Wallowa Lake, OR climate
Wallowa Lake has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 54 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Wallowa Lake feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Wallowa Lake 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 | 34° | 19° | 1.5" | 10.7" | 12 | 21° – 32° |
| February | 38° | 20° | 1.3" | 9.2" | 11 | 23° – 36° |
| March | 45° | 26° | 1.9" | 10.1" | 13 | 30° – 42° |
| April | 51° | 29° | 2.1" | 6.3" | 14 | 35° – 47° |
| May | 60° | 36° | 2.6" | 1.1" | 14 | 43° – 53° |
| June | 67° | 41° | 2.1" | 0 | 11 | 50° – 63° |
| July | 79° | 47° | 0.9" | 0 | 5 | 51° – 68° |
| August | 79° | 46° | 0.7" | 0 | 5 | 57° – 66° |
| September | 69° | 40° | 1.0" | 0.1" | 7 | 50° – 59° |
| October | 55° | 32° | 1.6" | 1.2" | 11 | 36° – 50° |
| November | 41° | 25° | 1.6" | 7.3" | 12 | 25° – 39° |
| December | 33° | 19° | 1.8" | 8.2" | 14 | 19° – 30° |
| Year | 54° | 32° | 19.2" | 54.2" | 128 |
“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 Wallowa Lake
Wallowa Lake gets 19 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 128 days a year.
About 126 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 24 and the first one by October 1. That leaves about 126 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 96% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Wallowa Lake
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Wallowa Lake, 98% of that work is heating and 2% 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 Wallowa Lake 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 Wallowa Lake averaged 0.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.0°). The shift is smaller than in 82% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Wallowa Lake’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. July swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 51° to 68°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Wallowa Lake’s climate
What is the coldest month in Wallowa Lake?
December, with a typical high of 33° and a low of 19°.
What is the hottest month in Wallowa Lake?
July, with a typical high of 79° and a low of 47°. About 7 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Wallowa Lake get?
About 54 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Wallowa Lake?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 1, and the last spring frost by May 24.
What is the rainiest month in Wallowa Lake?
May, with 2.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 19 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Wallowa Lake itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Joseph, OR (3 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.