Helix, OR climate
Helix has mild winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 29°, and about 15 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Helix feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Helix 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 | 41° | 29° | 2.1" | 5.3" | 15 | 7 | 23° – 43° |
| February | 46° | 30° | 1.5" | 2.5" | 12 | 4 | 27° – 44° |
| March | 54° | 34° | 1.6" | 0.6" | 13 | 1 | 35° – 49° |
| April | 61° | 38° | 1.6" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 45° – 55° |
| May | 69° | 45° | 1.8" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 52° – 62° |
| June | 77° | 50° | 1.2" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 59° – 71° |
| July | 87° | 57° | 0.3" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 65° – 77° |
| August | 87° | 57° | 0.4" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 67° – 74° |
| September | 77° | 50° | 0.6" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 61° – 68° |
| October | 63° | 41° | 1.3" | 0.2" | 9 | 0 | 47° – 58° |
| November | 48° | 33° | 2.0" | 1.5" | 14 | 2 | 34° – 47° |
| December | 40° | 28° | 2.1" | 4.8" | 16 | 6 | 27° – 39° |
| Year | 62° | 41° | 16.4" | 14.9" | 116 | 18 |
“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 Helix
Helix gets 16 inches of rain and melted snow a year. December is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 116 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 18 days of the year.
About 135 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 12 and the first one by September 27. That leaves about 135 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 92% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Helix
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Helix, 93% of that work is heating and 7% 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 Helix 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 Helix averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.2°). The shift is larger than in 69% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Helix’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 23° to 43°. September is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Helix’s climate
What is the coldest month in Helix?
December, with a typical high of 40° and a low of 28°.
What is the hottest month in Helix?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 57°. About 39 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Helix get?
About 15 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Helix?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 27, and the last spring frost by May 12.
What is the rainiest month in Helix?
December, with 2.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 16 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Helix itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Pendleton Branch Exp Stn, OR (9 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.