Pottawatomie Lighthouse · Public domainWashington’s winters are colder and snowier than most of the U.S.
A typical July afternoon reaches 76°, a January night drops to 13°, and about 59 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
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 152 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 15 and the first by October 14. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Washington Is, WI, 7 miles from the town’s center, 110 ft higher.
The 2023 USDA map puts Washington’s center in zone 6a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −7°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
About 59 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Washington Is, WI, falls mostly in January. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 31 inches a year; October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 116 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Washington
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 Washington Is, WI.
Living with Washington’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
152 frost-free days in zone 6a. The last frost comes by May 15 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 14.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 22 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Washington from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (53%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 34%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Washington and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Washington in January and July, closer than 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 | 13° | 76° | 31" | 59" |
| Alpena, MI | 14° | 78° | 31" | 59" |
| Duluth, MN | 5° | 76° | 30" | 56" |
| Newfane, NY | 20° | 80° | 33" | 55" |
| Milton, VT | 10° | 80° | 40" | 50" |
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 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+2.8°).
A bigger shift than in 74% 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 Washington Is, WI. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 26° | 13° | 1.8" | 15.0" | 10 | 26 | 8° – 29° |
| February | 28° | 14° | 1.3" | 13.0" | 8 | 26 | 10° – 31° |
| March | 37° | 22° | 1.8" | 9.5" | 8 | 18 | 19° – 40° |
| April | 48° | 31° | 2.8" | 5.7" | 10 | 4 | 33° – 45° |
| May | 60° | 41° | 3.0" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 46° – 57° |
| June | 70° | 52° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 58° – 66° |
| July | 76° | 58° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 61° – 72° |
| August | 75° | 58° | 2.9" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 62° – 70° |
| September | 68° | 51° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 54° – 64° |
| October | 55° | 41° | 3.5" | 0.2" | 12 | 0 | 43° – 54° |
| November | 42° | 30° | 2.4" | 3.4" | 9 | 3 | 29° – 43° |
| December | 32° | 20° | 2.1" | 12.0" | 10 | 17 | 17° – 35° |
| Year | 51° | 36° | 31.4" | 58.8" | 116 | 92 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. March swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 19° to 40°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
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: Washington Is, WI.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Washington Is, WI, 7 miles from the town’s center, 110 ft higher; 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 76°, a January night drops to 13°, and about 59 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 89% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 98% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Washington in winter?
January nights average 13°. About 149 nights a year reach 32° or below and 11 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 8°.
How much snow does Washington get?
About 59 inches in a normal winter at Washington Is, WI, most of it in January, with snow on the ground about 92 days a year.
How hot does it get in Washington?
July, with a typical high of 76°. 90° days are rare: none in a normal year at Washington Is, WI.
When is the first and last frost in Washington?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 15 and the first fall frost by October 14, about 152 frost-free days, at Washington Is, WI.
What growing zone is Washington in?
Zone 6a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −7°.
What is the best time of year to visit Washington?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), 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 1.7° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 74% 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.