Tisbury, MA climate
Tisbury has chilly winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 25°, and about 25 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Tisbury feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Tisbury 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 | 40° | 25° | 3.9" | 8.8" | 12 | 6 | 23° – 39° |
| February | 41° | 26° | 3.5" | 8.1" | 10 | 7 | 23° – 39° |
| March | 46° | 31° | 4.9" | 4.7" | 11 | 3 | 33° – 45° |
| April | 55° | 39° | 4.2" | 0.3" | 12 | 0 | 43° – 51° |
| May | 65° | 48° | 3.5" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 51° – 60° |
| June | 74° | 57° | 3.4" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 62° – 68° |
| July | 80° | 64° | 2.7" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 68° – 76° |
| August | 79° | 63° | 3.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 69° – 75° |
| September | 73° | 57° | 4.1" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 62° – 68° |
| October | 63° | 47° | 4.8" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 52° – 60° |
| November | 53° | 38° | 4.2" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 41° – 50° |
| December | 45° | 30° | 4.8" | 3.4" | 12 | 3 | 31° – 47° |
| Year | 59° | 44° | 47.6" | 25.3" | 128 | 20 |
“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 Tisbury
Tisbury gets 48 inches of rain and melted snow a year. March is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 128 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 20 days of the year.
About 213 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 11 and the first one by November 11. That leaves about 213 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 79% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Tisbury
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Tisbury, 90% of that work is heating and 10% 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.
Tisbury and its neighbors
Tisbury borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.1°. West Tisbury has the coldest January nights (24°) and Gosnold the hottest July afternoons (81°). Tisbury’s January low is 25° and its July high 80°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Tisbury 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 Tisbury averaged 2.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.4°). The shift is larger than in 94% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Tisbury’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. December swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 31° to 47°. September is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Tisbury’s climate
What is the coldest month in Tisbury?
January, with a typical high of 40° and a low of 25°.
What is the hottest month in Tisbury?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 64°. About 1 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Tisbury get?
About 25 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Tisbury?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 11, and the last spring frost by April 11.
What is the rainiest month in Tisbury?
March, with 4.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 48 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Tisbury itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Edgartown, MA (8 mi, snow) and Woods Hole Golf Club, MA (5 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.