Friday Harbor, WA climate
Friday Harbor has mild winters and cool summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 72°, a January night drops to 37°, and about 6 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade2° cooler than normal today. The forecast high is 60°, and a typical Oct 1 in Friday Harbor peaks around 62°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What a year in Friday Harbor feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Friday Harbor 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 | 46° | 37° | 3.3" | 1.8" | 15 | 2 | 36° – 46° |
| February | 48° | 37° | 2.0" | 0.4" | 11 | 0 | 35° – 47° |
| March | 52° | 39° | 2.0" | 0.1" | 14 | 0 | 41° – 49° |
| April | 57° | 42° | 1.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 45° – 53° |
| May | 63° | 46° | 1.4" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 51° – 58° |
| June | 68° | 50° | 1.0" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 56° – 62° |
| July | 72° | 52° | 0.7" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 59° – 65° |
| August | 72° | 52° | 0.9" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 59° – 64° |
| September | 67° | 50° | 1.5" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 56° – 61° |
| October | 57° | 45° | 2.7" | 0.1" | 12 | 0 | 48° – 55° |
| November | 50° | 40° | 4.2" | 0.6" | 15 | 1 | 42° – 49° |
| December | 46° | 37° | 3.2" | 2.8" | 15 | 2 | 36° – 44° |
| Year | 58° | 44° | 24.4" | 5.8" | 125 | 5 |
“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 Friday Harbor
Friday Harbor gets 24 inches of rain and melted snow a year. November is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 125 days a year.
About 230 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 26 and the first one by November 10. That leaves about 230 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 86% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Friday Harbor
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Friday Harbor, 99% of that work is heating and 1% 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 Friday Harbor 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 Friday Harbor averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.2°). The shift is smaller than in 78% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Friday Harbor’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 35° to 47°. August is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Common questions about Friday Harbor’s climate
What is the coldest month in Friday Harbor?
February, with a typical high of 48° and a low of 37°.
What is the hottest month in Friday Harbor?
July, with a typical high of 72° and a low of 52°.
How much snow does Friday Harbor get?
About 6 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Friday Harbor?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 10, and the last spring frost by March 26.
What is the rainiest month in Friday Harbor?
November, with 4.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 24 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Friday Harbor itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Olga 2 Se, WA (11 mi, snow) and Friday Harbor Airport, 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.