Woods Hole has chilly winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain
A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 24°, and about 25 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Woods Hole at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Woods Hole’s climate
Read from where Woods Hole sits among Massachusetts’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
Living with Woods Hole’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
213 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 11 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Nov 11.
About 25" a winter over 8 days with an inch or more, most in January. Snow covers the ground about 20 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 90% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 1 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 81°.
The nicest months are May, June, July, August, September and October. 8.5 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →What a year in Woods Hole feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
25 inches of snow, 49 of rain and melt
March is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 128 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
About 213 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 11 and the first by November 11.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Woods Hole and its neighbors
Falmouth has the coldest January nights next door (24°) and Falmouth the hottest July afternoons (81°). Tap a town to see its climate.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Woods Hole averaged 2.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.4°).
A bigger shift than in 94% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Woods Hole compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Massachusetts.
Woods Hole 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 | 39° | 24° | 4.0" | 8.8" | 12 | 6 | 22° – 38° |
| February | 41° | 25° | 3.6" | 8.1" | 10 | 7 | 22° – 38° |
| March | 46° | 30° | 5.1" | 4.7" | 11 | 3 | 33° – 45° |
| April | 55° | 39° | 4.3" | 0.3" | 12 | 0 | 43° – 51° |
| May | 65° | 48° | 3.5" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 51° – 60° |
| June | 74° | 57° | 3.5" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 63° – 69° |
| July | 81° | 64° | 2.9" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 68° – 76° |
| August | 80° | 63° | 3.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 69° – 75° |
| September | 73° | 57° | 4.2" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 62° – 68° |
| October | 63° | 47° | 5.0" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 51° – 60° |
| November | 53° | 38° | 4.3" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 41° – 50° |
| December | 45° | 30° | 4.9" | 3.4" | 12 | 3 | 31° – 47° |
| Year | 60° | 43° | 48.9" | 25.3" | 128 | 20 |
Heating and cooling a home in Woods Hole
90% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 22° to 38°. June is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Woods Hole’s climate
What is the coldest month in Woods Hole?
January, with a typical high of 39° and a low of 24°.
What is the hottest month in Woods Hole?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 64°. About 1 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Woods Hole get?
About 25 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Woods Hole?
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 Woods Hole?
March, with 5.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 49 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Woods Hole.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Woods Hole itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Edgartown, MA (13 mi, snow) and Woods Hole Golf Club, MA (1 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. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.