Columbia, MO climate
Columbia has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 21°, and about 17 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade14° warmer than normal today. The forecast high is 88°, and a typical Sep 30 in Columbia peaks around 74°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What 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 | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 39° | 21° | 2.0" | 5.9" | 8 | 8 | 24° – 40° |
| February | 44° | 25° | 2.1" | 4.8" | 8 | 5 | 25° – 45° |
| March | 56° | 34° | 3.0" | 2.0" | 11 | 2 | 38° – 59° |
| April | 67° | 44° | 4.7" | 0.3" | 11 | 0 | 49° – 61° |
| May | 76° | 54° | 5.0" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 59° – 74° |
| June | 84° | 64° | 4.6" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 70° – 78° |
| July | 88° | 68° | 4.5" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 73° – 85° |
| August | 87° | 65° | 3.7" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 70° – 82° |
| September | 79° | 57° | 4.0" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 63° – 75° |
| October | 68° | 45° | 3.6" | 0.1" | 10 | 0 | 51° – 62° |
| November | 54° | 35° | 2.9" | 0.8" | 8 | 1 | 37° – 53° |
| December | 43° | 26° | 2.2" | 3.5" | 8 | 5 | 20° – 42° |
| Year | 65° | 45° | 42.2" | 17.4" | 112 | 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 Columbia
Columbia gets 42 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 112 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 20 days of the year.
About 207 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 5 and the first one by October 31. That leaves about 207 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 76% 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, 76% of that work is heating and 24% 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.
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 0.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.0°). The shift is smaller than in 91% 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 20° to 42°. June is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Columbia’s climate
What is the coldest month in Columbia?
January, with a typical high of 39° and a low of 21°.
What is the hottest month in Columbia?
July, with a typical high of 88° and a low of 68°. About 41 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Columbia get?
About 17 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
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 5.
What is the rainiest month in Columbia?
May, with 5.0 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 42 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 U Of M, MO (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.