Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Frederickson

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
Climate in Frederickson · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Frederickson sits near the bottom of U.S. towns for July heat

In January the night’s low is typically 35°. Winters are mild: January nights here are milder than in 81% of U.S. towns. Compared with 1901–2000, the average now sits 1.0° higher. Seedlings are safe outdoors from about April 11, with the first autumn frost due around October 30.

Milder January nights than 81% of U.S. towns#112Mildest winters  of 265 in WA
Less snow than 70% of U.S. towns#148Least snow  of 253 in WA
All WA rankings →

A year in Frederickson at a glance

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

Jan47°35°
Feb50°35°
Mar54°37°
Apr59°40° Last frost ~Apr 11
May66°46°
Jun70°50°
Jul77°54° 1 day 90°+
Aug77°54° 1 day 90°+
Sep71°50°
Oct60°44° First frost ~Oct 30
Nov now51°38° Wettest
Dec46°35°

What stands out about Frederickson’s climate

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

A normal year

What a year in Frederickson feels like

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

Winter
47° / 35°
2 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
59° / 41°
Last frost around Apr 11
Summer
75° / 53°
3 days reach 90°
Fall
61° / 44°
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, 6 miles from the town’s center, 160 ft higher.

60
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
141st fewest of 265 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 265 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 Frederickson’s center in zone 8b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 17°. 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 6 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Mcmillin Reservoir, WA, falls mostly in January, November and December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 44 inches a year; November is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 166 days a year.

44"
Rain + melted snow a year
99th wettest of 265 in Washington
Wetter than 55% of U.S. towns
5.6"
Snow in a normal winter
148th least snowy of 253 in Washington
Less snow than 70% of U.S. towns
5 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
178th fewest of 238 in Washington
Fewer days with snow on the ground than 64% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

6.6"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

2"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Frederickson

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 Frederickson’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. 1.9 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Frederickson from natural hazards, earthquakes are the largest share (62%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 5%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Frederickson and its neighbors

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

McChord AFB: January low 36°, July high 77°Summit: January low 36°, July high 77°Midland: January low 36°, July high 77°Summit View: January low 35°, July high 77°Kapowsin: January low 34°, July high 77°South Creek: January low 35°, July high 77°McMillin: January low 35°, July high 78°Puyallup: January low 36°, July high 78°Tacoma: January low 36°, July high 77°Lakewood: January low 36°, July high 77°Spanaway: January low 35°, July high 77°Clover Creek: January low 36°, July high 77°Graham: January low 35°, July high 77°South Hill: January low 35°, July high 77°Elk Plain: January low 35°, July high 77°Parkland: January low 36°, July high 77°Frederickson: January low 35°, July high 77°FredericksonSpanawayClover CreekGrahamSouth HillElk PlainParkland
ColderMilder34° to 36°
Graham34.8° about the same
South Hill34.9° about the same
Elk Plain35.1° about the same
Frederickson35.3°
Spanaway35.3° about the same
Clover Creek35.5° about the same
Parkland35.5° about the same

Climates most like Frederickson’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
Frederickson, WA35°77°44"5.6"
Cottage Grove, OR35°82°47"2.7"
Ben Lomond, CA40°79°43"0.0"
Chatham, MA25°77°44"25"
Brigantine, NJ28°83°45"10"

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 Frederickson averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.6°).

+1.0°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A smaller shift than in 78% of U.S. towns.

Winter+1.2°now 41°, was 40°
Spring+0.9°now 50°, was 49°
Summer+1.3°now 64°, was 63°
Fall+0.6°now 52°, was 52°

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 Frederickson compares

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

Summer heat77° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 97% of U.S. towns157th coolest of 265 in Washington
Winter cold35° January low
Milder January nights than 81% of U.S. towns112th mildest of 265 in Washington
Precipitation44" a year
Wetter than 55% of U.S. towns99th wettest of 265 in Washington
Snow5.6" a winter
Less snow than 70% of U.S. towns148th least snowy of 253 in Washington
Hot days3 days at 90°+
Fewer 90° days than 95% of U.S. towns102nd fewest of 265 in Washington
Freezing nights60 a year
Fewer freezing nights than 76% of U.S. towns141st fewest of 265 in Washington
Growing season202 frost-free days
A longer frost-free season than 68% of U.S. towns159th longest of 265 in Washington
Month by month

Frederickson weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Frederickson’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Mcmillin Reservoir, WA. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January47°35°6.1"1.5"20236° – 46°
February50°35°4.1"0.5"15035° – 47°
March54°37°4.7"0.6"20141° – 49°
April59°40°3.8"0.0"16045° – 54°
May66°46°2.5"0.0"13051° – 59°
June70°50°2.0"0.0"11057° – 66°
July77°54°0.8"0.0"5061° – 69°
August77°54°1.0"0.0"5062° – 69°
September71°50°1.8"0.0"8058° – 64°
October60°44°4.3"0.0"15048° – 56°
November51°38°6.6"1.5"19140° – 49°
December46°35°6.2"1.5"20236° – 42°
Year61°43°43.8"5.6"1665
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 35° to 47°. September is the most reliable, staying within 6°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Frederickson’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 Frederickson’s center.
  • Snow: Mcmillin Reservoir, WA.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Mcmillin Reservoir, WA, 6 miles from the town’s center, 160 ft higher; 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 Frederickson’s climate

What is the weather like in Frederickson?

A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 35°, and about 6 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 81% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 97% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Frederickson in winter?

December nights average 35°. About 60 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 36°.

How much snow does Frederickson get?

About 5.6 inches in a normal winter at Mcmillin Reservoir, WA, most of it in January, November and December, with snow on the ground about 5 days a year.

How hot does it get in Frederickson?

July, with a typical high of 77° and a low of 54°. About 3 days a year reach 90° (Mcmillin Reservoir, WA).

When is the first and last frost in Frederickson?

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 Frederickson in?

Zone 8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 17°.

What is the best time of year to visit Frederickson?

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 Frederickson getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.0° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 78% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Frederickson.

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.