Stratford, NH climate
Stratford has cold, snowy winters and cool summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 75°, a January night drops to 4°, and about 79 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Stratford feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Stratford 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 | 23° | 4° | 3.2" | 16.9" | 16 | 29 | 1° – 22° |
| February | 26° | 6° | 2.7" | 19.9" | 14 | 27 | 3° – 23° |
| March | 35° | 14° | 3.1" | 13.9" | 13 | 24 | 14° – 34° |
| April | 48° | 27° | 3.6" | 5.3" | 14 | 5 | 33° – 43° |
| May | 62° | 38° | 4.3" | 0.1" | 15 | 0 | 44° – 55° |
| June | 70° | 47° | 5.0" | 0 | 16 | 0 | 56° – 64° |
| July | 75° | 53° | 4.8" | 0 | 15 | 0 | 59° – 67° |
| August | 73° | 52° | 4.5" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 60° – 66° |
| September | 66° | 45° | 4.0" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 50° – 60° |
| October | 53° | 35° | 4.8" | 0.4" | 15 | 0 | 39° – 51° |
| November | 40° | 24° | 3.6" | 5.2" | 15 | 6 | 26° – 37° |
| December | 29° | 12° | 3.8" | 17.4" | 19 | 24 | 13° – 31° |
| Year | 50° | 30° | 47.3" | 79.1" | 177 | 116 |
“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 Stratford
Stratford gets 47 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 177 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 116 days of the year.
About 131 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 19 and the first one by September 29. That leaves about 131 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 94% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Stratford
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Stratford, 97% of that work is heating and 3% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
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.
Stratford and its neighbors
Stratford borders 6 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.7°. Columbia has the coldest January nights (4°) and Northumberland the hottest July afternoons (79°). Stratford’s January low is 4° and its July high 75°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Stratford 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 Stratford averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+4.1°). The shift is larger than in 82% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Stratford’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. January swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 1° to 22°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Stratford’s climate
What is the coldest month in Stratford?
January, with a typical high of 23° and a low of 4°.
What is the hottest month in Stratford?
July, with a typical high of 75° and a low of 53°. About 2 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Stratford get?
About 79 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Stratford?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 29, and the last spring frost by May 19.
What is the rainiest month in Stratford?
June, with 5.0 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 47 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Stratford itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at North Stratford, NH (4 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.