Photo: Kingofthedead · CC BY-SA 4.0North Bonneville sits near the top of U.S. towns for precipitation, with 65 inches a year
On a normal January night the air cools to about 34°. In July, afternoons here are cooler than in 81% of U.S. towns. Decade by decade the climate has edged up, 1.2° above 1901–2000. The frost-free window for a garden runs roughly March 14 to November 27.
A year in North Bonneville at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about North Bonneville’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with North Bonneville’s place in Washington beside it.
What a year in North Bonneville feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 257 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 14 and the first by November 27. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Bonneville Dam, OR, 1.1 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts North Bonneville’s center in zone 9a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 21°. 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 10 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Bonneville Dam, OR, is heaviest from January through February, about 3 inches a month. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 65 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 North Bonneville
93% 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 Bonneville Dam, OR.
Living with North Bonneville’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
257 frost-free days in zone 9a. The last frost comes by Mar 14 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Nov 27.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August, September and October. 5.7 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in North Bonneville from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (69%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 23%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →North Bonneville and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around North Bonneville yet.
Climates most like North Bonneville’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Bonneville, WA | 34° | 82° | 65" | 10" |
| East Flat Rock, NC | 29° | 83° | 64" | 6.7" |
| Signal Mountain, TN | 29° | 85° | 62" | 4.3" |
| Fort Payne, AL | 31° | 86° | 60" | 5.0" |
| Dahlonega, GA | 30° | 87° | 63" | 3.3" |
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 North Bonneville averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.1°).
A smaller shift than in 61% 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 North Bonneville compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with North Bonneville’s place among Washington’s.
North Bonneville weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at North Bonneville’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Bonneville Dam, OR. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 44° | 34° | 9.5" | 3.5" | 22 | 2 | 32° – 43° |
| February | 49° | 35° | 7.3" | 3.4" | 18 | 2 | 35° – 48° |
| March | 56° | 38° | 7.2" | 0.3" | 20 | 0 | 43° – 53° |
| April | 62° | 41° | 5.1" | 0.0" | 19 | 0 | 47° – 57° |
| May | 69° | 47° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 | 53° – 64° |
| June | 74° | 52° | 2.5" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 59° – 70° |
| July | 82° | 56° | 0.5" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 62° – 72° |
| August | 82° | 55° | 0.7" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 65° – 73° |
| September | 76° | 50° | 2.0" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 60° – 67° |
| October | 64° | 44° | 5.8" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 | 49° – 58° |
| November | 51° | 39° | 10.4" | 0.2" | 21 | 0 | 40° – 50° |
| December | 43° | 34° | 10.9" | 2.9" | 22 | 2 | 34° – 42° |
| Year | 63° | 44° | 65.0" | 10.3" | 179 | 6 |
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 48°. September is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where North Bonneville’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 North Bonneville’s center.
- Snow: Bonneville Dam, OR (NOAA station in town).
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Bonneville Dam, OR, 1.1 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 North Bonneville’s climate
What is the weather like in North Bonneville?
A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 34°, and about 10 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 79% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 81% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in North Bonneville in winter?
December nights average 34°. About 33 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 34°.
How much snow does North Bonneville get?
About 10 inches in a normal winter at Bonneville Dam, OR, heaviest from January through February, about 3 inches a month, with snow on the ground about 6 days a year.
How hot does it get in North Bonneville?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 56°. About 11 days a year reach 90° and 1 reach 100° (Bonneville Dam, OR).
When is the first and last frost in North Bonneville?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 14 and the first fall frost by November 27, about 257 frost-free days, at Bonneville Dam, OR.
What growing zone is North Bonneville in?
Zone 9a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 21°.
What is the best time of year to visit North Bonneville?
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 North Bonneville getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 61% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in North Bonneville.
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.