Franklin has chilly winters and warm summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 17 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Franklin at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Franklin’s climate
Read from where Franklin sits among Missouri’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
Living with Franklin’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
177 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 20 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 16.
About 17" a winter over 7 days with an inch or more, most in January.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 85% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 28 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 87°.
The nicest months are April, May, June, September and October. 4.0 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 →About 177 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 20 and the first by October 16.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
What a year in Franklin feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Franklin averaged 0.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.7°).
A smaller shift than in 97% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
17 inches of snow, 39 of rain and melt
May is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 100 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Franklin and its neighbors
Washington has the coldest January nights next door (16°) and Lincoln the hottest July afternoons (87°). 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.
How Franklin compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Missouri.
Franklin 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 | 34° | 17° | 1.1" | 4.7" | 6 | 19° – 37° |
| February | 40° | 21° | 1.5" | 4.7" | 7 | 19° – 41° |
| March | 52° | 31° | 2.3" | 2.9" | 9 | 34° – 56° |
| April | 64° | 41° | 3.9" | 0.3" | 11 | 44° – 58° |
| May | 73° | 52° | 5.4" | 0 | 12 | 58° – 72° |
| June | 83° | 62° | 5.1" | 0 | 10 | 69° – 76° |
| July | 87° | 66° | 4.7" | 0 | 8 | 71° – 84° |
| August | 85° | 64° | 4.4" | 0 | 9 | 68° – 80° |
| September | 78° | 55° | 4.1" | 0 | 7 | 60° – 72° |
| October | 65° | 43° | 3.1" | 0.2" | 8 | 48° – 59° |
| November | 51° | 31° | 2.2" | 0.9" | 6 | 33° – 50° |
| December | 39° | 22° | 1.6" | 3.5" | 6 | 16° – 38° |
| Year | 62° | 42° | 39.3" | 17.2" | 100 |
Heating and cooling a home in Franklin
85% 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. March swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 34° to 56°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Franklin’s climate
What is the coldest month in Franklin?
January, with a typical high of 34° and a low of 17°.
What is the hottest month in Franklin?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 66°. About 28 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Franklin get?
About 17 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Franklin?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 16, and the last spring frost by April 20.
What is the rainiest month in Franklin?
May, with 5.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 39 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Franklin.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Franklin itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Trenton, MO (11 mi, snow) and Spickard 7 W, MO (7 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.