Helena, AL climate
Helena has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 91°, a January night drops to 33°, and about 1 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Helena feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Helena weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 55° | 33° | 5.3" | 0.4" | 10 | 0 | 36° – 51° |
| February | 60° | 37° | 5.5" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 40° – 56° |
| March | 68° | 43° | 5.4" | 0.7" | 11 | 0 | 49° – 65° |
| April | 76° | 49° | 5.0" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 58° – 67° |
| May | 83° | 58° | 4.2" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 66° – 74° |
| June | 88° | 66° | 4.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 73° – 81° |
| July | 91° | 70° | 4.8" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 78° – 83° |
| August | 91° | 69° | 4.1" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 76° – 85° |
| September | 86° | 63° | 4.0" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 71° – 80° |
| October | 76° | 51° | 3.4" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 60° – 68° |
| November | 65° | 40° | 4.6" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 48° – 58° |
| December | 57° | 36° | 5.1" | 0.1" | 11 | 0 | 38° – 56° |
| Year | 75° | 51° | 55.9" | 1.2" | 113 | 0 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Helena
Helena gets 56 inches of rain and melted snow a year. February is the wettest month and October the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 113 days a year.
About 236 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 19 and the first one by November 8. That leaves about 236 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 87% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Helena
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Helena, 54% of that work is heating and 46% is cooling.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
Helena and its neighbors
Helena borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.4°. Alabaster has the coldest January nights (33°) and Hoover the hottest July afternoons (91°). Helena’s January low is 33° and its July high 91°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Helena compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Helena averaged 0.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+1.5°). The shift is smaller than in 92% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Helena’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. December swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 38° to 56°. July is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Helena’s climate
What is the coldest month in Helena?
January, with a typical high of 55° and a low of 33°.
What is the hottest month in Helena?
July, with a typical high of 91° and a low of 70°. About 87 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Helena get?
About 1 inches in a normal winter, most of it in March.
When is the first frost in Helena?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 8, and the last spring frost by March 19.
What is the rainiest month in Helena?
February, with 5.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 56 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Helena itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Bessemer 3 Wsw, AL (10 mi, snow) and Helena, AL (3 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.