Elgin, OR climate
Elgin has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 24°, and about 9 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Elgin feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Elgin 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 | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 39° | 24° | 3.1" | 3.3" | 10 | 23° – 37° |
| February | 44° | 25° | 2.4" | 1.0" | 8 | 27° – 42° |
| March | 52° | 30° | 2.1" | 0.8" | 10 | 36° – 46° |
| April | 59° | 33° | 2.1" | 0.1" | 10 | 41° – 53° |
| May | 68° | 40° | 2.1" | 0 | 9 | 48° – 58° |
| June | 75° | 45° | 1.7" | 0 | 8 | 57° – 68° |
| July | 86° | 49° | 0.6" | 0 | 4 | 60° – 73° |
| August | 86° | 48° | 0.5" | 0 | 3 | 63° – 71° |
| September | 77° | 41° | 0.8" | 0 | 4 | 55° – 63° |
| October | 62° | 33° | 1.9" | 0 | 8 | 42° – 55° |
| November | 47° | 29° | 2.7" | 1.2" | 10 | 32° – 44° |
| December | 39° | 23° | 3.6" | 3.0" | 11 | 25° – 35° |
| Year | 61° | 35° | 23.5" | 9.4" | 95 |
“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 Elgin
Elgin gets 24 inches of rain and melted snow a year. December is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 95 days a year.
About 114 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 24 and the first one by September 18. That leaves about 114 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 98% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Elgin
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Elgin, 96% of that work is heating and 4% 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 Elgin 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 Elgin averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.8°). The shift is larger than in 65% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Elgin’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 27° to 42°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Elgin’s climate
What is the coldest month in Elgin?
December, with a typical high of 39° and a low of 23°.
What is the hottest month in Elgin?
July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 49°. About 31 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Elgin get?
About 9 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Elgin?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 18, and the last spring frost by May 24.
What is the rainiest month in Elgin?
December, with 3.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 24 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Elgin itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at La Grande, OR (19 mi, snow) and Elgin, OR (1 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.