Salt Lake City, UT Climate: Temperature & Rain by Month
Pulled from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →: climate measurements used in PlainClimate's documented score
30-year climate normals (1991-2020) from Salt Lake City's primary NOAA station, SALT LAKE CITY INTL AP.
The climate verdict for Salt Lake City
Dryness leads the climate profile for Salt Lake City, Utah, with 15.5 inches of precipitation a year. NOAA records an annual average of 55°F. At 48/100 (moderate) the climate comfort score falls in the bottom third of the station-mapped U.S. score corpus, exceeding only 17% of scores.
- 55°F
- yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
- 48/100
- comfort score, above 17% of station-mapped location scores
- 15.5"
- annual precipitation · 52" snow
- 206 days
- frost-free growing season
Salt Lake City: NOAA 1991-2020 normals describe a typical year, not a forecast. Method: /methodology.
Normals record plate
Sheet USW00024127 · Salt Lake City, UT 55°F mean · 15.5" precip
TEMP-COOL · RANK-MID · PHOTO-FINISH · PRCP-DRY · SWING-WIDE · COMF-LOW · LOAD-HEAT · STN-1 · BOOK-FULL
- TEMP-COOL 55°F
- RANK-MID #4,048
- PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Milford Lake
- PRCP-DRY 15.5"
- SWING-WIDE 50°F
- COMF-LOW 48/100
- LOAD-HEAT 5,154 HDD
- STN-1 USW00024127
- BOOK-FULL 6/6 fields
Nearest mean-temperature peer: Milford Lake, KS (+ 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 UT station list.
- Salt Lake City (this station) 55°F
- Cold Jetmore, KS 55°F
- Hot Kanopolis Lake, KS 55°F
- Near Milford Lake, KS 55°F
- Near Valley Falls, KS 55°F
Climate Living Index · Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City: 47/100 · grade D
Salt Lake City publishes all six Living Index dimensions from NOAA annual/seasonal normals · NOAA daily multivariate normals · NOAA hourly normals.
PlainClimate-derived for Salt Lake City, not an official NOAA rating. Rankings still use Comfort Score 48/100 (separate formula). Breakpoints and limits.
| Dimension | Station value | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Frost-free season | 206 days/year | 69/100 · C |
| Annual temperature balance | 54.7°F · 12.8° from 67.5°F | 58/100 · C |
| Summer moisture balance | 44.0°F mean dew point | 56/100 · C |
| Normal heat + freeze calendar | 154 calendar days | 44/100 · D |
| Precipitation balance | 15.5 in · 19.5 from 35 in | 30/100 · F |
| Snowfall burden | 51.9 inches/year | 20/100 · F |
Salt Lake City · 2026-08-04 · NOAA NCEI Climate Normals · method · Comfort Score method.
Salt Lake City is a continental Köppen climate: Dsa
Coldest-month mean 31.4°F and warmest-month mean 81.1°F place this station in continental, dry-summer, hot summer climates (Dsa). Class Dsa is the Peel et al. (2007) label for this station's monthly mean temperature and precipitation normals: continental, specifically continental, dry-summer, hot summer.
- Köppen code
- Dsa
- Group
- Continental
- Warmest month
- 81.1°F
- Coldest month
- 31.4°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 Salt Lake City sits across the climate record
Three NOAA fields for Salt Lake City's primary station, temperature, precipitation, and seasonal swing, are ranked against every station-mapped normal that carries the same field.
- Annual temperature
- 59th percentile warmth
- Mid-pack annual mean versus 6,861 station normals.
- Annual precipitation
- Drier than 81%
- Salt Lake City's annual total ranks in the drier third of 6,352 measured normals.
- Seasonal temperature swing
- Wider than 80%
- Warmest-to-coldest month gap for Salt Lake City is large versus 6,861 complete station-years.
How Salt Lake City compares across U.S. station-mapped locations
Salt Lake City's comfort score vs. all station-mapped locations
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
48 17th percentile score exceeds 17% 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%). This entry sits in this band.
- 50–60: 1,329 station-mapped locations (21%). Above this entry.
- 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
Salt Lake City's measured station temperature trend
MethodologyAcross 76 complete annual observations from 1948 to 2025, SALT LAKE CITY INTL AP warmed at a fitted rate of 0.27°C per decade. The line shows the fitted change relative to its first year, not raw year-to-year temperatures or a forecast.
