Independence, OR climate
Independence has mild winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 36°, and about 3 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Independence feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Independence 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 | 48° | 36° | 6.8" | 0.5" | 21 | 1 | 36° – 46° |
| February | 52° | 36° | 4.9" | 1.6" | 18 | 1 | 38° – 49° |
| March | 56° | 38° | 5.0" | 0.1" | 20 | 0 | 44° – 52° |
| April | 61° | 41° | 3.3" | 0 | 18 | 0 | 46° – 56° |
| May | 69° | 46° | 2.2" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 53° – 61° |
| June | 74° | 50° | 1.2" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 58° – 68° |
| July | 83° | 53° | 0.3" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 62° – 72° |
| August | 83° | 53° | 0.4" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 65° – 72° |
| September | 77° | 49° | 1.4" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 60° – 66° |
| October | 64° | 43° | 3.6" | 0 | 15 | 0 | 50° – 59° |
| November | 53° | 39° | 6.5" | 0 | 21 | 0 | 40° – 51° |
| December | 47° | 35° | 7.8" | 0.7" | 22 | 0 | 36° – 45° |
| Year | 64° | 43° | 43.2" | 2.9" | 168 | 1 |
“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 Independence
Independence gets 43 inches of rain and melted snow a year. December is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 168 days a year.
About 199 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 16 and the first one by November 1. That leaves about 199 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 72% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Independence
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Independence, 94% of that work is heating and 6% 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 Independence 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 Independence averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.5°). The shift is smaller than in 52% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Independence’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 38° to 49°. September is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Independence’s climate
What is the coldest month in Independence?
December, with a typical high of 47° and a low of 35°.
What is the hottest month in Independence?
August, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 53°. About 17 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Independence get?
About 3 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Independence?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 1, and the last spring frost by April 16.
What is the rainiest month in Independence?
December, with 7.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 43 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Independence itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Corvallis State Univ, OR (15 mi, snow) and Dallas 2 Ne, OR (8 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.