Northborough, MA climate
Northborough has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 16°, and about 73 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Northborough feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Northborough 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 | 35° | 16° | 3.6" | 18.2" | 12 | 17° – 33° |
| February | 38° | 18° | 3.4" | 21.2" | 11 | 14° – 35° |
| March | 46° | 26° | 4.4" | 13.7" | 12 | 29° – 45° |
| April | 59° | 36° | 4.3" | 1.9" | 13 | 43° – 52° |
| May | 70° | 46° | 3.7" | 0 | 13 | 52° – 64° |
| June | 78° | 56° | 4.3" | 0 | 12 | 64° – 70° |
| July | 84° | 62° | 3.8" | 0 | 11 | 68° – 76° |
| August | 82° | 60° | 3.9" | 0 | 10 | 68° – 74° |
| September | 74° | 52° | 4.0" | 0 | 10 | 60° – 67° |
| October | 62° | 40° | 4.9" | 1.1" | 12 | 48° – 58° |
| November | 51° | 31° | 4.0" | 1.9" | 11 | 36° – 47° |
| December | 40° | 23° | 4.5" | 14.9" | 12 | 25° – 42° |
| Year | 60° | 39° | 48.7" | 72.9" | 138 |
“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 Northborough
Northborough gets 49 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 138 days a year.
About 181 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 23 and the first one by October 21. That leaves about 181 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 54% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Northborough
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Northborough, 93% of that work is heating and 7% 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.
Northborough and its neighbors
Northborough borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.8°. Boylston has the coldest January nights (16°) and Westborough the hottest July afternoons (84°). Northborough’s January low is 16° and its July high 84°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Northborough 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 Northborough averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.4°). The shift is larger than in 86% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Northborough’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 14° to 35°. June is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Northborough’s climate
What is the coldest month in Northborough?
January, with a typical high of 35° and a low of 16°.
What is the hottest month in Northborough?
July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 62°. About 3 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Northborough get?
About 73 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Northborough?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 21, and the last spring frost by April 23.
What is the rainiest month in Northborough?
October, with 4.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 49 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Northborough itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Worcester Rgnl Airport, MA (12 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.