Empire, NV climate
Empire has chilly winters and hot summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 94°, a January night drops to 23°, and about 13 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade9° warmer than normal today. The forecast high is 85°, and a typical Oct 1 in Empire peaks around 76°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What a year in Empire feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Empire 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 | 44° | 23° | 0.9" | 3.3" | 7 | 4 | 24° – 42° |
| February | 50° | 27° | 0.7" | 1.4" | 6 | 2 | 32° – 45° |
| March | 58° | 31° | 0.7" | 1.4" | 6 | 0 | 38° – 50° |
| April | 65° | 35° | 0.6" | 0.5" | 5 | 0 | 46° – 56° |
| May | 74° | 44° | 0.8" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 51° – 67° |
| June | 85° | 52° | 0.6" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 63° – 75° |
| July | 94° | 59° | 0.2" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 70° – 82° |
| August | 92° | 57° | 0.1" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 70° – 78° |
| September | 83° | 48° | 0.2" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 61° – 69° |
| October | 69° | 37° | 0.5" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 46° – 59° |
| November | 54° | 27° | 0.6" | 1.5" | 5 | 0 | 34° – 46° |
| December | 43° | 21° | 0.8" | 4.9" | 6 | 4 | 24° – 38° |
| Year | 68° | 38° | 6.7" | 13.0" | 54 | 10 |
“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 Empire
Empire gets 7 inches of rain and melted snow a year. January is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 54 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 10 days of the year.
About 169 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 28 and the first one by October 15. That leaves about 169 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 62% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Empire
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Empire, 82% of that work is heating and 18% 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.
How Empire 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 Empire averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.7°). The shift is smaller than in 51% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Empire’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 24° to 42°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Empire’s climate
What is the coldest month in Empire?
December, with a typical high of 43° and a low of 21°.
What is the hottest month in Empire?
July, with a typical high of 94° and a low of 59°. About 62 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Empire get?
About 13 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Empire?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 15, and the last spring frost by April 28.
What is the rainiest month in Empire?
January, with 0.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 7 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Empire itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Gerlach, NV (5 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.