Benson, VT climate
Benson has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 11°, and about 59 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Benson feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Benson 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 | 30° | 11° | 2.6" | 13.3" | 11 | 22 | 7° – 29° |
| February | 33° | 12° | 2.2" | 13.3" | 9 | 20 | 7° – 29° |
| March | 42° | 21° | 2.9" | 11.9" | 9 | 15 | 21° – 43° |
| April | 56° | 33° | 3.1" | 2.6" | 11 | 2 | 39° – 50° |
| May | 69° | 44° | 3.4" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 52° – 62° |
| June | 77° | 54° | 4.1" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 63° – 71° |
| July | 82° | 59° | 4.0" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 65° – 74° |
| August | 80° | 57° | 3.8" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 65° – 71° |
| September | 72° | 49° | 3.3" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 56° – 66° |
| October | 59° | 38° | 3.8" | 0.3" | 12 | 0 | 44° – 54° |
| November | 46° | 29° | 2.9" | 3.8" | 10 | 3 | 32° – 43° |
| December | 35° | 19° | 3.1" | 13.4" | 12 | 16 | 19° – 39° |
| Year | 57° | 35° | 39.1" | 58.6" | 129 | 78 |
“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 Benson
Benson gets 39 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 129 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 78 days of the year.
About 164 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 30 and the first one by October 12. That leaves about 164 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 67% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Benson
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Benson, 91% of that work is heating and 9% 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.
Benson and its neighbors
Benson borders 6 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.8°. Dresden has the coldest January nights (9°) and West Haven the hottest July afternoons (83°). Benson’s January low is 11° and its July high 82°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Benson 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 Benson averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.7°). The shift is larger than in 80% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Benson’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 7° to 29°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Benson’s climate
What is the coldest month in Benson?
January, with a typical high of 30° and a low of 11°.
What is the hottest month in Benson?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 59°. About 12 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Benson get?
About 59 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Benson?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 12, and the last spring frost by April 30.
What is the rainiest month in Benson?
June, with 4.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 39 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Benson itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Cornwall, VT (18 mi, snow) and Whitehall, NY (12 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.