Chinook, WA climate
Chinook has mild winters and cool summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 67°, a January night drops to 37°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Chinook feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Chinook 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 | 49° | 37° | 12.0" | 0 | 23 | 0 | 38° – 48° |
| February | 51° | 37° | 8.0" | 0 | 18 | 0 | 38° – 49° |
| March | 53° | 38° | 8.9" | 0 | 24 | 1 | 42° – 49° |
| April | 57° | 40° | 6.3" | 0 | 21 | 0 | 45° – 53° |
| May | 61° | 45° | 3.8" | 0 | 16 | 0 | 50° – 56° |
| June | 64° | 49° | 2.6" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 54° – 59° |
| July | 67° | 52° | 0.9" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 57° – 63° |
| August | 69° | 52° | 1.4" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 58° – 63° |
| September | 68° | 49° | 3.0" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 55° – 62° |
| October | 61° | 44° | 7.4" | 0 | 20 | 0 | 49° – 57° |
| November | 53° | 39° | 11.9" | 0 | 22 | 0 | 41° – 51° |
| December | 49° | 37° | 12.1" | 0 | 23 | 0 | 38° – 46° |
| Year | 58° | 43° | 78.2" | 0.0" | 214 | 1 |
“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 Chinook
Chinook gets 78 inches of rain and melted snow a year. December is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 214 days a year.
About 232 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 26 and the first one by November 11. That leaves about 232 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 86% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Chinook
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Chinook, 100% of that work is heating and 0% 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.
How Chinook 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 Chinook averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.4°). The shift is smaller than in 58% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Chinook’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 38° to 49°. August is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Common questions about Chinook’s climate
What is the coldest month in Chinook?
February, with a typical high of 51° and a low of 37°.
What is the hottest month in Chinook?
August, with a typical high of 69° and a low of 52°.
How much snow does Chinook get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.0 inches.
When is the first frost in Chinook?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 11, and the last spring frost by March 26.
What is the rainiest month in Chinook?
December, with 12.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 78 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Chinook itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Long Beach Exp Stn, WA (8 mi, snow) and Astoria Rgnl Airport, OR (9 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.