Franklin, MA climate
Franklin has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 48 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Franklin feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Franklin 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 | 37° | 18° | 4.0" | 10.4" | 11 | 17 | 19° – 34° |
| February | 39° | 20° | 3.4" | 14.9" | 9 | 15 | 16° – 36° |
| March | 47° | 27° | 4.6" | 10.7" | 11 | 10 | 31° – 45° |
| April | 59° | 36° | 4.4" | 1.2" | 11 | 1 | 44° – 52° |
| May | 70° | 46° | 3.7" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 52° – 63° |
| June | 78° | 56° | 4.2" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 63° – 70° |
| July | 84° | 62° | 3.6" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 68° – 77° |
| August | 82° | 60° | 3.9" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 68° – 75° |
| September | 75° | 52° | 4.0" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 60° – 67° |
| October | 63° | 41° | 5.0" | 0.2" | 11 | 0 | 48° – 59° |
| November | 52° | 32° | 4.1" | 1.4" | 10 | 1 | 37° – 47° |
| December | 42° | 24° | 4.8" | 8.9" | 11 | 9 | 27° – 43° |
| Year | 60° | 39° | 49.7" | 47.7" | 125 | 53 |
“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 Franklin
Franklin gets 50 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 125 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 53 days of the year.
About 162 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 30 and the first one by October 9. That leaves about 162 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 69% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Franklin
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Franklin, 90% of that work is heating and 10% 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.
Franklin and its neighbors
Franklin borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.9°. Medway has both the coldest January nights (18°) and the hottest July afternoons (84°). Franklin’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 Franklin 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 Franklin averaged 1.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.6°). The shift is larger than in 92% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Franklin’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 16° to 36°. June is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Franklin’s climate
What is the coldest month in Franklin?
January, with a typical high of 37° and a low of 18°.
What is the hottest month in Franklin?
July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 62°. About 17 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Franklin get?
About 48 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Franklin?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 9, and the last spring frost by April 30.
What is the rainiest month in Franklin?
October, with 5.0 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 50 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Franklin itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Franklin, MA (1 mi, snow) and West Medway, MA (4 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.