Glacier, WA climate
Glacier has mild, snowy winters and cool summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 74°, a January night drops to 30°, and about 42 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Glacier feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Glacier 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 | 40° | 30° | 9.8" | 13.1" | 21 | 16 | 26° – 40° |
| February | 44° | 30° | 6.1" | 10.6" | 17 | 11 | 29° – 43° |
| March | 48° | 33° | 6.7" | 3.4" | 21 | 6 | 36° – 46° |
| April | 55° | 36° | 4.8" | 0.2" | 18 | 0 | 40° – 52° |
| May | 63° | 42° | 3.6" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 47° – 57° |
| June | 66° | 47° | 3.3" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 53° – 64° |
| July | 74° | 51° | 1.8" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 57° – 66° |
| August | 74° | 50° | 2.1" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 58° – 66° |
| September | 67° | 47° | 3.5" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 53° – 61° |
| October | 55° | 40° | 6.5" | 0 | 17 | 0 | 45° – 52° |
| November | 45° | 34° | 11.1" | 2.2" | 21 | 2 | 35° – 43° |
| December | 39° | 30° | 9.1" | 12.9" | 21 | 12 | 29° – 38° |
| Year | 56° | 39° | 68.4" | 42.4" | 188 | 47 |
“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 Glacier
Glacier gets 68 inches of rain and melted snow a year. November is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 188 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 47 days of the year.
About 190 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 24 and the first one by October 29. That leaves about 190 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 64% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Glacier
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Glacier, 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 Glacier 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 Glacier averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.3°). The shift is larger than in 59% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Glacier’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 29° to 43°. October is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Glacier’s climate
What is the coldest month in Glacier?
January, with a typical high of 40° and a low of 30°.
What is the hottest month in Glacier?
August, with a typical high of 74° and a low of 50°. About 3 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Glacier get?
About 42 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Glacier?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 29, and the last spring frost by April 24.
What is the rainiest month in Glacier?
November, with 11.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 68 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Glacier itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Upper Baker Dam, WA (20 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.