Prineville, OR climate
Prineville has chilly winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 25°, and about 9 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade4° warmer than normal today. The forecast high is 75°, and a typical Sep 30 in Prineville peaks around 71°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What a year in Prineville feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Prineville 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 | 43° | 25° | 1.2" | 1.8" | 8 | 3 | 21° – 40° |
| February | 47° | 25° | 1.0" | 3.2" | 7 | 3 | 27° – 42° |
| March | 54° | 28° | 0.9" | 0.9" | 8 | 1 | 35° – 47° |
| April | 60° | 31° | 0.9" | 0.3" | 8 | 0 | 41° – 52° |
| May | 69° | 38° | 1.3" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 48° – 59° |
| June | 77° | 43° | 0.9" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 56° – 67° |
| July | 87° | 49° | 0.4" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 59° – 71° |
| August | 86° | 47° | 0.4" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 62° – 70° |
| September | 78° | 41° | 0.4" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 56° – 63° |
| October | 64° | 33° | 0.9" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 43° – 55° |
| November | 51° | 28° | 1.2" | 1.1" | 8 | 1 | 31° – 46° |
| December | 42° | 24° | 1.5" | 1.5" | 8 | 1 | 26° – 37° |
| Year | 63° | 34° | 11.0" | 8.8" | 73 | 9 |
“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 Prineville
Prineville gets 11 inches of rain and melted snow a year. December is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 73 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 9 days of the year.
About 113 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by June 1 and the first one by September 22. That leaves about 113 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 98% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Prineville
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Prineville, 95% of that work is heating and 5% 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 Prineville 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 Prineville averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.4°). The shift is larger than in 65% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Prineville’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 21° to 40°. September is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Prineville’s climate
What is the coldest month in Prineville?
December, with a typical high of 42° and a low of 24°.
What is the hottest month in Prineville?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 49°. About 31 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Prineville get?
About 9 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Prineville?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 22, and the last spring frost by June 1.
What is the rainiest month in Prineville?
December, with 1.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 11 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Prineville itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Prineville, OR (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.