Columbia, MD climate
Columbia has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 25°, and about 29 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Columbia feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Columbia 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 | 42° | 25° | 3.1" | 9.0" | 11 | 25° – 41° |
| February | 46° | 26° | 2.8" | 10.0" | 11 | 25° – 44° |
| March | 54° | 33° | 3.9" | 5.2" | 12 | 38° – 53° |
| April | 66° | 43° | 3.6" | 0 | 13 | 51° – 60° |
| May | 75° | 52° | 4.3" | 0 | 15 | 59° – 70° |
| June | 83° | 61° | 4.4" | 0 | 12 | 68° – 77° |
| July | 87° | 66° | 4.5" | 0 | 11 | 72° – 80° |
| August | 85° | 65° | 4.2" | 0 | 12 | 70° – 78° |
| September | 79° | 58° | 4.5" | 0 | 10 | 65° – 72° |
| October | 67° | 46° | 4.1" | 0 | 11 | 53° – 63° |
| November | 56° | 36° | 3.4" | 0.2" | 9 | 40° – 51° |
| December | 46° | 29° | 3.8" | 4.1" | 12 | 29° – 48° |
| Year | 66° | 45° | 46.4" | 28.5" | 140 |
“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 Columbia
Columbia gets 46 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 140 days a year.
About 204 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 10 and the first one by October 31. That leaves about 204 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 75% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Columbia
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Columbia, 77% of that work is heating and 23% is cooling.
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.
Columbia and its neighbors
Columbia borders 6 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.0°. Ellicott City has the coldest January nights (24°) and Jessup the hottest July afternoons (88°). Columbia’s January low is 25° and its July high 87°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Columbia 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 Columbia averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.9°). The shift is larger than in 88% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Columbia’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 29° to 48°. September is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Columbia’s climate
What is the coldest month in Columbia?
January, with a typical high of 42° and a low of 25°.
What is the hottest month in Columbia?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 66°. About 34 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Columbia get?
About 29 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Columbia?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 31, and the last spring frost by April 10.
What is the rainiest month in Columbia?
July, with 4.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 46 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Columbia itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Columbia 2.3 N, MD (2 mi, snow) and Baltimore Wash Intl Airport, MD (10 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.