Cleveland, OH climate
Cleveland has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 23°, and about 64 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Cleveland feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Cleveland 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 | 35° | 23° | 2.5" | 18.4" | 18 | 17 | 20° – 39° |
| February | 37° | 23° | 2.0" | 15.1" | 15 | 14 | 15° – 40° |
| March | 45° | 30° | 2.7" | 10.8" | 15 | 7 | 31° – 51° |
| April | 58° | 40° | 3.5" | 2.7" | 15 | 1 | 42° – 55° |
| May | 69° | 51° | 3.6" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 53° – 67° |
| June | 78° | 61° | 3.7" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 64° – 74° |
| July | 82° | 66° | 3.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 70° – 77° |
| August | 80° | 65° | 3.4" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 68° – 77° |
| September | 74° | 58° | 3.8" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 63° – 71° |
| October | 63° | 47° | 3.4" | 0.1" | 12 | 0 | 51° – 61° |
| November | 50° | 37° | 3.1" | 4.5" | 13 | 3 | 37° – 50° |
| December | 40° | 29° | 2.7" | 12.2" | 16 | 10 | 24° – 45° |
| Year | 59° | 44° | 37.9" | 63.8" | 159 | 52 |
“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 Cleveland
Cleveland gets 38 inches of rain and melted snow a year. September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 159 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 52 days of the year.
About 217 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 8 and the first one by November 12. That leaves about 217 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 81% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Cleveland
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Cleveland, 86% of that work is heating and 14% 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.
Cleveland and its neighbors
Cleveland borders 12 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 2.4°. Shaker Heights has the coldest January nights (20°) and Brook Park the hottest July afternoons (83°). Cleveland’s January low is 23° and its July high 82°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Cleveland 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 Cleveland averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.8°). The shift is larger than in 73% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Cleveland’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 15° to 40°. July is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Cleveland’s climate
What is the coldest month in Cleveland?
January, with a typical high of 35° and a low of 23°.
What is the hottest month in Cleveland?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 66°. About 9 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Cleveland get?
About 64 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Cleveland?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 12, and the last spring frost by April 8.
What is the rainiest month in Cleveland?
September, with 3.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 38 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Cleveland itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Cleveland, OH (10 mi, snow) and Cleveland Burke Airport, OH (3 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.