Richland, WA climate
Richland has mild winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 28°, and about 2 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Richland feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Richland 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 | 41° | 28° | 1.1" | 0.2" | 14 | 0 | 22° – 41° |
| February | 48° | 30° | 0.7" | 0.2" | 10 | 1 | 25° – 44° |
| March | 58° | 34° | 0.6" | 0.1" | 10 | 0 | 37° – 51° |
| April | 66° | 40° | 0.6" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 48° – 59° |
| May | 75° | 48° | 0.7" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 57° – 66° |
| June | 81° | 54° | 0.6" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 63° – 75° |
| July | 90° | 59° | 0.2" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 68° – 79° |
| August | 89° | 58° | 0.2" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 69° – 76° |
| September | 80° | 50° | 0.3" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 62° – 68° |
| October | 65° | 41° | 0.6" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 48° – 58° |
| November | 50° | 33° | 0.9" | 0.1" | 12 | 0 | 35° – 47° |
| December | 40° | 28° | 1.1" | 1.4" | 13 | 1 | 27° – 39° |
| Year | 65° | 42° | 7.5" | 2.0" | 97 | 2 |
“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 Richland
Richland gets 7 inches of rain and melted snow a year. December is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 97 days a year.
About 200 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 6 and the first one by October 24. That leaves about 200 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 72% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Richland
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Richland, 86% of that work is heating and 14% 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.
Richland and its neighbors
Richland borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.0°. West Richland has the coldest January nights (28°) and Pasco the hottest July afternoons (90°). Richland’s January low is 28° and its July high 90°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Richland 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 Richland averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.5°). The shift is smaller than in 74% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Richland’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 22° to 41°. September is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Richland’s climate
What is the coldest month in Richland?
December, with a typical high of 40° and a low of 28°.
What is the hottest month in Richland?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 59°. About 39 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Richland get?
About 2 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Richland?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 24, and the last spring frost by April 6.
What is the rainiest month in Richland?
December, with 1.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 7 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Richland itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Ice Harbor Dam, WA (20 mi, snow) and Richland, WA (2 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.