Terra Alta, WV climate
Terra Alta has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 171 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Terra Alta feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Terra Alta 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 | 35° | 19° | 4.4" | 44.1" | 22 | 22 | 19° – 36° |
| February | 39° | 20° | 3.9" | 36.3" | 18 | 19 | 16° – 37° |
| March | 47° | 27° | 4.7" | 28.2" | 18 | 13 | 30° – 47° |
| April | 60° | 37° | 4.8" | 12.1" | 17 | 2 | 43° – 52° |
| May | 68° | 46° | 5.5" | 0.1" | 17 | 0 | 51° – 63° |
| June | 75° | 54° | 5.3" | 0 | 15 | 0 | 61° – 67° |
| July | 78° | 59° | 5.4" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 64° – 72° |
| August | 77° | 57° | 4.6" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 64° – 71° |
| September | 72° | 50° | 4.0" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 58° – 66° |
| October | 61° | 40° | 3.8" | 3.7" | 13 | 1 | 47° – 56° |
| November | 49° | 31° | 3.5" | 15.7" | 15 | 5 | 34° – 46° |
| December | 39° | 23° | 4.5" | 30.9" | 20 | 16 | 21° – 42° |
| Year | 58° | 39° | 54.4" | 171.1" | 192 | 79 |
“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 Terra Alta
Terra Alta gets 54 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and November the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 192 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 79 days of the year.
About 156 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 7 and the first one by October 11. That leaves about 156 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 75% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Terra Alta
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Terra Alta, 96% of that work is heating and 4% 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 Terra Alta 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 Terra Alta averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.3°). The shift is smaller than in 67% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Terra Alta’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. December swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 21° to 42°. June is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Terra Alta’s climate
What is the coldest month in Terra Alta?
January, with a typical high of 35° and a low of 19°.
What is the hottest month in Terra Alta?
July, with a typical high of 78° and a low of 59°.
How much snow does Terra Alta get?
About 171 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Terra Alta?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 11, and the last spring frost by May 7.
What is the rainiest month in Terra Alta?
May, with 5.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 54 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Terra Alta itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Terra Alta #1, WV (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.