Photo: Mfwills · CC BY-SA 3.0Richford’s winters are colder than most of the U.S.; July afternoons average 75°
A typical July afternoon reaches 75°, a January night drops to 6°.
A year in Richford at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Richford’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Richford’s place in Vermont beside it.
What a year in Richford feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 138 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 14 and the first by September 30. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Newport, VT, 20 miles from the town’s center, 250 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts Richford’s center in zone 4b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −20°. 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 53 inches of rain a year
October is the wettest month and February the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Richford
97% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through May.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Newport, VT.
Living with Richford’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
138 frost-free days in zone 4b. The last frost comes by May 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 Sep 30.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 8.3 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Richford from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (83%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 7%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Richford and its neighbors
Jay has the coldest January nights next door (3°, 2° colder) and Enosburgh the hottest July afternoons (79°, 4° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
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 Richford averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+4.2°).
A bigger shift than in 80% 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 Richford compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Richford’s place among Vermont’s.
Richford weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Richford’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 24° | 6° | 3.6" | 1° – 24° |
| February | 26° | 8° | 3.0" | 3° – 25° |
| March | 35° | 17° | 3.6" | 17° – 37° |
| April | 49° | 30° | 4.0" | 34° – 45° |
| May | 63° | 41° | 4.5" | 45° – 58° |
| June | 71° | 51° | 5.2" | 58° – 65° |
| July | 75° | 56° | 5.3" | 61° – 69° |
| August | 73° | 55° | 5.1" | 61° – 68° |
| September | 66° | 48° | 4.8" | 52° – 62° |
| October | 53° | 37° | 5.4" | 40° – 53° |
| November | 40° | 26° | 4.2" | 26° – 40° |
| December | 29° | 14° | 4.4" | 14° – 33° |
| Year | 50° | 32° | 53.2" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 1° to 24°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Richford’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 Richford’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Newport, VT, 20 miles from the town’s center, 250 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 Richford’s climate
What is the weather like in Richford?
A typical July afternoon reaches 75°, a January night drops to 6°. Colder January nights than 98% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 98% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Richford in winter?
January nights average 6°. About 171 nights a year reach 32° or below and 32 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 1°.
How hot does it get in Richford?
July, with a typical high of 75° and a low of 56°. About 3 days a year reach 90° (Newport, VT).
When is the first and last frost in Richford?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 14 and the first fall frost by September 30, about 138 frost-free days, at Newport, VT.
What growing zone is Richford in?
Zone 4b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −20°.
What is the best time of year to visit Richford?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Richford getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.8° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 80% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Richford.
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.