Dayton, WA Climate: Temperature & Rain by Month
Temperature and precipitation from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →, plus PlainClimate's derived comfort score
30-year climate normals (1991-2020) from Dayton's primary NOAA station, DAYTON 1 WSW.
The climate verdict for Dayton
Dryness leads the climate profile for Dayton, Washington, with 18.8 inches of precipitation a year. NOAA records an annual average of 51°F. At 54/100 (moderate) the climate comfort score falls in the bottom third of the station-mapped U.S. score corpus, exceeding only 31% of scores.
- 51°F
- average temperature, NOAA 1991-2020 normal
- 54/100
- comfort score, above 31% of station-mapped location scores
- 18.8"
- annual precipitation · 16" snow
- 168 days
- frost-free days per growing season
Dayton: NOAA 1991-2020 normals describe a typical year, not a forecast. Method: /methodology.
Normals record plate
Sheet USC00452030 · Dayton, WA 51°F mean · 18.8" precip
TEMP-COOL · RANK-MID · PHOTO-FINISH · PRCP-DRY · SWING-MID · COMF-LOW · LOAD-HEAT · STN-1 · BOOK-FULL
- TEMP-COOL 51°F
- RANK-MID #3,087
- PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Santa FE Seton
- PRCP-DRY 18.8"
- SWING-MID 38°F
- COMF-LOW 54/100
- LOAD-HEAT 5,622 HDD
- STN-1 USC00452030
- BOOK-FULL 6/6 fields
Nearest mean-temperature peer: Santa FE Seton, NM (+ 0 °F mean)
Instrument codes from this station's NOAA 1991–2020 normals, mean temperature, corpus warmth rank, photo-finish peer station, precipitation band, seasonal swing, comfort composite, degree-day load, and field book, not a livability rating.
Mean-temperature neighbourhood
Nationwide NOAA normal poles and nearest peers, not a reprint of every WA station list.
- Dayton (this station) 51°F
- Cold Chatham, MA 51°F
- Hot Rosedale, WV 51°F
- Near Santa FE Seton, NM 51°F
- Near Kamiah, ID 51°F
Climate Living Index · Dayton
Dayton: 49/100 · grade D
Dayton publishes 5 of 6 Living Index dimensions (NOAA annual/seasonal normals · NOAA daily multivariate normals); 1 missing weight rescale to 100.
PlainClimate-derived for Dayton, not an official NOAA rating. Rankings still use Comfort Score 54/100 (separate formula). Breakpoints and limits.
| Dimension | Station value | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Normal heat + freeze calendar | 130 calendar days | 59/100 · C |
| Snowfall burden | 15.8 inches/year | 55/100 · C |
| Annual temperature balance | 51.1°F · 16.4° from 67.5°F | 45/100 · D |
| Precipitation balance | 18.8 in · 16.2 from 35 in | 43/100 · D |
| Frost-free season | 168 days/year | 40/100 · D |
Dayton · 2026-08-04 · NOAA NCEI Climate Normals · method · Comfort Score method.
Dayton is a temperate Köppen climate: Csb
Coldest-month mean 33.6°F and warmest-month mean 71.3°F place this station in temperate, dry-summer, warm summer climates (Csb). Class Csb is the Peel et al. (2007) label for this station's monthly mean temperature and precipitation normals: temperate, specifically temperate, dry-summer, warm summer.
- Köppen code
- Csb
- Group
- Temperate
- Warmest month
- 71.3°F
- Coldest month
- 33.6°F
Source: official public datasets monthly normals (1991–2020) at the city’s primary station. This is a station classification, not a mapped regional consensus.
National standing · heating-led station
Where Dayton sits across the climate record
Three NOAA fields for Dayton's primary station, temperature, precipitation, and seasonal swing, are ranked against every station-mapped normal that carries the same field.
- Annual temperature
- 45th percentile warmth
- Mid-pack annual mean versus 6,861 station normals.
- Annual precipitation
- Drier than 74%
- Dayton's annual total ranks in the drier third of 6,352 measured normals.
- Seasonal temperature swing
- Narrower than 74%
- Warmest-to-coldest month gap for Dayton is compact versus 6,861 complete station-years.
How Dayton compares across U.S. station-mapped locations
Dayton's comfort score vs. all station-mapped locations
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
54 31st percentile score exceeds 31% of 6,189 station-mapped location scores
- 0–10: 0 station-mapped locations (0%). Below this entry.
