Spokane, WA climate
Spokane has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 25°, and about 45 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Spokane feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Spokane 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 | 36° | 25° | 2.0" | 12.3" | 14 | 16 | 22° – 36° |
| February | 41° | 26° | 1.4" | 7.8" | 11 | 10 | 23° – 40° |
| March | 51° | 30° | 1.7" | 3.9" | 12 | 4 | 36° – 47° |
| April | 59° | 35° | 1.4" | 0.7" | 10 | 0 | 42° – 55° |
| May | 69° | 43° | 1.6" | 0.1" | 10 | 0 | 50° – 62° |
| June | 75° | 49° | 1.4" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 57° – 71° |
| July | 86° | 54° | 0.5" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 60° – 75° |
| August | 85° | 53° | 0.5" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 63° – 73° |
| September | 75° | 45° | 0.6" | 0.1" | 5 | 0 | 56° – 65° |
| October | 59° | 36° | 1.4" | 0.5" | 9 | 0 | 42° – 54° |
| November | 44° | 29° | 2.0" | 6.2" | 13 | 4 | 29° – 44° |
| December | 35° | 25° | 2.5" | 13.8" | 14 | 13 | 24° – 35° |
| Year | 60° | 38° | 16.9" | 45.4" | 113 | 48 |
“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 Spokane
Spokane gets 17 inches of rain and melted snow a year. December is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 113 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 48 days of the year.
About 168 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 26 and the first one by October 12. That leaves about 168 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 63% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Spokane
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Spokane, 93% of that work is heating and 7% 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.
Spokane and its neighbors
Spokane borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.6°. Airway Heights has the coldest January nights (24°) and Town and Country the hottest July afternoons (85°). Spokane’s January low is 25° and its July high 86°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Spokane 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 Spokane averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.6°). The shift is smaller than in 58% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Spokane’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 23° to 40°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Spokane’s climate
What is the coldest month in Spokane?
December, with a typical high of 35° and a low of 25°.
What is the hottest month in Spokane?
July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 54°. About 21 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Spokane get?
About 45 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Spokane?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 12, and the last spring frost by April 26.
What is the rainiest month in Spokane?
December, with 2.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 17 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Spokane itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Spokane Intl Airport, WA (5 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.