Douglas County Courthouse · Photo: Williamborg 02:04, 16 June 2008 (UTC) · Public domainWaterville is drier than 95% of U.S. towns: 13 inches of precipitation a year
Peak summer warmth arrives in July, with afternoons near 83°. The year swings widely: the coldest month’s nights and the warmest month’s afternoons are 64° apart. In July, afternoons here are cooler than in 66% of U.S. towns. Tender plants can go out after about May 14; in half of years the first frost comes by October 1.
A year in Waterville at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Waterville’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Waterville’s place in Washington beside it.
What a year in Waterville feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 140 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 14 and the first by October 1. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Waterville, WA, 0.4 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Waterville’s center in zone 6b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −4°. 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 13 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 Waterville
96% 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 Waterville, WA.
Living with Waterville’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
140 frost-free days in zone 6b. The last frost comes by May 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 Oct 1.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 0.0 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Cold waves are 43% of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Waterville from natural hazards, the largest share. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Waterville and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Waterville 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 Waterville averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.5°).
A bigger shift than in 57% 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 Waterville compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Waterville’s place among Washington’s.
Waterville weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Waterville’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 32° | 20° | 1.8" | 18° – 32° |
| February | 39° | 23° | 1.1" | 20° – 38° |
| March | 48° | 29° | 1.2" | 33° – 45° |
| April | 57° | 35° | 0.8" | 41° – 52° |
| May | 67° | 43° | 1.1" | 50° – 61° |
| June | 74° | 49° | 0.8" | 57° – 70° |
| July | 83° | 56° | 0.4" | 62° – 74° |
| August | 83° | 56° | 0.3" | 63° – 73° |
| September | 74° | 49° | 0.4" | 58° – 66° |
| October | 58° | 37° | 1.2" | 42° – 53° |
| November | 41° | 27° | 1.6" | 28° – 41° |
| December | 32° | 20° | 2.2" | 19° – 32° |
| Year | 57° | 37° | 12.8" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 20° to 38°. September is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where Waterville’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 Waterville’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Waterville, WA, 0.4 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 Waterville’s climate
What is the weather like in Waterville?
A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 20°. Colder January nights than 58% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 66% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Waterville in winter?
December nights average 20°. About 161 nights a year reach 32° or below and 4 reach 0° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 19°.
How hot does it get in Waterville?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 56°. About 20 days a year reach 90° (Waterville, WA).
When is the first and last frost in Waterville?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 14 and the first fall frost by October 1, about 140 frost-free days, at Waterville, WA.
What growing zone is Waterville in?
Zone 6b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −4°.
What is the best time of year to visit Waterville?
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 Waterville getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.5° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 57% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Waterville.
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.