Townsend, MA climate
Townsend has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 15°, and about 57 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Townsend feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Townsend 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 | 34° | 15° | 3.4" | 15.4" | 11 | 22 | 15° – 31° |
| February | 37° | 16° | 3.3" | 11.5" | 9 | 24 | 12° – 33° |
| March | 45° | 24° | 4.2" | 14.4" | 11 | 18 | 29° – 44° |
| April | 58° | 35° | 4.3" | 2.3" | 12 | 3 | 43° – 51° |
| May | 70° | 45° | 3.7" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 52° – 63° |
| June | 78° | 55° | 4.2" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 63° – 69° |
| July | 83° | 61° | 3.8" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 67° – 75° |
| August | 81° | 59° | 3.8" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 67° – 74° |
| September | 74° | 50° | 4.0" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 58° – 66° |
| October | 61° | 39° | 4.9" | 0.1" | 10 | 0 | 46° – 57° |
| November | 50° | 30° | 3.9" | 1.1" | 11 | 3 | 35° – 45° |
| December | 39° | 22° | 4.4" | 12.6" | 11 | 17 | 24° – 40° |
| Year | 59° | 37° | 47.9" | 57.4" | 134 | 88 |
“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 Townsend
Townsend gets 48 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 134 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 88 days of the year.
About 162 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 1 and the first one by October 9. That leaves about 162 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 69% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Townsend
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Townsend, 94% of that work is heating and 6% 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.
Townsend and its neighbors
Townsend borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.1°. Ashby has the coldest January nights (14°) and Pepperell the hottest July afternoons (84°). Townsend’s January low is 15° and its July high 83°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Townsend 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 Townsend averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.4°). The shift is larger than in 87% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Townsend’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 12° to 33°. June is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Townsend’s climate
What is the coldest month in Townsend?
January, with a typical high of 34° and a low of 15°.
What is the hottest month in Townsend?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 61°. About 8 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Townsend get?
About 57 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Townsend?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 9, and the last spring frost by May 1.
What is the rainiest month in Townsend?
October, 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 Townsend itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Milford, NH (12 mi, snow) and Fitchburg Coop, MA (6 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.