Smithfield, RI climate
Smithfield has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 42 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Smithfield feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Smithfield 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 | 37° | 19° | 4.1" | 12.3" | 12 | 16 | 19° – 35° |
| February | 40° | 21° | 3.6" | 10.7" | 10 | 13 | 17° – 37° |
| March | 47° | 28° | 4.8" | 7.6" | 11 | 8 | 32° – 46° |
| April | 59° | 37° | 4.5" | 1.9" | 12 | 1 | 44° – 52° |
| May | 69° | 47° | 3.6" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 53° – 63° |
| June | 78° | 56° | 4.1" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 63° – 69° |
| July | 83° | 62° | 3.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 68° – 77° |
| August | 81° | 61° | 4.0" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 68° – 75° |
| September | 74° | 53° | 4.1" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 60° – 67° |
| October | 63° | 42° | 5.1" | 0.1" | 11 | 0 | 49° – 59° |
| November | 52° | 33° | 4.3" | 1.0" | 10 | 1 | 38° – 48° |
| December | 42° | 25° | 4.9" | 7.9" | 11 | 9 | 27° – 44° |
| Year | 60° | 40° | 50.6" | 41.5" | 133 | 47 |
“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 Smithfield
Smithfield gets 51 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 133 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 47 days of the year.
About 179 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 22 and the first one by October 19. That leaves about 179 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 51% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Smithfield
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Smithfield, 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.
Smithfield and its neighbors
Smithfield borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 2.8°. Glocester has the coldest January nights (18°) and Lincoln the hottest July afternoons (83°). Smithfield’s January low is 19° and its July high 83°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Smithfield 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 Smithfield averaged 1.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.4°). The shift is larger than in 92% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Smithfield’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 17° to 37°. June is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Smithfield’s climate
What is the coldest month in Smithfield?
January, with a typical high of 37° and a low of 19°.
What is the hottest month in Smithfield?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 62°. About 14 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Smithfield get?
About 42 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Smithfield?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 19, and the last spring frost by April 22.
What is the rainiest month in Smithfield?
October, with 5.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 51 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Smithfield itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Woonsocket, RI (6 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.