Wells River, VT climate
Wells River has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 7°, and about 66 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Wells River feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Wells River 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 | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28° | 7° | 2.3" | 17.4" | 10 | 6° – 26° |
| February | 32° | 9° | 2.0" | 13.1" | 8 | 7° – 27° |
| March | 41° | 18° | 2.4" | 13.4" | 10 | 19° – 39° |
| April | 55° | 30° | 2.9" | 2.8" | 10 | 38° – 47° |
| May | 68° | 41° | 3.3" | 0 | 11 | 49° – 60° |
| June | 77° | 51° | 3.8" | 0 | 12 | 61° – 68° |
| July | 81° | 56° | 4.2" | 0 | 11 | 64° – 72° |
| August | 79° | 54° | 3.9" | 0 | 10 | 64° – 70° |
| September | 72° | 47° | 3.2" | 0 | 10 | 54° – 63° |
| October | 58° | 36° | 4.1" | 0.7" | 11 | 43° – 54° |
| November | 45° | 27° | 2.7" | 1.3" | 9 | 30° – 42° |
| December | 33° | 16° | 2.9" | 17.0" | 11 | 18° – 36° |
| Year | 56° | 33° | 37.7" | 65.7" | 122 |
“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 Wells River
Wells River gets 38 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 122 days a year.
About 133 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 15 and the first one by September 28. That leaves about 133 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 93% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Wells River
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Wells River, 97% of that work is heating and 3% 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.
Wells River and its neighbors
Wells River borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.8°. Ryegate has the coldest January nights (7°) and Haverhill the hottest July afternoons (81°). Wells River’s January low is 7° and its July high 81°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Wells River 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 Wells River averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.5°). The shift is larger than in 55% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Wells River’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 27°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Wells River’s climate
What is the coldest month in Wells River?
January, with a typical high of 28° and a low of 7°.
What is the hottest month in Wells River?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 56°. About 1 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Wells River get?
About 66 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Wells River?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 28, and the last spring frost by May 15.
What is the rainiest month in Wells River?
July, with 4.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 38 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Wells River itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at South Newbury, VT (7 mi, snow) and Benton 5 Sw, NH (10 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.