Sandpoint, ID climate
Sandpoint has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 23°, and about 62 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Sandpoint feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Sandpoint 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 | 34° | 23° | 4.0" | 20.9" | 16 | 26 | 22° – 34° |
| February | 39° | 23° | 2.6" | 8.4" | 12 | 16 | 21° – 37° |
| March | 48° | 28° | 3.2" | 6.5" | 14 | 9 | 33° – 44° |
| April | 57° | 33° | 2.3" | 0.5" | 12 | 1 | 41° – 52° |
| May | 68° | 40° | 2.4" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 48° – 60° |
| June | 73° | 46° | 2.4" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 56° – 68° |
| July | 83° | 50° | 0.9" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 58° – 72° |
| August | 83° | 49° | 0.8" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 60° – 69° |
| September | 72° | 42° | 1.3" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 53° – 62° |
| October | 56° | 34° | 2.8" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 39° – 51° |
| November | 42° | 28° | 4.0" | 6.4" | 14 | 3 | 29° – 41° |
| December | 34° | 23° | 4.3" | 19.3" | 15 | 18 | 21° – 33° |
| Year | 57° | 35° | 30.9" | 62.0" | 134 | 72 |
“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 Sandpoint
Sandpoint gets 31 inches of rain and melted snow a year. December is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 134 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 72 days of the year.
About 141 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 8 and the first one by September 28. That leaves about 141 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 88% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Sandpoint
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Sandpoint, 97% of that work is heating and 3% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
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.
Sandpoint and its neighbors
Sandpoint borders 2 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.2°. Ponderay has both the coldest January nights (23°) and the hottest July afternoons (83°). Sandpoint’s January low is 23° and its July high 83°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Sandpoint 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 Sandpoint averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.8°). The shift is smaller than in 60% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Sandpoint’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 21° to 37°. September is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Sandpoint’s climate
What is the coldest month in Sandpoint?
December, with a typical high of 34° and a low of 23°.
What is the hottest month in Sandpoint?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 50°. About 14 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Sandpoint get?
About 62 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Sandpoint?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 28, and the last spring frost by May 8.
What is the rainiest month in Sandpoint?
December, with 4.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 31 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Sandpoint itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Sandpoint Exp Stn, ID (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.