Gaffney, SC climate
Gaffney has mild winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 30°, and about 2 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Gaffney feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Gaffney 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 | 52° | 30° | 3.8" | 0.5" | 11 | 1 | 35° – 47° |
| February | 56° | 33° | 3.4" | 0.6" | 10 | 0 | 37° – 52° |
| March | 64° | 39° | 4.4" | 0.4" | 11 | 0 | 45° – 60° |
| April | 73° | 47° | 4.1" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 55° – 64° |
| May | 80° | 56° | 3.5" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 63° – 72° |
| June | 86° | 64° | 4.1" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 71° – 79° |
| July | 90° | 68° | 3.9" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 76° – 82° |
| August | 88° | 67° | 4.4" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 74° – 83° |
| September | 82° | 61° | 3.8" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 68° – 77° |
| October | 73° | 49° | 3.3" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 57° – 65° |
| November | 63° | 38° | 3.6" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 45° – 56° |
| December | 55° | 33° | 4.2" | 0.4" | 10 | 0 | 35° – 53° |
| Year | 72° | 49° | 46.6" | 1.9" | 117 | 2 |
“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 Gaffney
Gaffney gets 47 inches of rain and melted snow a year. March is the wettest month and October the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 117 days a year.
About 186 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 20 and the first one by October 24. That leaves about 186 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 59% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Gaffney
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Gaffney, 75% of that work is heating and 25% is cooling.
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 Gaffney 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 Gaffney averaged 0.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.0°). The shift is smaller than in 81% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Gaffney’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. December swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 35° to 53°. July is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Gaffney’s climate
What is the coldest month in Gaffney?
January, with a typical high of 52° and a low of 30°.
What is the hottest month in Gaffney?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 68°. About 34 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Gaffney get?
About 2 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Gaffney?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 24, and the last spring frost by April 20.
What is the rainiest month in Gaffney?
March, with 4.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 47 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Gaffney itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Gaffney 6 E, SC (6 mi, snow) and Ninety Nine Is, SC (10 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.