Townsend, TN climate
Townsend has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 29°, and about 5 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Townsend feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Townsend 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 | 49° | 29° | 4.8" | 1.7" | 12 | 2 | 30° – 45° |
| February | 53° | 32° | 4.9" | 1.4" | 12 | 1 | 32° – 51° |
| March | 61° | 38° | 5.2" | 0.9" | 13 | 0 | 42° – 59° |
| April | 71° | 45° | 4.8" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 53° – 63° |
| May | 78° | 54° | 4.4" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 61° – 71° |
| June | 85° | 62° | 5.4" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 70° – 78° |
| July | 88° | 66° | 4.8" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 73° – 80° |
| August | 87° | 65° | 4.1" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 72° – 81° |
| September | 82° | 59° | 3.9" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 67° – 76° |
| October | 72° | 47° | 3.3" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 56° – 64° |
| November | 61° | 36° | 4.5" | 0.1" | 9 | 0 | 42° – 53° |
| December | 51° | 32° | 5.1" | 0.5" | 12 | 0 | 32° – 52° |
| Year | 70° | 47° | 55.1" | 4.6" | 129 | 3 |
“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 Townsend
Townsend gets 55 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and October the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 129 days a year.
About 215 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 1 and the first one by November 2. That leaves about 215 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 80% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Townsend
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Townsend, 69% of that work is heating and 31% 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 Townsend 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 Townsend averaged 0.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.9°). The shift is smaller than in 84% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Townsend’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 32° to 52°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Townsend’s climate
What is the coldest month in Townsend?
January, with a typical high of 49° and a low of 29°.
What is the hottest month in Townsend?
July, with a typical high of 88° and a low of 66°. About 37 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Townsend get?
About 5 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Townsend?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 2, and the last spring frost by April 1.
What is the rainiest month in Townsend?
June, with 5.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 55 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Townsend itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Knoxville Mcghee Tyson Airport, TN (16 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.