- 10–20: 0 station-mapped locations (0%). Below this entry.
- 20–30: 96 station-mapped locations (2%). Below this entry.
- 30–40: 280 station-mapped locations (5%). Below this entry.
- 40–50: 1,113 station-mapped locations (18%). Below this entry.
- 50–60: 1,329 station-mapped locations (21%). This entry sits in this band.
- 60–70: 1,236 station-mapped locations (20%). Above this entry.
- 70–80: 650 station-mapped locations (11%). Above this entry.
- 80–90: 921 station-mapped locations (15%). Above this entry.
- 90–100: 564 station-mapped locations (9%). Above this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Dayton's measured station temperature trend
MethodologyAcross 94 complete annual observations from 1905 to 2024, DAYTON 1 WSW warmed at a fitted rate of 0.12°C per decade. The line shows the fitted change relative to its first year, not raw year-to-year temperatures or a forecast.
- Dayton primary station fitted change +0.12 °C/decade
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Snow | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 42°F (5°C) | 26°F (-3°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 2.1" | 6.3" | 22.6 | 0.0 |
| February | 46°F (8°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 1.7" | 1.9" | 19.4 | 0.0 |
| March | 54°F (12°C) | 33°F (1°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 2.2" | 1.0" | 13.4 | 0.0 |
| April | 61°F (16°C) | 38°F (3°C) | 49°F (10°C) | 1.9" | 0.1" | 5.9 | 0.0 |
| May | 70°F (21°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 1.8" | 0.0" | 1.8 | 0.8 |
| June | 77°F (25°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 1.2" | 0.0" | 1.2 | 2.4 |
| July | 88°F (31°C) | 55°F (13°C) | 71°F (22°C) | 0.4" | 0.0" | 0.1 | 13.4 |
| August | 87°F (30°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 71°F (21°C) | 0.5" | 0.0" | 0.5 | 11.7 |
| September | 77°F (25°C) | 47°F (8°C) | 62°F (17°C) | 0.7" | 0.0" | 1.8 | 2.8 |
| October | 63°F (17°C) | 38°F (3°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 1.5" | 0.1" | 6.3 | 0.0 |
| November | 49°F (10°C) | 31°F (-1°C) | 40°F (5°C) | 2.4" | 1.2" | 16.0 | 0.0 |
| December | 41°F (5°C) | 27°F (-3°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 2.3" | 5.2" | 23.7 | 0.0 |
The year, day by day
Dayton works both ends of the calendar. Normal highs climb to 90°F by July 26 and hold at or above 90°F on 8 dates, then normal lows drop to freezing or below on 122 dates, bottoming at 26°F around January 1.
When the heat sits
Normal highs reach 90°F from July 25 through August 1, covering 8 dates. The broader mild season, normal highs of 70°F or more, runs May 15 to October 2.
This counts calendar dates whose 1991–2020 normal high reaches 90°F. It is a smaller number than the 90°F+ day counts in the monthly table above, which measure how often the threshold was actually crossed in a typical year. A date can average 88°F and still exceed 90°F in half of all years.
The freezing stretch
The normal low stays at or below 32°F into March 10, then returns to freezing around November 10, covering 122 dates in all.
Derived from the normal daily minimum. This is a different measure from the 50%-probability frost dates shown elsewhere on this page, which come from NOAA’s frost product.
Where the wet dates fall
The likeliest wet date is November 24, when 49% of years recorded at least a hundredth of an inch. The driest is July 28 at 10%. Summed across the calendar, that is about 118 wet dates a year.
The widest day
July 26 carries the biggest normal gap between afternoon and dawn, 34°F between the normal high and the normal low.
Look up any date
Any date's 1991–2020 normal for Dayton.
Where Dayton Stands Nationally
Daily temperature swings run wider than most of the country, peaking near 34°F between the normal high and low.
Dayton earns one nationally notable standing (outer quintile) against 6,860 NOAA 1991–2020 normals stations, middle-of-the-pack metrics stay silent here.
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
Snow: 6.3"
13.5 days with precipitation
Snow: 1.9"
12.0 days with precipitation
Snow: 1.0"
13.1 days with precipitation
Snow: 0.1"
11.6 days with precipitation
9.8 days with precipitation
7.4 days with precipitation
3.1 days with precipitation
3.0 days with precipitation
5.1 days with precipitation
Snow: 0.1"
9.9 days with precipitation
Snow: 1.2"
14.1 days with precipitation
Snow: 5.2"
14.3 days with precipitation
Dayton spreads its precipitation across the year
Neither half of the year dominates here: June through August take 11% of the annual total and December through February 33%, with neither reaching the 35% that would mark a distinct wet season. Dayton has no dry season to plan around, though it does carry a 37.7°F seasonal spread.
