Climate · Washington

Washington, IN climate

Washington has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 23°, and about 12 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade
July high
88°
67th hottest of 1,978 Indiana towns
January low
23°
175th mildest of 1,978 Indiana towns
Rain + melted snow
48 in
316th wettest of 1,978 Indiana towns
Snow a winter
12 in
215th least snowy of 1,972 Indiana towns
A normal year

What a year in Washington feels like

Winter

43° / 26°
Typical high / low · 4 days with an inch or more of snow

Spring

66° / 45°
Typical high / low · Last frost around Apr 13

Summer

86° / 65°
Typical high / low · 38 days reach 90° in a normal year

Fall

68° / 46°
Typical high / low · First frost around Oct 25
Best months to be outsideAprMaySepOctHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Month by month

Washington weather by month

Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet days30-yr range
January40°23°3.4" 3.6"9 25° – 42°
February45°26°2.9" 3.4"8 24° – 45°
March55°35°4.2" 1.2"10 38° – 59°
April67°44°5.1" 010 49° – 61°
May77°55°5.3" 011 60° – 73°
June85°64°4.8" 09 70° – 78°
July88°67°4.3" 09 72° – 84°
August87°65°3.1" 07 71° – 82°
September81°57°3.8" 07 65° – 75°
October69°46°3.5" 0.1"7 53° – 63°
November55°35°4.0" 0.2"8 38° – 51°
December44°27°3.7" 3.7"9 22° – 45°
Year66°45°48.0"12.2"104

“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 & snow

Rain and snow in Washington

Washington gets 48 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 104 days a year.

48 in
Rain + melted snow a year
More rain than 81% of U.S. towns
12 in
Snow in a normal winter
Less snow than 69% of U.S. towns
104 days
With rain or snow (0.01"+)

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water
5.3"

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow
3.7"
Frost & the growing season

About 194 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 13 and the first one by October 25. That leaves about 194 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 68% of U.S. towns.

100
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
2
nights below 0° in a normal year
38
days that reach 90° in a normal year

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Washington

Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Washington, 79% of that work is heating and 21% is cooling.

79%heating
4,920 heating degree daysLess heating than 67% of U.S. towns
1,303 cooling degree daysMore cooling than 72% of U.S. towns

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.

Around Washington

Washington and its neighbors

Washington borders 6 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.6°. Logan has the coldest January nights (23°) and White River the hottest July afternoons (88°). Washington’s January low is 23° and its July high 88°.

Decker: January low 24°, July high 88°Vincennes: January low 23°, July high 88°Harrison: January low 23°, July high 88°Decker: January low 23°, July high 88°Patoka: January low 24°, July high 88°Mount Carmel: January low 24°, July high 88°Montgomery: January low 24°, July high 88°Madison: January low 23°, July high 88°Columbia: January low 23°, July high 88°Barton: January low 24°, July high 88°Patoka: January low 23°, July high 87°Washington: January low 23°, July high 87°Glezen: January low 23°, July high 87°Union: January low 24°, July high 88°Johnson: January low 23°, July high 88°White River: January low 24°, July high 88°Clay: January low 23°, July high 88°Center: January low 24°, July high 88°Logan: January low 23°, July high 88°Patoka: January low 24°, July high 88°Washington: January low 23°, July high 88° WashingtonJohnsonWhite RiverClayCenterLoganPatoka
ColderMilder23° to 24°
Logan23.2° −0.1°
Washington23.3°
Johnson23.3° same
Clay23.3° same
Center23.5° +0.2°
White River23.6° +0.3°
Patoka23.8° +0.5°

Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.

Compared with other towns

How Washington compares

Summer heat88° July high
Hotter than 69% of U.S. towns67th hottest of 1,978 Indiana towns
Winter cold23° January low
Milder than 68% of U.S. towns175th mildest of 1,978 Indiana towns
Precipitation48" a year
Wetter than 81% of U.S. towns316th wettest of 1,978 Indiana towns
Snow12" a winter
Less snow than 69% of U.S. towns215th least snowy of 1,972 Indiana towns
Growing season194 frost-free days
Longer than 68% of U.S. towns245th longest of 1,978 Indiana towns

Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

+1.0°1991–2020 average vs. the 20th century (1901–2000)

The last 30 years in Washington averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.8°). The shift is smaller than in 66% of U.S. towns.

❄️ Winter+1.5° now 34°, was 33°
🌷 Spring+1.4° now 56°, was 54°
☀️ Summer+0.5° now 76°, was 75°
🍂 Fall+0.7° now 57°, was 57°

Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Washington’s spot on NOAA’s grid

Year to year

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 22° to 45°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Questions

Common questions about Washington’s climate

What is the coldest month in Washington?

January, with a typical high of 40° and a low of 23°.

What is the hottest month in Washington?

July, with a typical high of 88° and a low of 67°. About 38 days a year reach 90°.

How much snow does Washington get?

About 12 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.

When is the first frost in Washington?

In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 25, and the last spring frost by April 13.

What is the rainiest month in Washington?

May, with 5.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 48 inches.

Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Washington itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Princeton 1 W, IN (8 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.

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