Hardly any U.S. towns see harsher January nights than Washington
The warmest part of a July day comes in at 80° on average. Rain follows the seasons: June brings about 4.9 times as much as February. In July, afternoons here are cooler than in 92% of U.S. towns. Homes need heating from October to April, the months averaging under 50°.
A year in Washington at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Washington’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Washington’s place in Wisconsin beside it.
What a year in Washington feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 150 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 6 and the first by October 3. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Cashton 3nnw, WI, 9 miles from the town’s center, 280 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts Washington’s center in zone 5a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −18°. 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 43 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Westby 3ene, WI, falls mostly in January and December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 37 inches a year; June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 113 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Washington
95% 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 Cashton 3nnw, WI.
Living with Washington’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
150 frost-free days in zone 5a. The last frost comes by May 6 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 3.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Washington from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (41%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 39%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Washington and its neighbors
Bangor the hottest July afternoons (82°, 2° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Washington’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, WI | 8° | 80° | 37" | 43" |
| Peru, NY | 9° | 80° | 35" | 50" |
| Milton, VT | 10° | 80° | 40" | 50" |
| Hanover, NH | 9° | 82° | 39" | 61" |
| Medina, MN | 6° | 82° | 32" | 45" |
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Washington averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.8°).
A smaller shift than in 68% 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 Washington compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Washington’s place among Wisconsin’s.
Washington weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Washington’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Westby 3ene, WI. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 23° | 8° | 1.2" | 10.7" | 8 | 23 | 5° – 29° |
| February | 29° | 12° | 1.1" | 8.3" | 6 | 21 | 8° – 32° |
| March | 41° | 23° | 1.9" | 6.7" | 8 | 12 | 24° – 48° |
| April | 55° | 35° | 3.8" | 3.4" | 11 | 1 | 35° – 52° |
| May | 67° | 46° | 4.9" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 51° – 63° |
| June | 76° | 56° | 5.4" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 63° – 70° |
| July | 80° | 60° | 4.6" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 64° – 77° |
| August | 78° | 58° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 63° – 74° |
| September | 71° | 50° | 3.9" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 53° – 66° |
| October | 57° | 38° | 2.8" | 0.1" | 9 | 0 | 42° – 53° |
| November | 41° | 26° | 2.0" | 2.9" | 8 | 2 | 26° – 45° |
| December | 28° | 15° | 1.4" | 10.9" | 9 | 15 | 8° – 31° |
| Year | 54° | 36° | 37.3" | 43.0" | 113 | 76 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. March swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 24° to 48°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Washington’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 Washington’s center.
- Snow: Westby 3ene, WI.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Cashton 3nnw, WI, 9 miles from the town’s center, 280 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 Washington’s climate
What is the weather like in Washington?
A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 8°, and about 43 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 96% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 92% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Washington in winter?
January nights average 8°. About 162 nights a year reach 32° or below and 21 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 5°.
How much snow does Washington get?
About 43 inches in a normal winter at Westby 3ene, WI, most of it in January and December, with snow on the ground about 76 days a year.
How hot does it get in Washington?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 60°. About 2 days a year reach 90° (Cashton 3nnw, WI).
When is the first and last frost in Washington?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 6 and the first fall frost by October 3, about 150 frost-free days, at Cashton 3nnw, WI.
What growing zone is Washington in?
Zone 5a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −18°.
What is the best time of year to visit Washington?
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 Washington getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.1° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 68% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Washington.
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.