Norwell, MA climate
Norwell 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 51 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Norwell feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Norwell 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° | 4.3" | 14.8" | 13 | 15 | 20° – 36° |
| February | 40° | 22° | 3.9" | 14.5" | 11 | 13 | 18° – 38° |
| March | 47° | 29° | 5.3" | 10.3" | 12 | 9 | 32° – 45° |
| April | 58° | 37° | 4.6" | 1.7" | 12 | 1 | 43° – 52° |
| May | 68° | 47° | 3.6" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 52° – 62° |
| June | 77° | 57° | 4.0" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 63° – 70° |
| July | 83° | 63° | 3.4" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 68° – 77° |
| August | 81° | 61° | 3.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 68° – 76° |
| September | 74° | 54° | 4.1" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 61° – 68° |
| October | 63° | 43° | 4.9" | 0.1" | 12 | 0 | 50° – 60° |
| November | 52° | 35° | 4.5" | 0.7" | 11 | 1 | 39° – 49° |
| December | 43° | 26° | 5.0" | 8.8" | 12 | 8 | 29° – 45° |
| Year | 60° | 41° | 51.1" | 50.9" | 137 | 46 |
“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 Norwell
Norwell gets 51 inches of rain and melted snow a year. March is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 137 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 46 days of the year.
About 177 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 25 and the first one by October 22. That leaves about 177 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 51% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Norwell
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Norwell, 89% of that work is heating and 11% 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.
Norwell and its neighbors
Norwell borders 6 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.8°. Rockland has the coldest January nights (20°) and Hanover the hottest July afternoons (83°). Norwell’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 Norwell 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 Norwell averaged 2.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.5°). The shift is larger than in 96% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Norwell’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 7°.
Common questions about Norwell’s climate
What is the coldest month in Norwell?
January, with a typical high of 38° and a low of 21°.
What is the hottest month in Norwell?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 63°. About 13 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Norwell get?
About 51 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Norwell?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 22, and the last spring frost by April 25.
What is the rainiest month in Norwell?
March, with 5.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 51 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Norwell itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Hingham, MA (6 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.