Alford, MA climate
Alford has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 14°, and about 50 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Alford feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Alford 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 | 32° | 14° | 3.3" | 15.5" | 12 | 12° – 30° |
| February | 35° | 16° | 2.5" | 10.0" | 9 | 12° – 31° |
| March | 43° | 23° | 3.2" | 10.0" | 12 | 26° – 44° |
| April | 56° | 34° | 3.5" | 1.8" | 12 | 40° – 50° |
| May | 68° | 45° | 3.7" | 0 | 14 | 52° – 62° |
| June | 76° | 53° | 4.6" | 0 | 12 | 62° – 69° |
| July | 81° | 58° | 4.3" | 0 | 10 | 65° – 73° |
| August | 78° | 57° | 4.2" | 0 | 10 | 64° – 72° |
| September | 71° | 50° | 4.8" | 0 | 11 | 58° – 65° |
| October | 59° | 40° | 4.2" | 0 | 11 | 45° – 56° |
| November | 47° | 30° | 3.3" | 1.8" | 11 | 34° – 44° |
| December | 37° | 21° | 3.7" | 10.5" | 11 | 21° – 40° |
| Year | 57° | 37° | 45.3" | 49.6" | 133 |
“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 Alford
Alford gets 45 inches of rain and melted snow a year. September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 133 days a year.
About 147 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 7 and the first one by October 3. That leaves about 147 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 83% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Alford
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Alford, 95% of that work is heating and 5% 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.
Alford and its neighbors
Alford borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.8°. West Stockbridge has the coldest January nights (14°) and Egremont the hottest July afternoons (82°). Alford’s January low is 14° and its July high 81°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Alford 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 Alford averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.1°). The shift is larger than in 86% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Alford’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 12° to 31°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Alford’s climate
What is the coldest month in Alford?
January, with a typical high of 32° and a low of 14°.
What is the hottest month in Alford?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 58°. About 8 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Alford get?
About 50 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Alford?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 3, and the last spring frost by May 7.
What is the rainiest month in Alford?
September, with 4.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 45 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Alford itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Copake, NY (12 mi, snow) and Lenox Dale, MA (11 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.