Topsfield, MA climate
Topsfield has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 48 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Topsfield feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Topsfield 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 | 36° | 18° | 3.5" | 13.4" | 10 | 18° – 34° |
| February | 38° | 19° | 3.4" | 13.2" | 9 | 15° – 35° |
| March | 46° | 27° | 4.4" | 9.4" | 10 | 30° – 45° |
| April | 57° | 36° | 4.2" | 1.8" | 12 | 43° – 51° |
| May | 68° | 46° | 3.7" | 0 | 12 | 51° – 61° |
| June | 76° | 56° | 4.1" | 0 | 12 | 62° – 69° |
| July | 82° | 62° | 3.5" | 0 | 11 | 67° – 75° |
| August | 81° | 60° | 3.5" | 0 | 9 | 67° – 73° |
| September | 73° | 52° | 3.8" | 0 | 9 | 60° – 67° |
| October | 62° | 41° | 4.7" | 0 | 11 | 48° – 58° |
| November | 51° | 32° | 3.9" | 1.1" | 11 | 37° – 46° |
| December | 41° | 24° | 4.6" | 8.9" | 11 | 27° – 42° |
| Year | 59° | 39° | 47.3" | 47.8" | 126 |
“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 Topsfield
Topsfield 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 126 days a year.
About 157 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 3 and the first one by October 9. That leaves about 157 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 74% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Topsfield
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Topsfield, 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.
Topsfield and its neighbors
Topsfield borders 6 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 2.6°. Boxford has both the coldest January nights (17°) and the hottest July afternoons (82°). Topsfield’s January low is 18° and its July high 82°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Topsfield 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 Topsfield averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.4°). The shift is larger than in 83% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Topsfield’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 Topsfield’s climate
What is the coldest month in Topsfield?
January, with a typical high of 36° and a low of 18°.
What is the hottest month in Topsfield?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 62°. About 16 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Topsfield get?
About 48 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Topsfield?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 9, and the last spring frost by May 3.
What is the rainiest month in Topsfield?
October, with 4.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 47 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Topsfield itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Middleton, MA (5 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.