The gap between the wettest and driest month still matters: November averages 2.4" and July 0.4". The three wettest months together take 37% of the year, against the 25% a perfectly flat distribution would give them.
Shares are computed from this station's own 1991-2020 monthly precipitation normals. "Spread across the year" means neither the June-August nor the December-February share reaches 35%; it describes an average year, not the variability of any single one.
Dayton is dry, and what does fall arrives gently
Only about 117 days a year record measurable precipitation here, 32% of the calendar, and they carry 18.8" between them. At roughly 0.16 inches on an average wet day, this is not the damp drizzle of a marine climate; it is an arid record in which precipitation is both uncommon and light when it appears.
The wettest month by count is December at about 14 wet days; the driest is August at about 3.
A low per-event average in a dry record is a statement about typical days only. Arid regions can still take a large share of a year's total from a single convective storm, which a normal cannot show.
A wet day is one recording at least 0.01 inches. These are 1991-2020 normals: they describe an average year, not the extremes within it.
Winter brings real snow to Dayton
Dayton averages 15.8 inches of snowfall a year, with January the snowiest month on the normals, spread across roughly 12 days that record measurable snow. That is depth accumulating on the ground, which is why it can exceed the annual precipitation figure: precipitation counts the liquid the snow melts down to, and fresh snow is mostly air.
- Annual snowfall: 15.8 inches of depth.
- Days recording measurable snow: about 12 a year.
- At a rough ten-to-one melt ratio, snow accounts for on the order of 8% of the year's precipitation.
NOAA 1991-2020 normals. The ten-to-one ratio is a convention, not a measurement: real ratios vary with temperature, so treat the share as an order of magnitude rather than an exact split.
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 13
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 28
50% probability date
Growing Season
168 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
5,622
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
564
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
December
Nationwide similar cities
Other rankable U.S. places outside WA closest to Dayton on two NOAA annual-normal axes (mean temperature and annual precipitation). Chip rows use distinct link sets.
Closest by average temperature
Nearest out-of-state peers by annual mean temperature (51°F here).
- Alpine, UT 51°F · 0.0°F off
- Baiting Hollow, NY 51°F · 0.0°F off
- Burr Oak, KS 51°F · 0.0°F off
- Cambridge, NE 51°F · 0.0°F off
Closest by annual precipitation
Nearest out-of-state peers by annual precipitation (18.8" here), excluding temperature-peer places.
- Kenai, AK 18.8" · 0.0" off
- Rapid City, SD 18.8" · 0.0" off
- Lakin, KS 18.8" · 0.0" off
- Stratton, CO 18.8" · 0.0" off
Snow and freeze rhythm
When cold and snow define Dayton
heating led · dry · mid swing
Dayton's energy balance leans toward cold weather: 5,622 annual heating degree days against 564 for cooling. Its 37.7°F seasonal range still makes the monthly rows more useful than the annual average alone.
Dayton's frost-free season lasts about 168 days, a middle-length window whose endpoints matter more than the annual average. It describes freeze probability, not year-specific planting conditions.
-
1. Dayton coldest normal
December
The monthly mean of 34°F (1°C) sits near freezing, so cold nights and above-freezing afternoons share the same month.
-
2. Dayton typical freeze period
January through December
The station reports average freezing days from January through December.
-
3. Dayton snow peak
January
Dayton averages 15.8 inches of snow a year, with January the snowiest month on the normals.
Questions about Dayton's climate
How much snow does Dayton get? ▼
How many days above 90°F does Dayton get? ▼
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Dayton? ▼
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). All figures on this page are from Dayton's primary station: DAYTON 1 WSW (USC00452030). For informational purposes only.
Place identity: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer places. The 2024 Census Gazetteer identifies the exact name-and-state match as an incorporated place (GEOID 5316970). Match rule for Dayton: exact normalized name + state only, no fuzzy expansion, so nearby differently spelled facilities stay unmatched.
On this page every temperature, precipitation, and derived score for Dayton comes from its primary NOAA station record. No figure on this page is typed in by an editor - each value is rendered from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 1991–2020 normals.