Photo: Ku7u · CC BY-SA 4.0Hardly any U.S. towns see fresher July days than Winlock
Midwinter brings lows of about 34°. In January, nights here are milder than in 78% of U.S. towns. Compared with 1901–2000, the average now sits 0.9° higher. Warm coats and heating bills mark the months from November to April, when means dip under 50°.
A year in Winlock at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Winlock’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Winlock’s place in Washington beside it.
What a year in Winlock feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 196 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 5 and the first by October 25. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Toledo Faa Airport, 5 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Winlock’s center in zone 8a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 15°. 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 3 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Mayfield Pwr Plt, WA, falls mostly in February. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 48 inches a year; December is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 177 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Winlock
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 Toledo Faa Airport.
Living with Winlock’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
196 frost-free days in zone 8a. The last frost comes by Apr 5 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 25.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 1.1 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Winlock from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (56%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Winlock and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Winlock yet.
Climates most like Winlock’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winlock, WA | 34° | 77° | 48" | 3.4" |
| Cottage Grove, OR | 35° | 82° | 47" | 2.7" |
| Ben Lomond, CA | 40° | 79° | 43" | 0.0" |
| Swannanoa, NC | 27° | 83° | 48" | 2.1" |
| Yarmouth Port, MA | 25° | 79° | 46" | 22" |
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 Winlock averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.2°).
A smaller shift than in 82% 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 Winlock compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Winlock’s place among Washington’s.
Winlock weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Winlock’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Mayfield Pwr Plt, WA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 46° | 34° | 7.0" | 1.1" | 20 | 1 | 33° – 45° |
| February | 50° | 33° | 5.0" | 1.3" | 16 | 1 | 34° – 47° |
| March | 54° | 36° | 5.4" | 0.0" | 20 | 0 | 41° – 50° |
| April | 60° | 39° | 3.9" | 0.0" | 18 | 0 | 45° – 54° |
| May | 67° | 44° | 2.5" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 | 51° – 60° |
| June | 71° | 48° | 1.6" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 57° – 63° |
| July | 77° | 52° | 0.5" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 61° – 68° |
| August | 78° | 52° | 0.8" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 62° – 67° |
| September | 73° | 48° | 1.9" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 57° – 63° |
| October | 61° | 42° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 16 | 0 | 47° – 55° |
| November | 51° | 37° | 7.6" | 0.0" | 19 | 0 | 39° – 48° |
| December | 45° | 34° | 8.0" | 1.0" | 20 | 1 | 34° – 42° |
| Year | 61° | 41° | 48.4" | 3.4" | 177 | 2 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 34° to 47°. August is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Where Winlock’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 Winlock’s center.
- Snow: Mayfield Pwr Plt, WA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Toledo Faa Airport, 5 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 Winlock’s climate
What is the weather like in Winlock?
A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 34°, and about 3 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 78% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 97% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Winlock in winter?
February nights average 33°. About 54 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest February of the last 30 years the month averaged 34°.
How much snow does Winlock get?
About 3.4 inches in a normal winter at Mayfield Pwr Plt, WA, most of it in February, with snow on the ground about 2 days a year.
How hot does it get in Winlock?
July, with a typical high of 77° and a low of 52°. About 8 days a year reach 90° (Toledo Faa Airport).
When is the first and last frost in Winlock?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 5 and the first fall frost by October 25, about 196 frost-free days, at Toledo Faa Airport.
What growing zone is Winlock in?
Zone 8a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 15°.
What is the best time of year to visit Winlock?
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 Winlock getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.9° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 82% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Winlock.
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.