Salem has chilly winters and pleasant summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 20°, and about 24 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Salem at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What a year in Salem feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
24 inches of snow, 42 of rain and melt
May is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 126 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
About 179 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 24 and the first by October 19.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Living with Salem’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
179 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 24 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 19.
About 24" a winter over 9 days with an inch or more, most in January. Snow covers the ground about 38 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 87% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 17 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 84°.
The nicest months are May, June, July, August, September and October. 3.0 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 →Salem and its neighbors
Monroe has the coldest January nights next door (19°) and Harrison the hottest July afternoons (84°). 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.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Salem averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.4°).
A smaller shift than in 61% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Salem compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Ohio.
Salem 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 | 34° | 20° | 2.9" | 7.0" | 11 | 14 | 18° – 38° |
| February | 38° | 22° | 2.4" | 6.6" | 10 | 12 | 17° – 40° |
| March | 49° | 30° | 3.2" | 4.1" | 11 | 4 | 33° – 52° |
| April | 62° | 40° | 4.1" | 0.1" | 12 | 0 | 44° – 57° |
| May | 72° | 50° | 4.6" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 54° – 68° |
| June | 81° | 59° | 4.5" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 65° – 73° |
| July | 84° | 63° | 4.5" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 68° – 78° |
| August | 82° | 61° | 3.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 67° – 76° |
| September | 76° | 54° | 3.2" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 62° – 69° |
| October | 64° | 43° | 2.8" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 49° – 60° |
| November | 50° | 33° | 3.1" | 0.7" | 10 | 1 | 35° – 48° |
| December | 39° | 25° | 3.0" | 5.5" | 11 | 8 | 20° – 42° |
| Year | 61° | 42° | 41.6" | 24.0" | 126 | 38 |
Heating and cooling a home in Salem
87% 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. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 17° to 40°. September is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Salem’s climate
What is the coldest month in Salem?
January, with a typical high of 34° and a low of 20°.
What is the hottest month in Salem?
July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 63°. About 17 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Salem get?
About 24 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Salem?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 19, and the last spring frost by April 24.
What is the rainiest month in Salem?
May, with 4.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 42 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Salem.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Salem itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Marysville, OH (24 mi, snow) and Urbana WWTP, OH (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.