Climate · Rutland

Rutland, MA climate

Rutland has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 15°, and about 73 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade
July high
80°
104th coolest of 541 Massachusetts towns
January low
15°
101st coldest of 541 Massachusetts towns
Rain + melted snow
50 in
146th wettest of 541 Massachusetts towns
Snow a winter
73 in
62nd snowiest of 534 Massachusetts towns
A normal year

What a year in Rutland feels like

Winter

35° / 17°
Typical high / low · 16 days with an inch or more of snow

Spring

56° / 34°
Typical high / low · Last frost around Apr 23

Summer

78° / 57°
Typical high / low · 3 days reach 90° in a normal year

Fall

60° / 39°
Typical high / low · First frost around Oct 21
Best months to be outsideMayJunJulAugSepHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Month by month

Rutland weather by month

Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet days30-yr range
January33°15°3.8" 18.2"12 15° – 31°
February36°16°3.3" 21.2"11 11° – 33°
March44°24°4.2" 13.7"12 27° – 43°
April56°34°4.3" 1.9"13 41° – 49°
May68°44°3.7" 013 50° – 61°
June75°54°4.5" 012 61° – 67°
July80°59°4.1" 011 65° – 74°
August79°57°4.3" 010 65° – 72°
September72°50°4.3" 010 57° – 65°
October60°39°4.9" 1.1"12 45° – 56°
November48°30°3.9" 1.9"11 34° – 44°
December38°21°4.4" 14.9"12 23° – 39°
Year57°37°49.8"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 & snow

Rain and snow in Rutland

Rutland 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 138 days a year.

50 in
Rain + melted snow a year
More rain than 87% of U.S. towns
73 in
Snow in a normal winter
More snow than 93% of U.S. towns
138 days
With rain or snow (0.01"+)

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water
4.9"

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow
21"
Frost & the growing season

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.

130
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
4
nights below 0° in a normal year
3
days that reach 90° in a normal year

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Rutland

Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Rutland, 93% of that work is heating and 7% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.

93%heating
6,623 heating degree daysMore heating than 68% of U.S. towns
502 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 76% of U.S. towns

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.

Around Rutland

Rutland and its neighbors

Rutland borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.1°. Barre has the coldest January nights (14°) and Holden the hottest July afternoons (81°). Rutland’s January low is 15° and its July high 80°.

Spencer: January low 16°, July high 80°Leicester: January low 16°, July high 81°West Boylston: January low 16°, July high 83°Sterling: January low 16°, July high 82°Westminster: January low 14°, July high 81°Hubbardston: January low 14°, July high 81°Leominster: January low 15°, July high 83°Paxton: January low 15°, July high 80°Holden: January low 16°, July high 81°Oakham: January low 15°, July high 80°Princeton: January low 15°, July high 80°Barre: January low 14°, July high 81°Rutland: January low 15°, July high 80° RutlandPaxtonHoldenOakhamPrincetonBarre
ColderMilder14° to 16°
Barre14.4° −0.2°
Rutland14.6°
Oakham14.7° +0.1°
Princeton14.9° +0.3°
Paxton15.2° +0.6°
Holden15.5° +0.9°

Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.

Compared with other towns

How Rutland compares

Summer heat80° July high
Cooler than 86% of U.S. towns104th coolest of 541 Massachusetts towns
Winter cold15° January low
Colder than 71% of U.S. towns101st coldest of 541 Massachusetts towns
Precipitation50" a year
Wetter than 87% of U.S. towns146th wettest of 541 Massachusetts towns
Snow73" a winter
Snowier than 93% of U.S. towns62nd snowiest of 534 Massachusetts towns
Growing season181 frost-free days
Longer than 54% of U.S. towns113th longest of 539 Massachusetts towns

Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

+1.8°1991–2020 average vs. the 20th century (1901–2000)

The last 30 years in Rutland averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.6°). The shift is larger than in 87% of U.S. towns.

❄️ Winter+2.8° now 26°, was 24°
🌷 Spring+1.3° now 45°, was 44°
☀️ Summer+1.6° now 68°, was 66°
🍂 Fall+1.5° now 50°, was 48°

Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Rutland’s spot on NOAA’s grid

Year to year

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 33°. June is the most reliable, staying within 6°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Questions

Common questions about Rutland’s climate

What is the coldest month in Rutland?

January, with a typical high of 33° and a low of 15°.

What is the hottest month in Rutland?

July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 59°. About 3 days a year reach 90°.

How much snow does Rutland get?

About 73 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.

When is the first frost in Rutland?

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 Rutland?

October, with 4.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 50 inches.

Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Rutland itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Worcester Rgnl Airport, MA (10 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.

The coffee’s on

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