Opal, WY climate
Opal has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 5°, and about 50 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade6° warmer than normal today. The forecast high is 70°, and a typical Oct 1 in Opal peaks around 64°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What a year in Opal feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Opal 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 | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 30° | 5° | 0.5" | 11.6" | 5 | 8° – 26° |
| February | 32° | 7° | 0.4" | 9.6" | 4 | 11° – 31° |
| March | 43° | 18° | 0.6" | 6.1" | 4 | 23° – 37° |
| April | 52° | 24° | 0.8" | 3.0" | 4 | 31° – 43° |
| May | 63° | 33° | 1.4" | 1.4" | 6 | 43° – 52° |
| June | 74° | 40° | 0.9" | 0.1" | 4 | 51° – 62° |
| July | 83° | 46° | 0.5" | 0 | 3 | 55° – 69° |
| August | 81° | 44° | 0.8" | 0 | 4 | 58° – 65° |
| September | 71° | 36° | 0.9" | 0.4" | 4 | 50° – 57° |
| October | 57° | 26° | 0.8" | 1.8" | 4 | 33° – 48° |
| November | 41° | 15° | 0.5" | 6.2" | 5 | 17° – 34° |
| December | 30° | 5° | 0.5" | 9.5" | 6 | 12° – 26° |
| Year | 55° | 25° | 8.4" | 49.7" | 53 |
“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 Opal
Opal gets 8 inches of rain and melted snow a year. May is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 53 days a year.
A year-round growing season
Heating and cooling a home in Opal
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Opal, 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 Opal 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 Opal averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+3.7°). The shift is larger than in 74% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Opal’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 11° to 31°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Opal’s climate
What is the coldest month in Opal?
January, with a typical high of 30° and a low of 5°.
What is the hottest month in Opal?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 46°. About 4 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Opal get?
About 50 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Opal?
Frost is uncommon. Only 100% of years see a night at 32° or below.
What is the rainiest month in Opal?
May, with 1.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 8 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Opal itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Kemmerer 2n, WY (11 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.