Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad: South Cle Elum Yard · Photo: Jayedgerton · CC BY-SA 3.0Precipitation in South Cle Elum trails that of 88% of U.S. towns: 24 inches a year
Midsummer highs settle at about 81°. Expect the heaviest rain or snow in December and the lightest in August. By July afternoons alone, it runs cooler than 86% of U.S. towns. Picnics, hikes and garden evenings come into their own from May to September, with highs of 66–81°.
A year in South Cle Elum at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about South Cle Elum’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with South Cle Elum’s place in Washington beside it.
What a year in South Cle Elum feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 132 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 13 and the first by September 25. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Cle Elum, WA, 1.9 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts South Cle Elum’s center in zone 7a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 1°. 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 24 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 South Cle Elum
97% 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 Cle Elum, WA.
Living with South Cle Elum’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
132 frost-free days in zone 7a. The last frost comes by May 13 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Sep 25.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 0.5 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in South Cle Elum from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (51%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →South Cle Elum and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around South Cle Elum 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 South Cle Elum averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.8°).
A bigger shift than in 56% 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 South Cle Elum compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with South Cle Elum’s place among Washington’s.
South Cle Elum weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at South Cle Elum’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 36° | 23° | 3.9" | 20° – 36° |
| February | 41° | 24° | 2.6" | 24° – 40° |
| March | 49° | 29° | 2.3" | 34° – 45° |
| April | 57° | 34° | 1.4" | 40° – 52° |
| May | 66° | 41° | 1.2" | 48° – 60° |
| June | 72° | 47° | 0.9" | 56° – 69° |
| July | 81° | 52° | 0.4" | 59° – 70° |
| August | 81° | 51° | 0.4" | 60° – 70° |
| September | 74° | 43° | 0.8" | 54° – 63° |
| October | 58° | 34° | 2.6" | 42° – 51° |
| November | 44° | 28° | 3.8" | 30° – 42° |
| December | 34° | 23° | 4.0" | 24° – 33° |
| Year | 58° | 36° | 24.1" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 20° to 36°. September is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Where South Cle Elum’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 South Cle Elum’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Cle Elum, WA, 1.9 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 South Cle Elum’s climate
What is the weather like in South Cle Elum?
A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 23°. Milder January nights than 55% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 86% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in South Cle Elum in winter?
January nights average 23°. About 156 nights a year reach 32° or below and 3 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 20°.
How hot does it get in South Cle Elum?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 52°. About 15 days a year reach 90° (Cle Elum, WA).
When is the first and last frost in South Cle Elum?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 13 and the first fall frost by September 25, about 132 frost-free days, at Cle Elum, WA.
What growing zone is South Cle Elum in?
Zone 7a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 1°.
What is the best time of year to visit South Cle Elum?
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 South Cle Elum getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.5° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 56% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in South Cle Elum.
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.