Hardly any U.S. towns collect less precipitation than Basin City: 8 inches a year
The coldest hours of a January night bottom out at 26° on average. In July, afternoons here are warmer than in 73% of U.S. towns. Decade by decade the climate has edged up, 1.2° above 1901–2000. Garden planting can start around April 30; autumn frost returns near October 12.
A year in Basin City at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Basin City’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Basin City’s place in Washington beside it.
What a year in Basin City feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 165 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 30 and the first by October 12. Day counts come from NOAA’s station at Eltopia 8 Wsw, WA, 13 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; frost dates and degree days from Connell 1 W, WA, 14 miles away.
The 2023 USDA map puts Basin City’s center in zone 7a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 5°. 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 8 inches of rain a year
December is the wettest month and August the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Basin City
90% 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 Connell 1 W, WA.
Living with Basin City’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
165 frost-free days in zone 7a. The last frost comes by Apr 30 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 12.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June and September. 0.0 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Basin City from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (62%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 21%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Basin City and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Basin City yet.
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 Basin City averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.0°).
A smaller shift than in 59% 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 Basin City compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Basin City’s place among Washington’s.
Basin City weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Basin City’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 39° | 26° | 1.1" | 20° – 39° |
| February | 46° | 29° | 0.8" | 24° – 43° |
| March | 57° | 33° | 0.7" | 35° – 50° |
| April | 65° | 38° | 0.7" | 47° – 57° |
| May | 74° | 46° | 0.8" | 55° – 65° |
| June | 80° | 52° | 0.6" | 62° – 74° |
| July | 89° | 57° | 0.2" | 66° – 77° |
| August | 88° | 56° | 0.2" | 67° – 74° |
| September | 79° | 49° | 0.3" | 60° – 68° |
| October | 64° | 39° | 0.7" | 47° – 57° |
| November | 48° | 31° | 0.9" | 33° – 46° |
| December | 38° | 26° | 1.2" | 25° – 38° |
| Year | 64° | 40° | 8.1" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 20° to 39°. September is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Basin City’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 Basin City’s center.
- Frost dates, heating and cooling: Connell 1 W, WA, 14 miles away.
- Freezing nights, 90° and 100° days: Eltopia 8 Wsw, WA, 13 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 Basin City’s climate
What is the weather like in Basin City?
A typical July afternoon reaches 89°, a January night drops to 26°. Milder January nights than 67% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 73% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Basin City in winter?
December nights average 26°. About 105 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 25°.
How hot does it get in Basin City?
July, with a typical high of 89° and a low of 57°. About 22 days a year reach 90° (Connell 1 W, WA).
When is the first and last frost in Basin City?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 30 and the first fall frost by October 12, about 165 frost-free days, at Connell 1 W, WA.
What growing zone is Basin City in?
Zone 7a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 5°.
What is the best time of year to visit Basin City?
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 Basin City getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 59% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Basin City.
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.