Climate Comfort Score
83/100
Excellent
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 63°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Athens, AL Climate
Annual temperature, rainfall, and a comfort score, sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 normals →
- 63°F
- Avg annual temp
- 83/100
- Comfort score
- 59.1"
- Annual precip
- 237d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Athens
Athens, Alabama averages 63°F a year and scores 83/100 on the comfort index - excellent, milder than 85% of U.S. cities.
- 63°F
- average temperature, NOAA 1991-2020 normal
- 83/100
- comfort score, milder than 85% of U.S. cities
- 59.1"
- annual precipitation · 1" snow
- 237 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
63°F (17°C)
Avg High
72°F
Avg Low
53°F
Annual Precip
59.1"
Annual Snow
1.3"
Comfort Score
83/100
Excellent
Avg Annual Temperature
63°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
59.1"
Plus 1.3" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Athens) 83.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Excellent for the Athens area.
How Athens compares to every U.S. city
Athens's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
83 Top 15% higher than 85% 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 Athens
MethodologyHow the U.S. land temperature anomaly tracks against the global mean since 1900. The current NOAA 1991-2020 normal for Athens captures average conditions across the spread shown, the most recent decade is warmer than the 30-year mean.
- 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 | 51°F (11°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 42°F (6°C) | 5.5" | 0.5" | 18.1 | 0.0 |
| February | 56°F (13°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 5.4" | 0.5" | 13.5 | 0.0 |
| March | 65°F (18°C) | 44°F (6°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 5.6" | 0.3" | 6.6 | 0.0 |
| April | 73°F (23°C) | 51°F (11°C) | 62°F (17°C) | 5.4" | 0.0" | 0.8 | 0.1 |
| May | 80°F (27°C) | 60°F (16°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 4.8" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 1.6 |
| June | 87°F (31°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 78°F (25°C) | 4.8" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 9.3 |
| July | 90°F (32°C) | 72°F (22°C) | 81°F (27°C) | 4.9" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 15.2 |
| August | 90°F (32°C) | 71°F (22°C) | 80°F (27°C) | 3.9" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 15.3 |
| September | 85°F (29°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 75°F (24°C) | 3.8" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 7.1 |
| October | 75°F (24°C) | 53°F (11°C) | 64°F (18°C) | 4.0" | 0.0" | 0.8 | 0.5 |
| November | 63°F (17°C) | 42°F (5°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 4.6" | 0.0" | 7.7 | 0.0 |
| December | 54°F (12°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 6.3" | 0.0" | 15.3 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 5.5"
Snow: 0.5"
10.9 days with precipitation
February 5.4"
Snow: 0.5"
11.7 days with precipitation
March 5.6"
Snow: 0.3"
11.7 days with precipitation
April 5.4"
10.1 days with precipitation
May 4.8"
11.0 days with precipitation
June 4.8"
11.4 days with precipitation
July 4.9"
11.3 days with precipitation
August 3.9"
9.8 days with precipitation
September 3.8"
8.2 days with precipitation
October 4.0"
9.2 days with precipitation
November 4.6"
10.4 days with precipitation
December 6.3"
12.0 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
November 12
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
March 20
50% probability date
Growing Season
237 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
2,889
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
2,028
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Athens's climate means for you
Athens runs 63°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 237 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near March 20 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 2,889 heating and 2,028 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: Athens, AL
The NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals describe Athens, Alabama as a location with an annual average temperature of 63°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 72°F to a mean daily low of 53°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. These thirty-year averages, computed from station USC00010390, smooth out year-to-year variability and give a baseline expectation for typical conditions in any given month.
Beyond temperature, Athens averages 59.1 inches of precipitation annually, with 1.3 inches typically falling as snow - a real factor for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. The frost-free season averages 237 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near March 20 and the first fall freeze near November 12. Turning to energy use, 2,889 heating degree days and 2,028 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Athens scores 83/100 (Excellent), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. For planning purposes, look to the monthly tables above: shoulder seasons bring the mildest highs and lows, summer brings July-driven heat, and deep winter brings January-driven cold. Treat every figure here as a thirty-year average rather than a forecast - individual years routinely run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than the normal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Athens, AL? ▼
The average annual temperature in Athens, Alabama is 63°F. The warmest month averages 90°F (32°C) and the coldest averages 34°F (1°C).
How much rain does Athens get? ▼
Athens receives 59.1 inches of precipitation annually, including 1.3 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Athens? ▼
Athens has a climate comfort score of 83/100 (Excellent), milder than 85% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Athens? ▼
Athens has approximately 237 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around March 20 and the first fall freeze around November 12.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Athens? ▼
Athens has 2,889 heating degree days and 2,028 cooling degree days annually, a fairly balanced heating/cooling split. 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 Athens climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00010390 near Athens.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00010390. 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.