Midwinter lows in South Shaftsbury sink below those of 90% of U.S. towns
Expect July afternoons of about 80°. In July, afternoons here are cooler than in 90% of U.S. towns. December has warmed most since 1901–2000, part of a 1.8° rise. For walks and days out, the stretch from May to September brings highs of 68–80°.
A year in South Shaftsbury at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about South Shaftsbury’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with South Shaftsbury’s place in Vermont beside it.
What a year in South Shaftsbury feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 143 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 11 and the first by October 2. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Bennington Morse St Airport, 4 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts South Shaftsbury’s center in zone 5b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −14°. 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 75 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Sunderland 2, VT, falls mostly in January and December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 43 inches a year; June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 153 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in South Shaftsbury
95% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. 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 Bennington Morse St Airport.
Living with South Shaftsbury’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
143 frost-free days in zone 5b. The last frost comes by May 11 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 2.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in South Shaftsbury from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (47%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 40%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →South Shaftsbury and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around South Shaftsbury yet.
Climates most like South Shaftsbury’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Shaftsbury, VT | 13° | 80° | 43" | 75" |
| Bradford, PA | 15° | 80° | 44" | 75" |
| Fairmount, NY | 15° | 80° | 42" | 79" |
| Brewer, ME | 10° | 80° | 44" | 75" |
| Cadillac, MI | 12° | 80° | 35" | 74" |
Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in South Shaftsbury averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.6°).
A bigger shift than in 82% 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 South Shaftsbury compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with South Shaftsbury’s place among Vermont’s.
South Shaftsbury weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at South Shaftsbury’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Sunderland 2, VT. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31° | 13° | 3.0" | 18.5" | 14 | 23 | 10° – 30° |
| February | 34° | 13° | 2.4" | 16.4" | 11 | 21 | 9° – 30° |
| March | 42° | 22° | 2.8" | 14.0" | 13 | 15 | 24° – 43° |
| April | 56° | 32° | 3.4" | 4.1" | 12 | 3 | 39° – 49° |
| May | 68° | 43° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 | 50° – 61° |
| June | 76° | 52° | 4.4" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 61° – 68° |
| July | 80° | 57° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 64° – 73° |
| August | 79° | 55° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 64° – 71° |
| September | 72° | 48° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 55° – 64° |
| October | 59° | 37° | 4.0" | 0.7" | 13 | 1 | 43° – 55° |
| November | 47° | 28° | 3.4" | 4.1" | 12 | 4 | 33° – 43° |
| December | 36° | 20° | 3.5" | 17.4" | 14 | 17 | 20° – 39° |
| Year | 57° | 35° | 43.1" | 75.2" | 153 | 83 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 9° to 30°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where South Shaftsbury’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 South Shaftsbury’s center.
- Snow: Sunderland 2, VT.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Bennington Morse St Airport, 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 South Shaftsbury’s climate
What is the weather like in South Shaftsbury?
A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 13°, and about 75 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 90% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 90% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in South Shaftsbury in winter?
January nights average 13°. About 152 nights a year reach 32° or below and 11 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 10°.
How much snow does South Shaftsbury get?
About 75 inches in a normal winter at Sunderland 2, VT, most of it in January and December, with snow on the ground about 83 days a year.
How hot does it get in South Shaftsbury?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 57°. About 3 days a year reach 90° (Bennington Morse St Airport).
When is the first and last frost in South Shaftsbury?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 11 and the first fall frost by October 2, about 143 frost-free days, at Bennington Morse St Airport.
What growing zone is South Shaftsbury in?
Zone 5b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −14°.
What is the best time of year to visit South Shaftsbury?
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 South Shaftsbury getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.8° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 82% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in South Shaftsbury.
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.