Ripton, VT climate
Ripton has cold, snowy winters and cool summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 75°, a January night drops to 7°, and about 113 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Ripton feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Ripton 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 | 26° | 7° | 3.5" | 25.3" | 17 | 27 | 4° – 26° |
| February | 29° | 9° | 2.8" | 22.8" | 14 | 26 | 3° – 25° |
| March | 37° | 17° | 3.5" | 22.0" | 15 | 23 | 16° – 38° |
| April | 50° | 28° | 4.0" | 6.6" | 13 | 7 | 34° – 45° |
| May | 63° | 39° | 4.4" | 0.2" | 14 | 0 | 46° – 56° |
| June | 71° | 48° | 5.3" | 0 | 15 | 0 | 57° – 65° |
| July | 75° | 54° | 5.2" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 59° – 69° |
| August | 74° | 52° | 4.7" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 60° – 66° |
| September | 67° | 46° | 4.3" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 52° – 61° |
| October | 54° | 35° | 5.0" | 1.5" | 15 | 1 | 40° – 51° |
| November | 42° | 25° | 3.9" | 8.6" | 14 | 8 | 27° – 39° |
| December | 31° | 14° | 4.1" | 25.5" | 17 | 22 | 15° – 34° |
| Year | 51° | 31° | 50.7" | 112.5" | 169 | 114 |
“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 Ripton
Ripton gets 51 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 169 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 114 days of the year.
About 124 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 21 and the first one by September 25. That leaves about 124 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 96% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Ripton
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Ripton, 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.
Ripton and its neighbors
Ripton borders 7 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 3.6°. Goshen has the coldest January nights (6°) and Salisbury the hottest July afternoons (82°). Ripton’s January low is 7° and its July high 75°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Ripton 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 Ripton averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.7°). The shift is larger than in 77% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Ripton’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. March swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 16° to 38°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Ripton’s climate
What is the coldest month in Ripton?
January, with a typical high of 26° and a low of 7°.
What is the hottest month in Ripton?
July, with a typical high of 75° and a low of 54°.
How much snow does Ripton get?
About 113 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Ripton?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 25, and the last spring frost by May 21.
What is the rainiest month in Ripton?
June, with 5.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 51 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Ripton itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at South Lincoln, VT (6 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.