Climate Comfort Score
44/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 52°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Elma, WA Climate
Pulled from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →: average temperature, precipitation, and comfort score
- 52°F
- Avg annual temp
- 44/100
- Comfort score
- 72.0"
- Annual precip
- 166d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Elma
Elma, Washington averages 52°F a year and scores 44/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 8% of U.S. cities.
- 52°F
- yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
- 44/100
- comfort score, milder than 8% of U.S. cities
- 72.0"
- annual precipitation
- 166 days
- frost-free days per growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
52°F (11°C)
Avg High
63°F
Avg Low
42°F
Annual Precip
72.0"
Comfort Score
44/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
52°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
72.0"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Elma) 44.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Elma area.
How Elma compares to every U.S. city
Elma's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
44 Top 92% higher than 8% 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 Elma
MethodologySince 1900, U.S. land temperatures have tracked (and diverged from) the global mean - the chart below shows how. Elma'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 | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 49°F (9°C) | 35°F (1°C) | 42°F (5°C) | 11.1" | 12.5 | 0.0 |
| February | 52°F (11°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 7.0" | 12.3 | 0.0 |
| March | 56°F (14°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 8.2" | 10.3 | 0.0 |
| April | 62°F (17°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 5.4" | 5.3 | 0.0 |
| May | 68°F (20°C) | 44°F (7°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 3.3" | 1.5 | 0.3 |
| June | 72°F (22°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 60°F (16°C) | 2.2" | 0.0 | 1.1 |
| July | 78°F (26°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 0.8" | 0.0 | 3.3 |
| August | 80°F (26°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 66°F (19°C) | 1.4" | 0.0 | 3.7 |
| September | 75°F (24°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 2.7" | 0.4 | 1.3 |
| October | 64°F (18°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 53°F (11°C) | 7.2" | 3.9 | 0.0 |
| November | 53°F (12°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 11.4" | 9.5 | 0.0 |
| December | 47°F (9°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 11.4" | 13.3 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall
January 11.1"
22.7 days with precipitation
February 7.0"
19.1 days with precipitation
March 8.2"
21.6 days with precipitation
April 5.4"
19.7 days with precipitation
May 3.3"
13.7 days with precipitation
June 2.2"
11.3 days with precipitation
July 0.8"
5.2 days with precipitation
August 1.4"
7.3 days with precipitation
September 2.7"
10.4 days with precipitation
October 7.2"
18.6 days with precipitation
November 11.4"
23.3 days with precipitation
December 11.4"
23.3 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 14
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 1
50% probability date
Growing Season
166 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
4,780
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
171
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
August
Coldest Month
December
What Elma's climate means for you
Elma runs 52°F a year - peaking in August, coldest in December.
- Gardeners get about 166 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 1 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 4,780 heating and 171 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: Elma, WA
An annual average temperature of 52°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 63°F to a mean daily low of 42°F is what the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals report for Elma, Washington. August is typically the warmest month of the year, while December is the coldest. That baseline comes from station USC00452531 and thirty years of averaging, so it reflects a typical month rather than any one year's swings.
Rainfall (and snow, where it falls) shapes day-to-day life here as much as temperature does. Elma sees about 72.0 inches of precipitation a year, predominantly as rainfall. The frost-free season averages 166 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 1 and the first fall freeze near October 14. On the energy side, 4,780 heating degree days and 171 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Elma scores 44/100 (Moderate), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. Shoulder seasons bring the mildest highs and lows in the monthly tables above, summer brings August-driven heat, and winter brings December-driven cold - use that rhythm for planning. These figures are thirty-year averages rather than forecasts, so a specific year may still run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than what's shown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Elma, WA? ▼
The average annual temperature in Elma, Washington is 52°F. The warmest month averages 80°F (26°C) and the coldest averages 34°F (1°C).
How much rain does Elma get? ▼
Elma receives 72.0 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Elma? ▼
Elma has a climate comfort score of 44/100 (Moderate), milder than 8% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Elma? ▼
Elma has approximately 166 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 1 and the first fall freeze around October 14.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Elma? ▼
Elma has 4,780 heating degree days and 171 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 Elma climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00452531 near Elma.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00452531. 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.