Fall River, MA climate
Fall River has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 21°, and about 31 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Fall River feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Fall River 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 | 38° | 21° | 4.1" | 10.7" | 11 | 10 | 20° – 37° |
| February | 40° | 22° | 3.6" | 9.0" | 9 | 9 | 18° – 38° |
| March | 47° | 29° | 5.2" | 4.5" | 11 | 5 | 32° – 45° |
| April | 58° | 37° | 4.5" | 0.6" | 11 | 0 | 43° – 52° |
| May | 68° | 47° | 3.5" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 52° – 62° |
| June | 77° | 57° | 3.9" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 64° – 70° |
| July | 83° | 63° | 3.3" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 69° – 77° |
| August | 81° | 62° | 3.7" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 68° – 76° |
| September | 74° | 54° | 4.1" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 61° – 68° |
| October | 63° | 44° | 4.6" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 50° – 59° |
| November | 53° | 35° | 4.4" | 0.1" | 10 | 0 | 39° – 48° |
| December | 43° | 27° | 4.8" | 5.9" | 12 | 4 | 29° – 45° |
| Year | 60° | 41° | 49.7" | 30.8" | 123 | 28 |
“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 Fall River
Fall River gets 50 inches of rain and melted snow a year. March is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 123 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 28 days of the year.
About 167 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 29 and the first one by October 15. That leaves about 167 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 64% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Fall River
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Fall River, 91% of that work is heating and 9% 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.
Fall River and its neighbors
Fall River borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 2.4°. Freetown has both the coldest January nights (21°) and the hottest July afternoons (83°). Fall River’s January low is 21° and its July high 83°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Fall River 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 Fall River averaged 1.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.1°). The shift is larger than in 90% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Fall River’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 18° to 38°. June is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Fall River’s climate
What is the coldest month in Fall River?
January, with a typical high of 38° and a low of 21°.
What is the hottest month in Fall River?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 63°. About 7 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Fall River get?
About 31 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Fall River?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 15, and the last spring frost by April 29.
What is the rainiest month in Fall River?
March, with 5.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 50 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Fall River itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Rochester, MA (10 mi, snow) and New Bedford Municipal Airport, MA (8 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.