Precipitation in Nespelem trails that of 94% of U.S. towns: 14 inches a year
Peak summer warmth arrives in July, with afternoons near 87°. Rain follows the seasons: December brings about 3.9 times as much as August. Summer afternoons here are warmer than in 60% of U.S. towns. The frost-free window for a garden runs roughly April 22 to October 21.
A year in Nespelem at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Nespelem’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Nespelem’s place in Washington beside it.
What a year in Nespelem feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 180 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 22 and the first by October 21. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Coulee Dam 1 Sw, WA, 15 miles from the town’s center, 150 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts Nespelem’s center in zone 6b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 0°. 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 14 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 Nespelem
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 Coulee Dam 1 Sw, WA.
Living with Nespelem’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
180 frost-free days in zone 6b. The last frost comes by Apr 22 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 21.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June and September.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Nespelem from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (40%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 7%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Nespelem and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Nespelem 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 Nespelem averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.8°).
A smaller shift than in 76% 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 Nespelem compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Nespelem’s place among Washington’s.
Nespelem weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Nespelem’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 34° | 20° | 1.5" | 18° – 33° |
| February | 40° | 22° | 1.1" | 21° – 38° |
| March | 51° | 29° | 1.3" | 35° – 47° |
| April | 61° | 34° | 1.2" | 42° – 55° |
| May | 70° | 42° | 1.5" | 51° – 62° |
| June | 77° | 48° | 1.4" | 58° – 70° |
| July | 87° | 53° | 0.6" | 61° – 74° |
| August | 86° | 53° | 0.4" | 64° – 73° |
| September | 77° | 45° | 0.5" | 57° – 66° |
| October | 60° | 35° | 1.1" | 42° – 54° |
| November | 44° | 27° | 1.4" | 30° – 42° |
| December | 33° | 20° | 1.7" | 21° – 32° |
| Year | 60° | 36° | 13.7" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 21° to 38°. August is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Where Nespelem’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 Nespelem’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Coulee Dam 1 Sw, WA, 15 miles from the town’s center, 150 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 Nespelem’s climate
What is the weather like in Nespelem?
A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 20°. Colder January nights than 58% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 60% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Nespelem in winter?
December nights average 20°. About 120 nights a year reach 32° or below and 1 reach 0° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 21°.
How hot does it get in Nespelem?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 53°. About 33 days a year reach 90° and 3 reach 100° (Coulee Dam 1 Sw, WA).
When is the first and last frost in Nespelem?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 22 and the first fall frost by October 21, about 180 frost-free days, at Coulee Dam 1 Sw, WA.
What growing zone is Nespelem in?
Zone 6b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 0°.
What is the best time of year to visit Nespelem?
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 Nespelem getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.0° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 76% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Nespelem.
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.