Fort Walton Beach, FL climate
Fort Walton Beach has warm winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 43°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Fort Walton Beach feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Fort Walton Beach 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 | 61° | 43° | 4.8" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 45° – 59° |
| February | 65° | 46° | 4.7" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 46° – 65° |
| March | 70° | 52° | 4.8" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 55° – 69° |
| April | 75° | 58° | 5.0" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 62° – 72° |
| May | 83° | 66° | 3.4" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 71° – 77° |
| June | 87° | 73° | 6.2" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 77° – 83° |
| July | 90° | 75° | 7.5" | 0 | 15 | 0 | 79° – 85° |
| August | 89° | 75° | 7.6" | 0 | 15 | 0 | 79° – 85° |
| September | 87° | 72° | 6.2" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 76° – 84° |
| October | 80° | 61° | 4.5" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 67° – 74° |
| November | 70° | 50° | 4.1" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 55° – 66° |
| December | 64° | 46° | 5.1" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 47° – 64° |
| Year | 77° | 60° | 63.8" | 0.0" | 119 | 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 Fort Walton Beach
Fort Walton Beach gets 64 inches of rain and melted snow a year. August is the wettest month and May the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 119 days a year.
About 321 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by February 5 and the first one by December 28. That leaves about 321 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 96% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Fort Walton Beach
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Fort Walton Beach, 29% of that work is heating and 71% is cooling, so air conditioning is the bigger bill.
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.
Fort Walton Beach and its neighbors
Fort Walton Beach borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.1°. Hurlburt Field has both the coldest January nights (43°) and the hottest July afternoons (90°). Fort Walton Beach’s January low is 43° and its July high 90°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Fort Walton Beach 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 Fort Walton Beach averaged 0.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.3°). The shift is smaller than in 95% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Fort Walton Beach’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. February swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 46° to 65°. May is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Common questions about Fort Walton Beach’s climate
What is the coldest month in Fort Walton Beach?
January, with a typical high of 61° and a low of 43°.
What is the hottest month in Fort Walton Beach?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 75°. About 50 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Fort Walton Beach get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.0 inches.
When is the first frost in Fort Walton Beach?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by December 28, and the last spring frost by February 5.
What is the rainiest month in Fort Walton Beach?
August, with 7.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 64 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Fort Walton Beach itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Niceville, FL (11 mi, snow) and Destin Ft Walton Airport, FL (9 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.