Climate Comfort Score
59/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 48°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Amherst, MA Climate
Pulled from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →: average temperature, precipitation, and comfort score
- 48°F
- Avg annual temp
- 59/100
- Comfort score
- 46.6"
- Annual precip
- 156d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Amherst
Amherst, Massachusetts averages 48°F a year and scores 59/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 39% of U.S. cities.
- 48°F
- annual average temperature (NOAA normal)
- 59/100
- comfort score, milder than 39% of U.S. cities
- 46.6"
- annual precipitation · 37" snow
- 156 days
- frost-free growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
48°F (9°C)
Avg High
59°F
Avg Low
37°F
Annual Precip
46.6"
Annual Snow
36.5"
Comfort Score
59/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
48°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
46.6"
Plus 36.5" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Amherst) 59.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Amherst area.
How Amherst compares to every U.S. city
Amherst's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
59 Top 61% higher than 39% of 6,915 US cities
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Warming context for Amherst
MethodologyZooming out from Amherst's own normal, the chart below shows how the U.S. land temperature anomaly has tracked the global mean since 1900 - the most recent decade sits warmer than the 30-year mean shown here.
- United States land mean (NOAA NCEI) +0.11 °C/decade
- Global anomaly (NASA GISTEMP) +0.11 °C/decade
- Paris Agreement thresholds 1.5°C / 2.0°C
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Snow | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 34°F (1°C) | 14°F (-10°C) | 24°F (-5°C) | 3.4" | 8.1" | 29.3 | 0.0 |
| February | 37°F (3°C) | 15°F (-9°C) | 26°F (-3°C) | 2.9" | 11.0" | 26.7 | 0.0 |
| March | 45°F (7°C) | 24°F (-4°C) | 35°F (2°C) | 3.5" | 7.3" | 25.1 | 0.0 |
| April | 58°F (15°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 3.8" | 1.0" | 12.8 | 0.2 |
| May | 70°F (21°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 58°F (14°C) | 3.7" | 0.0" | 1.6 | 0.6 |
| June | 78°F (26°C) | 55°F (13°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 4.5" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 2.3 |
| July | 83°F (28°C) | 60°F (16°C) | 72°F (22°C) | 4.1" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 5.3 |
| August | 82°F (28°C) | 58°F (15°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 4.1" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 3.2 |
| September | 74°F (24°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 62°F (17°C) | 4.6" | 0.0" | 0.4 | 0.8 |
| October | 62°F (17°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 4.7" | 0.0" | 9.3 | 0.0 |
| November | 50°F (10°C) | 29°F (-2°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 3.4" | 1.6" | 20.5 | 0.0 |
| December | 39°F (4°C) | 21°F (-6°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 3.9" | 7.5" | 27.4 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 3.4"
Snow: 8.1"
10.8 days with precipitation
February 2.9"
Snow: 11.0"
9.2 days with precipitation
March 3.5"
Snow: 7.3"
9.5 days with precipitation
April 3.8"
Snow: 1.0"
11.1 days with precipitation
May 3.7"
12.6 days with precipitation
June 4.5"
11.3 days with precipitation
July 4.1"
11.0 days with precipitation
August 4.1"
10.0 days with precipitation
September 4.6"
8.9 days with precipitation
October 4.7"
10.8 days with precipitation
November 3.4"
Snow: 1.6"
9.5 days with precipitation
December 3.9"
Snow: 7.5"
10.6 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 8
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 5
50% probability date
Growing Season
156 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
6,664
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
580
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Amherst's climate means for you
Amherst runs 48°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 156 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 5 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 6,664 heating and 580 cooling degree days a year, higher means the furnace or AC runs more.
- Comparing places to live? Line this city up against nearby cities and the national rankings. See rankings
These are 30-year NOAA normals (1991–2020) - the typical year, not a forecast for any specific season.
Climate Guides
Climate Insight: Amherst, MA
An annual average temperature of 48°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 59°F to a mean daily low of 37°F is what the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals report for Amherst, Massachusetts. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. That baseline comes from station USC00190120 and thirty years of averaging, so it reflects a typical month rather than any one year's swings.
Beyond temperature, Amherst averages 46.6 inches of precipitation annually, with 36.5 inches typically falling as snow - a real factor for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. The frost-free season averages 156 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 5 and the first fall freeze near October 8. Turning to energy use, 6,664 heating degree days and 580 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Amherst scores 59/100 (Moderate), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. The monthly tables above are the practical planning tool: mild highs and lows land in the shoulder seasons, July-driven heat peaks in summer, and January-driven cold sets in over deep winter. These are thirty-year averages, not a forecast - any single year can run warmer, wetter, drier, or cooler than the normal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Amherst, MA? ▼
The average annual temperature in Amherst, Massachusetts is 48°F. The warmest month averages 83°F (28°C) and the coldest averages 14°F (-10°C).
How much rain does Amherst get? ▼
Amherst receives 46.6 inches of precipitation annually, including 36.5 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Amherst? ▼
Amherst has a climate comfort score of 59/100 (Moderate), milder than 39% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Amherst? ▼
Amherst has approximately 156 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 5 and the first fall freeze around October 8.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Amherst? ▼
Amherst has 6,664 heating degree days and 580 cooling degree days annually, a heating-dominated climate. See our <a href="/guides/reading-weather-data/" class="underline hover:text-brand-600">guide to reading weather data</a> for what these figures mean.
Where does this Amherst climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00190120 near Amherst.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00190120. For informational purposes only.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainClimate Editorial
Every figure on PlainClimate is rendered directly from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.