Petal, MS climate
Petal has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 38°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Petal feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Petal 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 | 60° | 38° | 6.0" | 0.2" | 11 | 0 | 42° – 56° |
| February | 65° | 41° | 5.3" | 0.1" | 11 | 0 | 43° – 62° |
| March | 72° | 47° | 5.8" | 0.1" | 9 | 0 | 53° – 67° |
| April | 78° | 53° | 5.3" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 60° – 70° |
| May | 85° | 61° | 4.4" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 70° – 76° |
| June | 90° | 68° | 5.3" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 76° – 83° |
| July | 92° | 71° | 5.9" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 79° – 83° |
| August | 92° | 70° | 5.3" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 78° – 84° |
| September | 88° | 65° | 4.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 74° – 82° |
| October | 79° | 54° | 3.6" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 62° – 72° |
| November | 69° | 44° | 3.9" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 51° – 61° |
| December | 62° | 40° | 5.6" | 0.5" | 10 | 0 | 42° – 59° |
| Year | 78° | 54° | 60.8" | 0.9" | 116 | 0 |
“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 Petal
Petal gets 61 inches of rain and melted snow a year. January is the wettest month and October the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 116 days a year.
About 252 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 8 and the first one by November 15. That leaves about 252 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 91% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Petal
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Petal, 44% of that work is heating and 56% 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.
Petal and its neighbors
Petal borders 1 town with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.0°. Hattiesburg has both the coldest January nights (38°) and the hottest July afternoons (92°). Petal’s January low is 38° and its July high 92°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Petal 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 Petal averaged 0.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+1.4°). The shift is smaller than in 96% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Petal’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 43° to 62°. July is the most reliable, staying within 4°.
Common questions about Petal’s climate
What is the coldest month in Petal?
January, with a typical high of 60° and a low of 38°.
What is the hottest month in Petal?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 71°. About 96 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Petal get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.9 inches.
When is the first frost in Petal?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 15, and the last spring frost by March 8.
What is the rainiest month in Petal?
January, with 6.0 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 61 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Petal itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Hattiesburg 5sw, MS (9 mi, snow) and Hattiesburg Chain Municipal Airport, MS (5 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.