Austin, TX climate
Austin has mild winters and hot summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 96°, a January night drops to 38°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Austin feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Austin 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 | 62° | 38° | 2.5" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 45° – 57° |
| February | 66° | 42° | 2.1" | 0.2" | 8 | 0 | 46° – 62° |
| March | 73° | 50° | 2.7" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 54° – 67° |
| April | 80° | 56° | 2.7" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 62° – 74° |
| May | 87° | 64° | 4.7" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 71° – 80° |
| June | 93° | 71° | 3.4" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 78° – 86° |
| July | 96° | 73° | 2.2" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 80° – 88° |
| August | 97° | 73° | 2.4" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 80° – 90° |
| September | 91° | 67° | 3.5" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 75° – 85° |
| October | 82° | 57° | 4.2" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 66° – 74° |
| November | 71° | 47° | 2.8" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 53° – 64° |
| December | 63° | 40° | 2.7" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 44° – 55° |
| Year | 80° | 57° | 35.9" | 0.2" | 86 | 0 |
“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 Austin
Austin gets 36 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 86 days a year.
About 291 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by February 20 and the first one by December 3. That leaves about 291 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 94% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Austin
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Austin, 30% of that work is heating and 70% is cooling, so air conditioning is the bigger bill.
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.
Austin and its neighbors
Austin borders 12 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.0°. Cedar Park has the coldest January nights (38°) and Rollingwood the hottest July afternoons (96°). Austin’s January low is 38° and its July high 96°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Austin 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 Austin averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+1.9°). The shift is smaller than in 69% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Austin’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 46° to 62°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Austin’s climate
What is the coldest month in Austin?
January, with a typical high of 62° and a low of 38°.
What is the hottest month in Austin?
August, with a typical high of 97° and a low of 73°. About 123 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Austin get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.2 inches.
When is the first frost in Austin?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by December 3, and the last spring frost by February 20.
What is the rainiest month in Austin?
May, with 4.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 36 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Austin itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Austin-camp Mabry, TX (2 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.