Cougar, WA climate
Cougar has mild winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 34°, and about 16 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Cougar feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Cougar 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 | 44° | 34° | 14.0" | 6.5" | 21 | 5 | 33° – 45° |
| February | 47° | 33° | 10.4" | 3.1" | 18 | 4 | 34° – 47° |
| March | 52° | 35° | 10.6" | 1.7" | 21 | 1 | 38° – 51° |
| April | 57° | 38° | 8.0" | 0.1" | 19 | 0 | 42° – 54° |
| May | 65° | 43° | 4.9" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 49° – 60° |
| June | 70° | 47° | 3.7" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 54° – 66° |
| July | 78° | 52° | 1.0" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 57° – 69° |
| August | 78° | 51° | 1.3" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 60° – 70° |
| September | 72° | 47° | 3.7" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 56° – 63° |
| October | 59° | 41° | 9.2" | 0 | 16 | 0 | 46° – 55° |
| November | 49° | 37° | 14.6" | 0.7" | 20 | 1 | 36° – 47° |
| December | 43° | 33° | 15.2" | 4.1" | 21 | 3 | 33° – 41° |
| Year | 59° | 41° | 96.4" | 16.2" | 179 | 14 |
“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 Cougar
Cougar gets 96 inches of rain and melted snow a year. December is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 179 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 14 days of the year.
About 227 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 1 and the first one by November 18. That leaves about 227 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 85% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Cougar
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Cougar, 93% of that work is heating and 7% 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 Cougar 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 Cougar averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.6°). The shift is larger than in 63% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Cougar’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 7°.
Common questions about Cougar’s climate
What is the coldest month in Cougar?
December, with a typical high of 43° and a low of 33°.
What is the hottest month in Cougar?
August, with a typical high of 78° and a low of 51°. About 18 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Cougar get?
About 16 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Cougar?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 18, and the last spring frost by April 1.
What is the rainiest month in Cougar?
December, with 15.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 96 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Cougar itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Cougar 6 E, WA (5 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.