Shelton, WA climate
Shelton has mild winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 34°, and about 4 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade4° warmer than normal today. The forecast high is 70°, and a typical Oct 1 in Shelton peaks around 66°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What a year in Shelton feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Shelton 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° | 34° | 10.0" | 1.3" | 20 | 1 | 35° – 44° |
| February | 49° | 34° | 6.2" | 1.2" | 16 | 0 | 35° – 47° |
| March | 54° | 36° | 6.9" | 0.1" | 19 | 0 | 41° – 49° |
| April | 59° | 39° | 4.4" | 0 | 17 | 0 | 44° – 54° |
| May | 67° | 44° | 2.5" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 51° – 59° |
| June | 71° | 49° | 1.6" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 56° – 65° |
| July | 77° | 52° | 0.7" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 61° – 68° |
| August | 78° | 53° | 1.1" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 62° – 68° |
| September | 72° | 48° | 2.3" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 57° – 64° |
| October | 60° | 42° | 6.0" | 0 | 15 | 0 | 48° – 56° |
| November | 51° | 37° | 10.3" | 0.1" | 20 | 0 | 40° – 48° |
| December | 45° | 33° | 10.1" | 1.7" | 20 | 1 | 34° – 42° |
| Year | 61° | 42° | 61.9" | 4.4" | 164 | 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 Shelton
Shelton gets 62 inches of rain and melted snow a year. November is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 164 days a year.
About 175 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 27 and the first one by October 16. That leaves about 175 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 54% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Shelton
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Shelton, 97% of that work is heating and 3% 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 Shelton 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 Shelton averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.4°). The shift is smaller than in 80% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Shelton’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°. September is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Shelton’s climate
What is the coldest month in Shelton?
December, with a typical high of 45° and a low of 33°.
What is the hottest month in Shelton?
August, with a typical high of 78° and a low of 53°. About 8 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Shelton get?
About 4 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Shelton?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 16, and the last spring frost by April 27.
What is the rainiest month in Shelton?
November, with 10.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 62 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Shelton itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Cushman Powerhouse #2, WA (10 mi, snow) and Shelton Sanderson Fld, 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.