Climate Comfort Score
68/100
Good
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 54°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Columbus, IN Climate
Pulled from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →: average temperature, precipitation, and comfort score
- 54°F
- Avg annual temp
- 68/100
- Comfort score
- 47.3"
- Annual precip
- 197d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Columbus
Columbus, Indiana averages 54°F a year and scores 68/100 on the comfort index - good, milder than 58% of U.S. cities.
- 54°F
- average temperature, NOAA 1991-2020 normal
- 68/100
- comfort score, milder than 58% of U.S. cities
- 47.3"
- annual precipitation · 16" snow
- 197 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
54°F (12°C)
Avg High
65°F
Avg Low
44°F
Annual Precip
47.3"
Annual Snow
16.3"
Comfort Score
68/100
Good
Avg Annual Temperature
54°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
47.3"
Plus 16.3" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Columbus) 68.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Good for the Columbus area.
How Columbus compares to every U.S. city
Columbus's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
68 Top 42% higher than 58% 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 Columbus
MethodologySince 1900, U.S. land temperatures have tracked (and diverged from) the global mean - the chart below shows how. Columbus's current NOAA 1991-2020 normal sits within that longer spread, and the most recent decade runs 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 | 39°F (4°C) | 22°F (-6°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 3.4" | 5.9" | 25.4 | 0.0 |
| February | 43°F (6°C) | 24°F (-5°C) | 33°F (1°C) | 2.9" | 4.5" | 22.3 | 0.0 |
| March | 54°F (12°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 3.8" | 1.8" | 16.9 | 0.0 |
| April | 66°F (19°C) | 42°F (6°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 5.0" | 0.0" | 3.8 | 0.0 |
| May | 75°F (24°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 64°F (18°C) | 5.0" | 0.0" | 0.1 | 0.4 |
| June | 83°F (28°C) | 62°F (17°C) | 73°F (23°C) | 5.3" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 4.2 |
| July | 86°F (30°C) | 65°F (19°C) | 76°F (24°C) | 4.5" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 7.8 |
| August | 85°F (30°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 74°F (24°C) | 3.5" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 6.2 |
| September | 80°F (27°C) | 55°F (13°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 3.2" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 3.1 |
| October | 68°F (20°C) | 44°F (6°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 3.4" | 0.0" | 2.5 | 0.2 |
| November | 54°F (12°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 44°F (7°C) | 3.6" | 0.1" | 14.1 | 0.0 |
| December | 43°F (6°C) | 26°F (-3°C) | 35°F (1°C) | 3.7" | 4.0" | 22.9 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 3.4"
Snow: 5.9"
10.9 days with precipitation
February 2.9"
Snow: 4.5"
9.4 days with precipitation
March 3.8"
Snow: 1.8"
11.6 days with precipitation
April 5.0"
12.9 days with precipitation
May 5.0"
13.3 days with precipitation
June 5.3"
11.6 days with precipitation
July 4.5"
10.0 days with precipitation
August 3.5"
8.0 days with precipitation
September 3.2"
7.4 days with precipitation
October 3.4"
8.2 days with precipitation
November 3.6"
Snow: 0.1"
9.4 days with precipitation
December 3.7"
Snow: 4.0"
10.7 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 25
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 11
50% probability date
Growing Season
197 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
5,082
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
1,127
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Columbus's climate means for you
Columbus runs 54°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 197 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near April 11 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 5,082 heating and 1,127 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: Columbus, IN
The NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals describe Columbus, Indiana as a location with an annual average temperature of 54°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 65°F to a mean daily low of 44°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. These thirty-year averages, computed from station USC00121747, smooth out year-to-year variability and give a baseline expectation for typical conditions in any given month.
Anyone planning to live, garden, or travel in Columbus should weigh precipitation alongside temperature: the annual average runs 47.3 inches, with 16.3 inches typically falling as snow. The frost-free season averages 197 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near April 11 and the first fall freeze near October 25. And on the energy front, 5,082 heating degree days and 1,127 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Columbus scores 68/100 (Good), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. Use the monthly tables above to plan around specific windows, shoulder seasons for mild highs and lows, peak summer for July-driven heat, or deep winter for January-driven cold. All figures here are thirty-year averages: any single year may run warmer, wetter, drier, or cooler than the normal, so treat them as planning guidance rather than forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Columbus, IN? ▼
The average annual temperature in Columbus, Indiana is 54°F. The warmest month averages 86°F (30°C) and the coldest averages 22°F (-6°C).
How much rain does Columbus get? ▼
Columbus receives 47.3 inches of precipitation annually, including 16.3 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Columbus? ▼
Columbus has a climate comfort score of 68/100 (Good), milder than 58% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Columbus? ▼
Columbus has approximately 197 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around April 11 and the first fall freeze around October 25.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Columbus? ▼
Columbus has 5,082 heating degree days and 1,127 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 Columbus climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00121747 near Columbus.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00121747. 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.