Climate · Jay

Jay, VT climate

Jay has cold winters and cool summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 70°, a January night drops to 3°.

NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade
July high
70°
1st coolest of 416 Vermont towns
January low
3°
1st coldest of 416 Vermont towns
Rain + melted snow
63 in
1st wettest of 416 Vermont towns
A normal year

What a year in Jay feels like

Winter

23° / 7°
Typical high / low · Snow is rare

Spring

44° / 26°
Typical high / low · Last frost around May 14

Summer

68° / 51°
Typical high / low · 90° days are rare

Fall

49° / 34°
Typical high / low · First frost around Oct 1
Best months to be outsideJunJulAugHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Month by month

Jay weather by month

Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + melt30-yr range
January20°3°4.5" -1° – 21°
February22°5°4.0" -1° – 21°
March31°13°4.4" 12° – 33°
April43°26°4.5" 30° – 40°
May57°38°5.1" 41° – 53°
June65°48°6.1" 54° – 61°
July70°53°6.1" 57° – 65°
August68°52°5.8" 57° – 63°
September61°44°5.5" 48° – 57°
October48°34°6.3" 36° – 49°
November36°23°5.0" 23° – 37°
December26°11°5.4" 11° – 30°
Year46°29°62.5"

“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 & snow

Rain and snow in Jay

Jay gets 63 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest.

63 in
Rain + melted snow a year
More rain than 99% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water
6.3"

Snowfall by month

No snow records from a nearby station.
Frost & the growing season

About 138 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 14 and the first one by October 1. That leaves about 138 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 90% of U.S. towns.

182
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
34
nights below 0° in a normal year
0
days that reach 90° in a normal year

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Jay

Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Jay, 98% of that work is heating and 2% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.

98%heating
9,194 heating degree daysMore heating than 96% of U.S. towns
165 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 97% of U.S. towns

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.

Around Jay

Jay and its neighbors

Jay borders 2 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 2.4°. Richford has the coldest January nights (6°) and Troy the hottest July afternoons (78°). Jay’s January low is 3° and its July high 70°.

Berkshire: January low 7°, July high 78°Montgomery: January low 6°, July high 77°Enosburgh: January low 7°, July high 79°Newport: January low 6°, July high 78°Westfield: January low 5°, July high 73°Richford: January low 6°, July high 75°Troy: January low 6°, July high 78°Jay: January low 3°, July high 70° JayRichfordTroy
ColderMilder3° to 7°
Jay3.3°
Richford5.6° +2.3°
Troy5.7° +2.4°

Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.

Compared with other towns

How Jay compares

Summer heat70° July high
Cooler than 99% of U.S. towns1st coolest of 416 Vermont towns
Winter cold3° January low
Colder than 92% of U.S. towns1st coldest of 416 Vermont towns
Precipitation63" a year
Wetter than 99% of U.S. towns1st wettest of 416 Vermont towns
Growing season138 frost-free days
Shorter than 90% of U.S. towns147th shortest of 416 Vermont towns

Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

+1.8°1991–2020 average vs. the 20th century (1901–2000)

The last 30 years in Jay averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+4.1°). The shift is larger than in 87% of U.S. towns.

❄️ Winter+3.0° now 15°, was 12°
🌷 Spring+1.3° now 35°, was 33°
☀️ Summer+1.3° now 59°, was 58°
🍂 Fall+1.5° now 41°, was 40°

Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Jay’s spot on NOAA’s grid

Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. January swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from -1° to 21°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Questions

Common questions about Jay’s climate

What is the coldest month in Jay?

January, with a typical high of 20° and a low of 3°.

What is the hottest month in Jay?

July, with a typical high of 70° and a low of 53°.

When is the first frost in Jay?

In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 1, and the last spring frost by May 14.

What is the rainiest month in Jay?

October, with 6.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 63 inches.

Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Jay itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Jay Peak, VT (1 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.

The door’s open

Where to, neighbor?

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