Milton, VT climate
Milton has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 10°, and about 50 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Milton feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Milton 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° | 10° | 2.4" | 11.4" | 11 | 24 | 5° – 27° |
| February | 30° | 11° | 2.0" | 11.6" | 8 | 22 | 6° – 28° |
| March | 40° | 21° | 2.4" | 10.6" | 10 | 16 | 21° – 41° |
| April | 54° | 33° | 3.3" | 2.2" | 11 | 2 | 39° – 49° |
| May | 67° | 46° | 3.8" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 50° – 62° |
| June | 76° | 55° | 4.4" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 63° – 70° |
| July | 80° | 60° | 4.2" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 65° – 75° |
| August | 79° | 58° | 3.9" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 65° – 72° |
| September | 71° | 51° | 3.7" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 56° – 66° |
| October | 58° | 40° | 4.0" | 0.1" | 11 | 0 | 45° – 57° |
| November | 45° | 30° | 3.0" | 3.3" | 10 | 3 | 32° – 43° |
| December | 34° | 19° | 2.8" | 10.9" | 11 | 14 | 19° – 37° |
| Year | 55° | 36° | 39.8" | 50.1" | 127 | 81 |
“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 Milton
Milton gets 40 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 127 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 81 days of the year.
About 174 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 28 and the first one by October 20. That leaves about 174 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 56% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Milton
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Milton, 93% of that work is heating and 7% 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.
Milton and its neighbors
Milton borders 6 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 2.8°. Fairfax has the coldest January nights (9°) and South Hero the hottest July afternoons (82°). Milton’s January low is 10° and its July high 80°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Milton 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 Milton averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.9°). The shift is larger than in 89% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Milton’s spot on NOAA’s grid
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 5° to 27°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Milton’s climate
What is the coldest month in Milton?
January, with a typical high of 27° and a low of 10°.
What is the hottest month in Milton?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 60°. About 6 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Milton get?
About 50 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Milton?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 20, and the last spring frost by April 28.
What is the rainiest month in Milton?
June, with 4.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 40 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Milton itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at South Hero, VT (7 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.