Chain Lake, WA climate
Chain Lake has mild winters and cool summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 74°, a January night drops to 35°, and about 3 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeRight about normal today. The forecast high is 64°, and a typical Sep 30 in Chain Lake peaks around 64°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What a year in Chain Lake feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Chain Lake 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 | 46° | 35° | 7.9" | 0.1" | 20 | 1 | 35° – 45° |
| February | 49° | 35° | 5.6" | 2.2" | 17 | 1 | 34° – 47° |
| March | 53° | 37° | 6.5" | 0.2" | 20 | 0 | 41° – 49° |
| April | 58° | 40° | 5.2" | 0 | 17 | 0 | 44° – 54° |
| May | 64° | 46° | 3.7" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 51° – 59° |
| June | 68° | 50° | 2.8" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 56° – 64° |
| July | 74° | 54° | 1.3" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 60° – 68° |
| August | 75° | 54° | 1.5" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 60° – 67° |
| September | 70° | 50° | 3.0" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 57° – 62° |
| October | 59° | 44° | 6.2" | 0 | 18 | 0 | 48° – 57° |
| November | 50° | 38° | 8.7" | 0.3" | 22 | 0 | 40° – 49° |
| December | 45° | 35° | 8.1" | 0.2" | 22 | 1 | 35° – 43° |
| Year | 59° | 43° | 60.6" | 3.0" | 187 | 3 |
“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 Chain Lake
Chain Lake gets 61 inches of rain and melted snow a year. November is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 187 days a year.
About 188 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 17 and the first one by October 23. That leaves about 188 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 62% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Chain Lake
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Chain Lake, 99% of that work is heating and 1% 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.
Chain Lake and its neighbors
Chain Lake borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.4°. Woods Creek has the coldest January nights (35°) and Monroe the hottest July afternoons (75°). Chain Lake’s January low is 35° and its July high 74°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Chain Lake 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 Chain Lake averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.6°). The shift is smaller than in 77% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Chain Lake’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 34° to 47°. September is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Chain Lake’s climate
What is the coldest month in Chain Lake?
February, with a typical high of 49° and a low of 35°.
What is the hottest month in Chain Lake?
August, with a typical high of 75° and a low of 54°. About 2 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Chain Lake get?
About 3 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Chain Lake?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 23, and the last spring frost by April 17.
What is the rainiest month in Chain Lake?
November, with 8.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 61 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Chain Lake itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Monroe, WA (4 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.