Charlestown, RI climate
Charlestown has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 24°, and about 35 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Charlestown feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Charlestown 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 | 39° | 24° | 3.6" | 10.0" | 11 | 10 | 23° – 38° |
| February | 40° | 25° | 3.2" | 9.9" | 9 | 9 | 20° – 39° |
| March | 47° | 31° | 4.6" | 6.2" | 10 | 5 | 33° – 46° |
| April | 56° | 39° | 4.2" | 1.1" | 12 | 0 | 44° – 52° |
| May | 66° | 49° | 3.5" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 52° – 61° |
| June | 74° | 58° | 3.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 64° – 69° |
| July | 80° | 64° | 3.0" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 69° – 76° |
| August | 80° | 64° | 3.6" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 69° – 76° |
| September | 74° | 57° | 3.9" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 63° – 69° |
| October | 63° | 47° | 4.4" | 0.1" | 12 | 0 | 52° – 61° |
| November | 53° | 37° | 3.7" | 0.6" | 10 | 0 | 41° – 49° |
| December | 45° | 30° | 4.4" | 6.6" | 11 | 5 | 31° – 48° |
| Year | 60° | 44° | 45.7" | 34.5" | 128 | 30 |
“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 Charlestown
Charlestown gets 46 inches of rain and melted snow a year. March is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 128 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 30 days of the year.
About 201 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 11 and the first one by October 31. That leaves about 201 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 73% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Charlestown
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Charlestown, 88% of that work is heating and 12% 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.
Charlestown and its neighbors
Charlestown borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 3.3°. Hopkinton has the coldest January nights (20°) and Richmond the hottest July afternoons (82°). Charlestown’s January low is 24° and its July high 80°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Charlestown 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 Charlestown averaged 2.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.9°). The shift is larger than in 99% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Charlestown’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 20° to 39°. June is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Common questions about Charlestown’s climate
What is the coldest month in Charlestown?
January, with a typical high of 39° and a low of 24°.
What is the hottest month in Charlestown?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 64°. About 3 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Charlestown get?
About 35 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Charlestown?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 31, and the last spring frost by April 11.
What is the rainiest month in Charlestown?
March, with 4.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 46 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Charlestown itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Kingston, RI (11 mi, snow) and Westerly State Airport, RI (6 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.