Photo: Akerr · CC BY-SA 3.0Port Ludlow sits near the bottom of U.S. towns for July heat
On a normal January night the air cools to about 35°. Its yearly precipitation falls short of 85% of U.S. towns. Warming shows here too: 1.2° more than in 1901–2000, led by January. Tender plants can go out after about April 11; in half of years the first frost comes by October 28.
A year in Port Ludlow at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Port Ludlow’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Port Ludlow’s place in Washington beside it.
What a year in Port Ludlow feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 199 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 11 and the first by October 28. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Quilcene 2 Sw, WA, 12 miles from the town’s center, 120 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts Port Ludlow’s center in zone 8b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 19°. 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 30 inches of rain a year
November is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain falls on about 141 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.6" in a normal year at Port Townsend, WA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Port Ludlow
98% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through May.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Quilcene 2 Sw, WA.
Living with Port Ludlow’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
199 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 28.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 27 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Port Ludlow from natural hazards, earthquakes are the largest share (53%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 5%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Port Ludlow and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Port Ludlow yet.
Climates most like Port Ludlow’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port Ludlow, WA | 35° | 74° | 30" | 0.6" |
| Rio del Mar, CA | 42° | 72° | 29" | 0.0" |
| Cedar Mill, OR | 36° | 81° | 39" | 3.6" |
| Makawao, HI | 53° | 75° | 23" | 0.0" |
| Nantucket, MA | 26° | 76° | 44" | 25" |
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 Port Ludlow averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.6°).
A smaller shift than in 60% 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 Port Ludlow compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Port Ludlow’s place among Washington’s.
Port Ludlow weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Port Ludlow’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Port Townsend, WA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 46° | 35° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 16 | 0 | 35° – 45° |
| February | 49° | 35° | 2.8" | 0.2" | 12 | 0 | 35° – 47° |
| March | 53° | 37° | 3.1" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 | 41° – 50° |
| April | 58° | 40° | 2.2" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 44° – 55° |
| May | 64° | 46° | 1.6" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 51° – 59° |
| June | 68° | 50° | 1.3" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 56° – 64° |
| July | 74° | 53° | 0.7" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 59° – 67° |
| August | 74° | 53° | 0.7" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 60° – 67° |
| September | 69° | 49° | 1.3" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 56° – 63° |
| October | 59° | 44° | 2.8" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 48° – 56° |
| November | 51° | 38° | 4.9" | 0.0" | 17 | 0 | 40° – 49° |
| December | 45° | 35° | 4.6" | 0.4" | 16 | 0 | 36° – 43° |
| Year | 59° | 43° | 30.2" | 0.6" | 141 | 1 |
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 7°.
Where Port Ludlow’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 Port Ludlow’s center.
- Snow: Port Townsend, WA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Quilcene 2 Sw, WA, 12 miles from the town’s center, 120 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 Port Ludlow’s climate
What is the weather like in Port Ludlow?
A typical July afternoon reaches 74°, a January night drops to 35°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 81% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than all but 155 U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Port Ludlow in winter?
February nights average 35°. About 83 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest February of the last 30 years the month averaged 35°.
How much snow does Port Ludlow get?
About 0.6 inches in a normal winter at Port Townsend, WA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Port Ludlow?
July, with a typical high of 74° and a low of 53°. About 5 days a year reach 90° (Quilcene 2 Sw, WA).
When is the first and last frost in Port Ludlow?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 11 and the first fall frost by October 28, about 199 frost-free days, at Quilcene 2 Sw, WA.
What growing zone is Port Ludlow in?
Zone 8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 19°.
What is the best time of year to visit Port Ludlow?
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 Port Ludlow getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 60% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Port Ludlow.
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.