Fort Wayne, IN climate
Fort Wayne has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 34 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Fort Wayne feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Fort Wayne 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 | 33° | 18° | 2.5" | 10.8" | 13 | 15 | 16° – 37° |
| February | 37° | 20° | 2.0" | 7.8" | 11 | 11 | 16° – 39° |
| March | 48° | 29° | 2.5" | 4.6" | 12 | 4 | 29° – 52° |
| April | 61° | 39° | 3.8" | 0.8" | 13 | 0 | 43° – 55° |
| May | 72° | 50° | 4.5" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 54° – 67° |
| June | 81° | 59° | 4.3" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 65° – 73° |
| July | 84° | 62° | 4.0" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 68° – 79° |
| August | 82° | 60° | 3.9" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 67° – 77° |
| September | 76° | 53° | 3.1" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 60° – 68° |
| October | 64° | 42° | 3.0" | 0.1" | 10 | 0 | 49° – 60° |
| November | 49° | 32° | 3.0" | 1.9" | 11 | 1 | 34° – 47° |
| December | 38° | 24° | 2.5" | 7.6" | 12 | 8 | 17° – 41° |
| Year | 60° | 41° | 38.8" | 33.6" | 135 | 38 |
“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 Wayne
Fort Wayne gets 39 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 135 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 38 days of the year.
About 178 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 24 and the first one by October 21. That leaves about 178 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 50% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Fort Wayne
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Fort Wayne, 88% of that work is heating and 12% 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.
Fort Wayne and its neighbors
Fort Wayne borders 7 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.0°. Huntertown has the coldest January nights (17°) and Milan the hottest July afternoons (84°). Fort Wayne’s January low is 18° and its July high 84°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Fort Wayne 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 Wayne averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.5°). The shift is smaller than in 51% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Fort Wayne’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 17° to 41°. September is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Fort Wayne’s climate
What is the coldest month in Fort Wayne?
January, with a typical high of 33° and a low of 18°.
What is the hottest month in Fort Wayne?
July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 62°. About 16 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Fort Wayne get?
About 34 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Fort Wayne?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 21, and the last spring frost by April 24.
What is the rainiest month in Fort Wayne?
May, with 4.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 39 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Fort Wayne itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Ft Wayne Intl Airport, IN (9 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.