Carter, IN climate
Carter has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 24°, and about 8 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Carter feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Carter 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 | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 41° | 24° | 3.5" | 3.0" | 10 | 26° – 43° |
| February | 46° | 27° | 3.4" | 2.4" | 9 | 25° – 45° |
| March | 56° | 35° | 4.6" | 1.3" | 12 | 38° – 59° |
| April | 68° | 44° | 5.3" | 0 | 12 | 49° – 61° |
| May | 77° | 54° | 5.5" | 0 | 12 | 60° – 72° |
| June | 85° | 63° | 4.7" | 0 | 10 | 69° – 78° |
| July | 87° | 67° | 4.2" | 0 | 9 | 72° – 83° |
| August | 87° | 64° | 3.0" | 0 | 7 | 71° – 81° |
| September | 81° | 57° | 3.6" | 0 | 7 | 64° – 74° |
| October | 70° | 45° | 3.6" | 0 | 8 | 53° – 63° |
| November | 56° | 35° | 4.1" | 0 | 9 | 39° – 52° |
| December | 45° | 28° | 4.1" | 1.6" | 12 | 24° – 47° |
| Year | 67° | 45° | 49.7" | 8.3" | 117 |
“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 Carter
Carter gets 50 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 117 days a year.
About 197 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 11 and the first one by October 26. That leaves about 197 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 70% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Carter
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Carter, 76% of that work is heating and 24% 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.
Carter and its neighbors
Carter borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.1°. Cass has the coldest January nights (24°) and Pigeon the hottest July afternoons (87°). Carter’s January low is 24° and its July high 87°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Carter 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 Carter averaged 0.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.8°). The shift is smaller than in 88% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Carter’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 24° to 47°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Carter’s climate
What is the coldest month in Carter?
January, with a typical high of 41° and a low of 24°.
What is the hottest month in Carter?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 67°. About 23 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Carter get?
About 8 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Carter?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 26, and the last spring frost by April 11.
What is the rainiest month in Carter?
May, with 5.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 50 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Carter itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Saint Meinrad, IN (8 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.