Cottonwood, ID Climate

Climate Insight: Cottonwood, ID

The NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals describe Cottonwood, Idaho as a location with an annual average temperature of 48°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 57°F to a mean daily low of 38°F. August is typically the warmest month of the year, while December is the coldest. These thirty-year averages, computed from station USC00102159, smooth out year-to-year variability and give a baseline expectation for typical conditions in any given month.

Cottonwood averages 22.6 inches of precipitation a year, with 61.4 inches typically falling as snow, and that matters as much to daily life here as temperature does. The frost-free season averages 160 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 6 and the first fall freeze near October 13. As for energy demand, 6,718 heating degree days and 393 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.

On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Cottonwood scores 54/100 (Moderate), 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 August-driven heat, and deep winter brings December-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.