Joseph, OR Climate

Climate Insight: Joseph, OR

Based on station USC00354329 feeding NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals, Joseph, Oregon averages 44°F a year, ranging from a mean daily high of 55°F to a mean daily low of 33°F. August is typically the warmest month of the year, while December is the coldest. Because these figures are thirty-year averages rather than any single year's readings, they describe the typical month, not a forecast for it.

Rainfall (and snow, where it falls) shapes day-to-day life here as much as temperature does. Joseph sees about 16.9 inches of precipitation a year, with 54.2 inches typically falling as snow. The frost-free season averages 130 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 24 and the first fall freeze near October 1. On the energy side, 7,749 heating degree days and 184 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.

On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Joseph scores 34/100 (Below Average), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. The monthly tables above turn that into a planning tool: expect the mildest highs and lows in the shoulder seasons, August-driven heat at the peak of summer, and December-driven cold at the depth of winter. Every number here is a thirty-year average, not a forecast, so any given year can and does run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than the normal.