Yakima, WA climate
Yakima has chilly winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 89°, a January night drops to 25°, and about 20 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Yakima feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Yakima 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 | 39° | 25° | 1.3" | 6.2" | 10 | 11 | 23° – 38° |
| February | 46° | 27° | 1.0" | 2.7" | 7 | 4 | 24° – 43° |
| March | 56° | 32° | 0.8" | 0.6" | 7 | 0 | 36° – 50° |
| April | 64° | 37° | 0.6" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 45° – 58° |
| May | 73° | 45° | 0.7" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 54° – 66° |
| June | 80° | 51° | 0.5" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 61° – 74° |
| July | 89° | 56° | 0.2" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 64° – 77° |
| August | 88° | 55° | 0.2" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 66° – 76° |
| September | 79° | 47° | 0.3" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 59° – 67° |
| October | 64° | 37° | 0.8" | 0.1" | 6 | 0 | 45° – 58° |
| November | 49° | 29° | 1.1" | 3.0" | 8 | 2 | 33° – 46° |
| December | 38° | 24° | 1.7" | 7.7" | 10 | 9 | 25° – 37° |
| Year | 64° | 39° | 9.3" | 20.3" | 72 | 26 |
“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 Yakima
Yakima gets 9 inches of rain and melted snow a year. December is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 72 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 26 days of the year.
About 149 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 8 and the first one by October 4. That leaves about 149 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 82% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Yakima
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Yakima, 90% of that work is heating and 10% 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.
Yakima and its neighbors
Yakima borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.7°. Terrace Heights has the coldest January nights (25°) and Union Gap the hottest July afternoons (90°). Yakima’s January low is 25° and its July high 89°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Yakima 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 Yakima averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.8°). The shift is larger than in 57% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Yakima’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 24° to 43°. September is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Yakima’s climate
What is the coldest month in Yakima?
December, with a typical high of 38° and a low of 24°.
What is the hottest month in Yakima?
July, with a typical high of 89° and a low of 56°. About 40 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Yakima get?
About 20 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Yakima?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 4, and the last spring frost by May 8.
What is the rainiest month in Yakima?
December, with 1.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 9 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Yakima itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Yakima Air Terminal, WA (2 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.