Dover, VT climate
Dover has cold, snowy winters and cool summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 74°, a January night drops to 9°, and about 130 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Dover feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Dover 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 | 27° | 9° | 4.2" | 33.2" | 15 | 28 | 7° – 26° |
| February | 30° | 9° | 3.6" | 28.8" | 12 | 28 | 6° – 26° |
| March | 37° | 17° | 4.4" | 24.6" | 13 | 26 | 19° – 37° |
| April | 49° | 28° | 4.6" | 6.1" | 13 | 7 | 33° – 44° |
| May | 62° | 39° | 4.6" | 0.2" | 16 | 0 | 45° – 56° |
| June | 70° | 48° | 5.2" | 0 | 16 | 0 | 56° – 63° |
| July | 74° | 53° | 4.6" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 59° – 68° |
| August | 73° | 51° | 4.7" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 59° – 66° |
| September | 66° | 44° | 4.7" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 51° – 60° |
| October | 54° | 34° | 5.8" | 2.2" | 14 | 1 | 39° – 51° |
| November | 42° | 25° | 4.5" | 8.4" | 14 | 6 | 29° – 40° |
| December | 32° | 15° | 5.0" | 26.7" | 15 | 24 | 16° – 34° |
| Year | 51° | 31° | 55.9" | 130.2" | 166 | 119 |
“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 Dover
Dover gets 56 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 166 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 119 days of the year.
About 143 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 14 and the first one by October 4. That leaves about 143 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 87% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Dover
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Dover, 98% of that work is heating and 2% 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.
Dover and its neighbors
Dover borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 2.5°. Stratton has the coldest January nights (10°) and Newfane the hottest July afternoons (81°). Dover’s January low is 9° and its July high 74°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Dover 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 Dover averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.6°). The shift is larger than in 87% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Dover’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 6° to 26°. June is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Dover’s climate
What is the coldest month in Dover?
January, with a typical high of 27° and a low of 9°.
What is the hottest month in Dover?
July, with a typical high of 74° and a low of 53°.
How much snow does Dover get?
About 130 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Dover?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 4, and the last spring frost by May 14.
What is the rainiest month in Dover?
October, with 5.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 56 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Dover itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at West Wardsboro, VT (5 mi, snow) and Rowe 3ne, MA (16 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.