Clarkston, WA climate
Clarkston has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 93°, a January night drops to 30°, and about 13 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Clarkston feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Clarkston 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 | 43° | 30° | 1.1" | 2.7" | 11 | 3 | 27° – 41° |
| February | 48° | 31° | 1.0" | 3.8" | 10 | 3 | 31° – 46° |
| March | 58° | 36° | 1.2" | 0.8" | 12 | 1 | 41° – 52° |
| April | 66° | 41° | 1.4" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 48° – 60° |
| May | 75° | 48° | 1.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 56° – 66° |
| June | 82° | 54° | 1.2" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 63° – 75° |
| July | 93° | 59° | 0.4" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 67° – 80° |
| August | 92° | 58° | 0.4" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 70° – 78° |
| September | 82° | 50° | 0.6" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 62° – 70° |
| October | 66° | 40° | 1.0" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 47° – 60° |
| November | 51° | 34° | 1.2" | 1.3" | 11 | 1 | 35° – 48° |
| December | 42° | 29° | 1.3" | 4.1" | 11 | 3 | 29° – 40° |
| Year | 66° | 42° | 12.4" | 12.7" | 106 | 11 |
“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 Clarkston
Clarkston gets 12 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 106 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 11 days of the year.
About 200 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 6 and the first one by October 26. That leaves about 200 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 72% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Clarkston
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Clarkston, 85% of that work is heating and 15% 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.
Clarkston and its neighbors
Clarkston borders 2 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.0°. West Clarkston-Highland has both the coldest January nights (30°) and the hottest July afternoons (93°). Clarkston’s January low is 30° and its July high 93°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Clarkston 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 Clarkston averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+4.1°). The shift is larger than in 70% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Clarkston’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 31° to 46°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Clarkston’s climate
What is the coldest month in Clarkston?
December, with a typical high of 42° and a low of 29°.
What is the hottest month in Clarkston?
July, with a typical high of 93° and a low of 59°. About 44 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Clarkston get?
About 13 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Clarkston?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 26, and the last spring frost by April 6.
What is the rainiest month in Clarkston?
May, with 1.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 12 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Clarkston itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Lewiston Nez Perce Co Airport, ID (3 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.