by October 21, about 185 frost-free days, at Provo Byu, UT.
What growing zone is Orem in?
Zone 7a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 2°.
What is the best time of year to visit Orem?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Orem getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.6° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 67% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Orem.
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.