Mount Washington, MA climate
Mount Washington has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, 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 Mount Washington feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Mount Washington 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 | 31° | 14° | 3.4" | 15.5" | 12 | 12° – 30° |
| February | 34° | 15° | 2.7" | 10.0" | 9 | 11° – 31° |
| March | 42° | 22° | 3.5" | 10.0" | 12 | 25° – 43° |
| April | 55° | 33° | 3.6" | 1.8" | 12 | 39° – 49° |
| May | 66° | 44° | 3.9" | 0 | 14 | 50° – 61° |
| June | 74° | 52° | 4.9" | 0 | 12 | 60° – 67° |
| July | 79° | 57° | 4.5" | 0 | 10 | 63° – 72° |
| August | 77° | 56° | 4.3" | 0 | 10 | 62° – 70° |
| September | 70° | 50° | 5.0" | 0 | 11 | 57° – 65° |
| October | 58° | 39° | 4.6" | 0 | 11 | 43° – 54° |
| November | 46° | 29° | 3.6" | 1.8" | 11 | 33° – 43° |
| December | 36° | 20° | 4.1" | 10.5" | 11 | 21° – 40° |
| Year | 56° | 36° | 48.0" | 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 Mount Washington
Mount Washington gets 48 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 160 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 4 and the first one by October 11. That leaves about 160 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 71% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Mount Washington
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Mount Washington, 92% of that work is heating and 8% 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.
Mount Washington and its neighbors
Mount Washington borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.5°. Sheffield has both the coldest January nights (15°) and the hottest July afternoons (83°). Mount Washington’s January low is 14° and its July high 79°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Mount Washington 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 Mount Washington averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.2°). The shift is larger than in 88% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Mount Washington’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 11° to 31°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Mount Washington’s climate
What is the coldest month in Mount Washington?
January, with a typical high of 31° and a low of 14°.
What is the hottest month in Mount Washington?
July, with a typical high of 79° and a low of 57°. About 13 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Mount Washington get?
About 50 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Mount Washington?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 11, and the last spring frost by May 4.
What is the rainiest month in Mount Washington?
September, with 5.0 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 48 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Mount Washington itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Copake, NY (4 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.