Reading, MA climate
Reading has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 64 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Reading feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Reading 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 | 36° | 18° | 3.5" | 17.2" | 12 | 18 | 18° – 34° |
| February | 39° | 20° | 3.4" | 16.2" | 11 | 18 | 15° – 35° |
| March | 46° | 27° | 4.4" | 13.3" | 13 | 13 | 30° – 45° |
| April | 58° | 36° | 4.2" | 2.2" | 13 | 1 | 43° – 52° |
| May | 69° | 46° | 3.7" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 52° – 62° |
| June | 78° | 56° | 4.2" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 63° – 70° |
| July | 83° | 62° | 3.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 68° – 76° |
| August | 82° | 60° | 3.6" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 68° – 74° |
| September | 74° | 52° | 3.8" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 60° – 67° |
| October | 62° | 41° | 4.6" | 0.1" | 11 | 0 | 48° – 59° |
| November | 51° | 32° | 3.9" | 1.7" | 11 | 1 | 37° – 47° |
| December | 41° | 24° | 4.5" | 12.8" | 13 | 11 | 26° – 42° |
| Year | 60° | 40° | 47.4" | 63.5" | 138 | 62 |
“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 Reading
Reading gets 47 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. Snow covers the ground about 62 days of the year.
About 174 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 25 and the first one by October 17. That leaves about 174 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 56% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Reading
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Reading, 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.
Reading and its neighbors
Reading borders 6 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.1°. Wilmington has both the coldest January nights (17°) and the hottest July afternoons (83°). Reading’s January low is 18° and its July high 83°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Reading 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 Reading averaged 1.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.5°). The shift is larger than in 90% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Reading’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 15° to 35°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Reading’s climate
What is the coldest month in Reading?
January, with a typical high of 36° and a low of 18°.
What is the hottest month in Reading?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 62°. About 12 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Reading get?
About 64 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Reading?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 17, and the last spring frost by April 25.
What is the rainiest month in Reading?
October, with 4.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 47 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Reading itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Reading, MA (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.