Few U.S. towns get more rain and snow than Hockinson: 58 inches a year
On a normal January night the air cools to about 35°. Its July afternoons stay fresher than in 92% of U.S. towns. Warming shows here too: 1.3° more than in 1901–2000, led by January. For walks and days out, the stretch from May to October brings highs of 63–81°.
A year in Hockinson at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Hockinson’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Hockinson’s place in Washington beside it.
What a year in Hockinson feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 174 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 26 and the first by October 16. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Battle Ground, WA, 4 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Hockinson’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°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 1 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Battle Ground, WA, falls mostly in January. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 58 inches a year; December is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 179 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Hockinson
97% 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 Battle Ground, WA.
Living with Hockinson’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
174 frost-free days in zone 8b. The last frost comes by Apr 26 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 16.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August, September and October. 4.4 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Hockinson from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (61%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 20%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Hockinson and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Hockinson in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Hockinson’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hockinson, WA | 35° | 80° | 58" | 1.4" |
| Black Mountain, NC | 27° | 82° | 57" | 2.1" |
| Fairfield Glade, TN | 27° | 84° | 57" | 4.9" |
| Fort Payne, AL | 31° | 86° | 60" | 5.0" |
| Big Stone Gap, VA | 26° | 84° | 52" | 9.2" |
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 Hockinson averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.1°).
A smaller shift than in 54% 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 Hockinson compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Hockinson’s place among Washington’s.
Hockinson weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Hockinson’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Battle Ground, WA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 46° | 35° | 7.8" | 0.5" | 21 | 0 | 33° – 45° |
| February | 50° | 35° | 5.9" | 0.3" | 18 | 0 | 36° – 48° |
| March | 55° | 37° | 6.3" | 0.2" | 21 | 0 | 43° – 51° |
| April | 61° | 41° | 5.0" | 0.0" | 18 | 0 | 46° – 55° |
| May | 68° | 46° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 | 52° – 60° |
| June | 73° | 50° | 2.7" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 57° – 68° |
| July | 80° | 54° | 0.7" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 62° – 71° |
| August | 81° | 54° | 0.9" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 64° – 71° |
| September | 75° | 50° | 2.3" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 59° – 65° |
| October | 63° | 44° | 5.3" | 0.0" | 16 | 0 | 49° – 58° |
| November | 52° | 39° | 8.4" | 0.0" | 21 | 0 | 39° – 51° |
| December | 45° | 35° | 8.7" | 0.4" | 22 | 0 | 35° – 43° |
| Year | 62° | 43° | 57.6" | 1.4" | 179 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 33° to 45°. September is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Hockinson’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 Hockinson’s center.
- Snow: Battle Ground, WA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Battle Ground, WA, 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 Hockinson’s climate
What is the weather like in Hockinson?
A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 35°, and about 1 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 80% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 92% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Hockinson in winter?
December nights average 35°. About 70 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 35°.
How much snow does Hockinson get?
About 1.4 inches in a normal winter at Battle Ground, WA, most of it in January, with snow on the ground about 0 days a year.
How hot does it get in Hockinson?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 54°. About 11 days a year reach 90° (Battle Ground, WA).
When is the first and last frost in Hockinson?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 26 and the first fall frost by October 16, about 174 frost-free days, at Battle Ground, WA.
What growing zone is Hockinson 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 Hockinson?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June, July, August, September and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Hockinson getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.3° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 54% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Hockinson.
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.