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Climate in Crocker · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Crocker’s winters are milder and less snowy than most of the U.S.

A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 34°, and about 4 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

Milder January nights than 79% of U.S. towns#182Mildest winters  of 266 in WA
Less snow than 71% of U.S. towns#140Least snow  of 254 in WA
All WA rankings →

A year in Crocker at a glance

Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.

Jan46°34°
Feb49°34°
Mar53°36°
Apr58°40° Last frost ~Apr 11
May65°45°
Jun70°50°
Jul77°53° 1 day 90°+
Aug77°53° 1 day 90°+
Sep71°49°
Oct60°42° First frost ~Oct 30
Nov now50°37° Wettest
Dec45°34°

What stands out about Crocker’s climate

Compared with towns across the U.S., with Crocker’s place in Washington beside it.

A normal year

What a year in Crocker feels like

Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.

Winter
47° / 34°
2 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
59° / 40°
Last frost around Apr 11
Summer
75° / 52°
3 days reach 90°
Fall
60° / 43°
First frost around Oct 30
Best months to be outsideMayJunJulAugSepHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 202 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 11 and the first by October 30. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Mcmillin Reservoir, WA, 7 miles from the town’s center, 160 ft lower.

60
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
141st fewest of 266 in Washington
Fewer freezing nights than 76% of U.S. towns
0
nights at or below 0°
None in a normal year
3
days that reach 90°
102nd fewest of 266 in Washington
Fewer 90° days than 95% of U.S. towns
0
days that reach 100°
None in a normal year
8bUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 8b

The 2023 USDA map puts Crocker’s center in zone 8b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 18°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

14
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

1.4
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 4 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Buckley 1 Ne, WA, falls mostly in November. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 51 inches a year; November is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 174 days a year.

51"
Rain + melted snow a year
46th wettest of 266 in Washington
Wetter than 87% of U.S. towns
4.3"
Snow in a normal winter
140th least snowy of 254 in Washington
Less snow than 71% of U.S. towns
0 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
8th fewest of 239 in Washington
Fewer days with snow on the ground than 80% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

7.1"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

2"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Crocker

98% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.

5,397 heating degree daysMore heating than 52% of U.S. towns
120 cooling degree daysLess cooling than all but 179 U.S. towns

Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Mcmillin Reservoir, WA.

Living here

Living with Crocker’s climate

What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.

The garden window

202 frost-free days in zone 8b. The last frost comes by Apr 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 30.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 11 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Crocker from natural hazards, avalanches are the largest share (70%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 3%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Crocker and its neighbors

Every town next door is within a degree of Crocker in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.

Orting: January low 35°, July high 78°McMillin: January low 35°, July high 78°Tehaleh: January low 35°, July high 77°Crocker: January low 34°, July high 77°CrockerTehaleh
ColderMilder34° to 35°
Crocker34.4°
Tehaleh34.6° about the same

Climates most like Crocker’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.

TownJan. lowJuly highPrecip.Snow
Crocker, WA34°77°51"4.3"
Cottage Grove, OR35°82°47"2.7"
Ben Lomond, CA40°79°43"0.0"
Black Mountain, NC27°82°57"2.1"
Yarmouth Port, MA25°79°46"22"

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.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

The last 30 years in Crocker averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.0°).

+1.2°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A smaller shift than in 59% of U.S. towns.

Winter+1.5°now 40°, was 39°
Spring+1.0°now 50°, was 49°
Summer+1.5°now 63°, was 62°
Fall+0.9°now 52°, was 51°

Change by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.

Compared with other towns

How Crocker compares

Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Crocker’s place among Washington’s.

Summer heat77° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 97% of U.S. towns131st coolest of 266 in Washington
Winter cold34° January low
Milder January nights than 79% of U.S. towns182nd mildest of 266 in Washington
Precipitation51" a year
Wetter than 87% of U.S. towns46th wettest of 266 in Washington
Snow4.3" a winter
Less snow than 71% of U.S. towns140th least snowy of 254 in Washington
Hot days3 days at 90°+
Fewer 90° days than 95% of U.S. towns102nd fewest of 266 in Washington
Freezing nights60 a year
Fewer freezing nights than 76% of U.S. towns141st fewest of 266 in Washington
Growing season202 frost-free days
A longer frost-free season than 68% of U.S. towns159th longest of 266 in Washington
Month by month

Crocker weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Crocker’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Buckley 1 Ne, WA. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January46°34°6.3"0.2"19035° – 45°
February49°34°4.5"1.3"15034° – 47°
March53°36°5.3"0.2"20040° – 49°
April58°40°4.8"0.0"18044° – 55°
May65°45°3.8"0.0"15050° – 59°
June70°50°3.0"0.0"12057° – 66°
July77°53°1.2"0.0"6060° – 68°
August77°53°1.4"0.0"6061° – 70°
September71°49°2.5"0.0"9057° – 64°
October60°42°5.0"0.0"16048° – 56°
November50°37°7.1"1.5"19039° – 49°
December45°34°6.4"1.1"18035° – 42°
Year60°42°51.2"4.3"1740
Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 34° to 47°. December is the most reliable, staying within 7°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Crocker’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 Crocker’s center.
  • Snow: Buckley 1 Ne, WA.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Mcmillin Reservoir, WA, 7 miles from the town’s center, 160 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 Crocker’s climate

What is the weather like in Crocker?

A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 34°, and about 4 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 79% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 97% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Crocker in winter?

December nights average 34°. About 60 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 35°.

How much snow does Crocker get?

About 4.3 inches in a normal winter at Buckley 1 Ne, WA, most of it in November, with snow on the ground about 0 days a year.

How hot does it get in Crocker?

July, with a typical high of 77° and a low of 53°. About 3 days a year reach 90° (Mcmillin Reservoir, WA).

When is the first and last frost in Crocker?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 11 and the first fall frost by October 30, about 202 frost-free days, at Mcmillin Reservoir, WA.

What growing zone is Crocker in?

Zone 8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 18°.

What is the best time of year to visit Crocker?

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 Crocker 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 Crocker.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.