Duluth, WA climate
Duluth has mild winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 35°, and about 1 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Duluth feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Duluth 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 | 47° | 35° | 6.4" | 0.5" | 21 | 0 | 34° – 45° |
| February | 51° | 35° | 4.7" | 0.3" | 18 | 0 | 37° – 48° |
| March | 56° | 37° | 5.0" | 0.2" | 21 | 0 | 43° – 51° |
| April | 61° | 41° | 3.8" | 0 | 18 | 0 | 46° – 55° |
| May | 68° | 46° | 2.8" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 52° – 61° |
| June | 73° | 51° | 2.0" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 58° – 68° |
| July | 80° | 55° | 0.5" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 62° – 71° |
| August | 81° | 55° | 0.7" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 64° – 71° |
| September | 75° | 50° | 1.8" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 59° – 65° |
| October | 63° | 44° | 4.2" | 0 | 16 | 0 | 49° – 58° |
| November | 52° | 39° | 6.8" | 0 | 21 | 0 | 40° – 51° |
| December | 46° | 35° | 7.3" | 0.4" | 22 | 0 | 35° – 43° |
| Year | 63° | 43° | 46.0" | 1.4" | 179 | 0 |
“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 Duluth
Duluth gets 46 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.
About 174 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 26 and the first one by October 16. That leaves about 174 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 56% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Duluth
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Duluth, 97% of that work is heating and 3% 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.
Duluth and its neighbors
Duluth borders 1 town with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.1°. Dollars Corner has both the coldest January nights (35°) and the hottest July afternoons (80°). Duluth’s January low is 35° and its July high 80°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Duluth 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 Duluth averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.1°). The shift is larger than in 52% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Duluth’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. January swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 34° to 45°. September is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Duluth’s climate
What is the coldest month in Duluth?
December, with a typical high of 46° and a low of 35°.
What is the hottest month in Duluth?
August, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 55°. About 11 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Duluth get?
About 1 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Duluth?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 16, and the last spring frost by April 26.
What is the rainiest month in Duluth?
December, with 7.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 46 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Duluth itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Battle Ground, WA (6 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.