Shadow Lake, WA climate
Shadow Lake has mild winters and cool summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 76°, a January night drops to 35°, and about 18 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Shadow Lake feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Shadow Lake 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° | 6.9" | 6.1" | 21 | 4 | 36° – 45° |
| February | 49° | 35° | 4.8" | 4.0" | 18 | 2 | 35° – 48° |
| March | 53° | 37° | 5.3" | 2.0" | 22 | 2 | 41° – 50° |
| April | 58° | 40° | 4.4" | 0.4" | 20 | 0 | 44° – 55° |
| May | 65° | 46° | 3.2" | 0 | 17 | 0 | 51° – 60° |
| June | 69° | 50° | 2.5" | 0 | 15 | 0 | 57° – 66° |
| July | 76° | 54° | 1.0" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 60° – 68° |
| August | 76° | 54° | 1.3" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 61° – 69° |
| September | 70° | 50° | 2.3" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 57° – 64° |
| October | 60° | 44° | 5.0" | 0 | 17 | 0 | 49° – 56° |
| November | 51° | 38° | 7.5" | 0.9" | 21 | 2 | 40° – 49° |
| December | 45° | 35° | 6.7" | 4.1" | 21 | 3 | 35° – 43° |
| Year | 60° | 43° | 50.7" | 17.5" | 200 | 13 |
“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 Shadow Lake
Shadow Lake gets 51 inches of rain and melted snow a year. November is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 200 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 13 days of the year.
About 187 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 20 and the first one by October 25. That leaves about 187 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 60% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Shadow Lake
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Shadow Lake, 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.
Shadow Lake and its neighbors
Shadow Lake borders 1 town with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.0°. Covington has both the coldest January nights (35°) and the hottest July afternoons (77°). Shadow Lake’s January low is 35° and its July high 76°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Shadow Lake 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 Shadow Lake averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.5°). The shift is smaller than in 80% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Shadow Lake’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 48°. September is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Shadow Lake’s climate
What is the coldest month in Shadow Lake?
December, with a typical high of 45° and a low of 35°.
What is the hottest month in Shadow Lake?
August, with a typical high of 76° and a low of 54°. About 5 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Shadow Lake get?
About 18 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Shadow Lake?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 25, and the last spring frost by April 20.
What is the rainiest month in Shadow Lake?
November, with 7.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 51 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Shadow Lake itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Palmer 3 Ese, WA (13 mi, snow) and Landsburg, WA (6 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.