Elbe, WA climate
Elbe has mild, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 76°, a January night drops to 33°, and about 143 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Elbe feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Elbe 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° | 33° | 8.8" | 32.7" | 21 | 25 | 32° – 43° |
| February | 46° | 32° | 6.8" | 19.2" | 17 | 24 | 33° – 46° |
| March | 50° | 34° | 6.8" | 25.4" | 20 | 24 | 38° – 48° |
| April | 56° | 36° | 5.8" | 9.7" | 19 | 13 | 41° – 53° |
| May | 64° | 42° | 4.1" | 2.1" | 17 | 3 | 48° – 57° |
| June | 68° | 46° | 3.4" | 0.1" | 14 | 0 | 54° – 65° |
| July | 76° | 50° | 1.2" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 57° – 67° |
| August | 76° | 50° | 1.5" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 58° – 67° |
| September | 70° | 46° | 2.9" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 54° – 61° |
| October | 58° | 40° | 6.3" | 0.9" | 17 | 1 | 44° – 54° |
| November | 48° | 35° | 8.9" | 18.6" | 20 | 10 | 35° – 46° |
| December | 43° | 32° | 9.3" | 34.3" | 20 | 24 | 32° – 40° |
| Year | 58° | 40° | 65.8" | 143.0" | 188 | 123 |
“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 Elbe
Elbe gets 66 inches of rain and melted snow a year. December is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 188 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 123 days of the year.
About 176 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 24 and the first one by October 15. That leaves about 176 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 53% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Elbe
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Elbe, 98% of that work is heating and 2% 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 Elbe 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 Elbe averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.9°). The shift is smaller than in 60% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Elbe’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 33° to 46°. September is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Elbe’s climate
What is the coldest month in Elbe?
December, with a typical high of 43° and a low of 32°.
What is the hottest month in Elbe?
August, with a typical high of 76° and a low of 50°. About 7 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Elbe get?
About 143 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Elbe?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 15, and the last spring frost by April 24.
What is the rainiest month in Elbe?
December, with 9.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 66 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Elbe itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Longmire Rainier Nps, WA (18 mi, snow) and Glenoma, WA (17 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.