Alta, WY climate
Alta has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 8°, and about 113 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Alta feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
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 | 27° | 8° | 3.4" | 21.7" | 9 | 31 | 10° – 25° |
| February | 31° | 10° | 2.6" | 16.2" | 8 | 29 | 15° – 28° |
| March | 40° | 18° | 2.6" | 15.3" | 9 | 30 | 23° – 35° |
| April | 48° | 25° | 2.8" | 13.5" | 9 | 18 | 30° – 42° |
| May | 59° | 33° | 2.8" | 2.5" | 10 | 1 | 39° – 51° |
| June | 68° | 39° | 2.2" | 0.3" | 8 | 0 | 48° – 60° |
| July | 78° | 45° | 1.1" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 52° – 68° |
| August | 78° | 43° | 1.4" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 55° – 64° |
| September | 67° | 36° | 1.7" | 0.5" | 6 | 0 | 48° – 56° |
| October | 52° | 27° | 2.2" | 5.9" | 7 | 3 | 31° – 46° |
| November | 37° | 17° | 2.7" | 15.8" | 8 | 16 | 18° – 36° |
| December | 27° | 9° | 3.3" | 21.7" | 9 | 30 | 13° – 23° |
| Year | 51° | 26° | 28.7" | 113.4" | 94 | 158 |
“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 Alta
Alta gets 29 inches of rain and melted snow a year. January is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 94 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 158 days of the year.
About 85 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by June 14 and the first one by September 11. That leaves about 85 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 100% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Alta
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Alta, 99% of that work is heating and 1% 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 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 Alta averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+3.3°). The shift is smaller than in 60% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Alta’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. November swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 18° to 36°. September is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Alta’s climate
What is the coldest month in Alta?
January, with a typical high of 27° and a low of 8°.
What is the hottest month in Alta?
July, with a typical high of 78° and a low of 45°. About 1 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Alta get?
About 113 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Alta?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 11, and the last spring frost by June 14.
What is the rainiest month in Alta?
January, with 3.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 29 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Alta itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Alta 1 Nnw, WY (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.