Darrington, WA climate
Darrington has mild winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 33°, and about 16 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Darrington feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Darrington 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° | 33° | 11.6" | 5.0" | 21 | 7 | 30° – 43° |
| February | 47° | 33° | 7.2" | 1.5" | 18 | 2 | 30° – 45° |
| March | 53° | 36° | 8.6" | 1.3" | 20 | 1 | 39° – 52° |
| April | 59° | 39° | 5.3" | 0 | 18 | 0 | 44° – 54° |
| May | 67° | 45° | 3.6" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 51° – 62° |
| June | 71° | 50° | 2.6" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 56° – 66° |
| July | 78° | 53° | 1.2" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 61° – 69° |
| August | 78° | 54° | 1.5" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 61° – 68° |
| September | 72° | 49° | 3.3" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 57° – 64° |
| October | 59° | 42° | 8.3" | 0 | 17 | 0 | 47° – 56° |
| November | 48° | 37° | 12.9" | 0.9" | 21 | 1 | 38° – 47° |
| December | 42° | 33° | 11.0" | 7.6" | 21 | 3 | 32° – 41° |
| Year | 60° | 42° | 77.0" | 16.3" | 185 | 15 |
“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 Darrington
Darrington gets 77 inches of rain and melted snow a year. November is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 185 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 15 days of the year.
About 190 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 16 and the first one by October 23. That leaves about 190 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 64% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Darrington
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Darrington, 96% of that work is heating and 4% 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 Darrington 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 Darrington averaged 0.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.8°). The shift is smaller than in 85% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Darrington’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 30° to 45°. September is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Darrington’s climate
What is the coldest month in Darrington?
February, with a typical high of 47° and a low of 33°.
What is the hottest month in Darrington?
August, with a typical high of 78° and a low of 54°. About 14 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Darrington get?
About 16 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Darrington?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 23, and the last spring frost by April 16.
What is the rainiest month in Darrington?
November, with 12.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 77 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Darrington itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Concrete Ppl Fish Stn, WA (20 mi, snow) and Darrington Rs, WA (1 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.