- Salt Lake City primary station fitted change +0.27 °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 | 39°F (4°C) | 24°F (-4°C) | 31°F (0°C) | 1.4" | 12.7" | 27.4 | 0.0 |
| February | 45°F (7°C) | 29°F (-2°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 1.3" | 10.7" | 21.3 | 0.0 |
| March | 55°F (13°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 1.8" | 5.9" | 12.0 | 0.0 |
| April | 62°F (17°C) | 42°F (5°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 2.2" | 2.9" | 4.0 | 0.0 |
| May | 73°F (23°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 62°F (16°C) | 1.8" | 0.1" | 0.2 | 1.3 |
| June | 84°F (29°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 72°F (22°C) | 0.9" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 10.3 |
| July | 94°F (34°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 81°F (27°C) | 0.5" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 24.3 |
| August | 92°F (33°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 79°F (26°C) | 0.6" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 21.4 |
| September | 81°F (27°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 1.1" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 5.0 |
| October | 66°F (19°C) | 44°F (6°C) | 55°F (13°C) | 1.3" | 0.5" | 2.7 | 0.0 |
| November | 51°F (10°C) | 33°F (0°C) | 42°F (5°C) | 1.3" | 7.0" | 17.3 | 0.0 |
| December | 39°F (4°C) | 25°F (-4°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 1.4" | 12.1" | 26.8 | 0.0 |
The year, day by day
Salt Lake City works both ends of the calendar. Normal highs climb to 96°F by July 23 and hold at or above 90°F on 53 dates, then normal lows drop to freezing or below on 101 dates, bottoming at 24°F around January 1.
When the heat sits
Normal highs reach 90°F from July 1 through August 22, covering 53 dates. The broader mild season, normal highs of 70°F or more, runs May 10 to October 6.
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 February 26, then returns to freezing around November 18, covering 101 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 April 14, when 34% of years recorded at least a hundredth of an inch. The driest is July 3 at 12%. Summed across the calendar, that is about 92 wet dates a year.
The widest day
July 5 carries the biggest normal gap between afternoon and dawn, 26°F between the normal high and the normal low.
Look up any date
Any date's 1991–2020 normal for Salt Lake City.
Where Salt Lake City Stands Nationally
A drier-than-most normal water year — around 16 inches, below what four out of five ranked stations collect.
Salt Lake City 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: 12.7"
10.3 days with precipitation
Snow: 10.7"
9.5 days with precipitation
Snow: 5.9"
9.2 days with precipitation
Snow: 2.9"
10.4 days with precipitation
Snow: 0.1"
8.9 days with precipitation
4.8 days with precipitation
3.9 days with precipitation
4.9 days with precipitation
5.2 days with precipitation
Snow: 0.5"
6.5 days with precipitation
Snow: 7.0"
8.3 days with precipitation
Snow: 12.1"
9.6 days with precipitation
Salt Lake City spreads its precipitation across the year
Neither half of the year dominates here: June through August take 13% of the annual total and December through February 27%, with neither reaching the 35% that would mark a distinct wet season. Salt Lake City has no dry season to plan around, though it does carry a wide 49.7°F gap between its warmest and coldest month.
The gap between the wettest and driest month still matters: April averages 2.2" and July 0.5". 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.
Salt Lake City is dry, and what does fall arrives gently
Only about 91 days a year record measurable precipitation here, 25% of the calendar, and they carry 15.5" between them. At roughly 0.17 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 April at about 10 wet days; the driest is July at about 4.
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 Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City averages 51.9 inches of snowfall a year, with January the snowiest month on the normals, spread across roughly 31 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: 51.9 inches of depth.
- Days recording measurable snow: about 31 a year.
- At a rough ten-to-one melt ratio, snow accounts for on the order of 33% 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 31
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 8
50% probability date
Growing Season
206 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
5,154
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
1,420
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
Humidity & Wind
Monthly averages from hourly observations
| Month | Humidity | Wind (mph) | Clear Sky % | Overcast % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 72% | 6.6 | 12% | 39% |
| February | 60% | 8.3 | 13% | 33% |
| March | 50% | 9.2 | 13% | 27% |
| April | 47% | 8.9 | 13% | 23% |
| May | 40% | 8.6 | 14% | 17% |
| June | 30% | 9.1 | 27% | 5% |
| July | 32% | 9.0 | 18% | 6% |
| August | 35% | 8.9 | 27% | 7% |
| September | 45% | 8.1 | 35% | 10% |
| October | 56% | 7.4 | 22% | 24% |
| November | 68% | 7.0 | 16% | 31% |
| December | 75% | 6.5 | 11% | 43% |
Nationwide similar cities
Other rankable U.S. places outside UT closest to Salt Lake City 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 (55°F here).
- Abingdon, VA 55°F · 0.0°F off
- Cottonwood Falls, KS 55°F · 0.0°F off
- Cranford, NJ 55°F · 0.0°F off
- Ellsworth, KS 55°F · 0.0°F off
Closest by annual precipitation
Nearest out-of-state peers by annual precipitation (15.5" here), excluding temperature-peer places.
- Augusta, MT 15.5" · 0.0" off
- Columbus, MT 15.5" · 0.0" off
- Fort Davis, TX 15.5" · 0.0" off
- Denio, NV 15.5" · 0.0" off
Snow and freeze rhythm
When cold and snow define Salt Lake City
heating led · dry · mid swing
Salt Lake City's energy balance leans toward cold weather: 5,154 annual heating degree days against 1,420 for cooling. Its 49.7°F seasonal range still makes the monthly rows more useful than the annual average alone.
Salt Lake City's frost-free season lasts about 206 days, a middle-length window whose endpoints matter more than the annual average. It describes freeze probability, not year-specific planting conditions.
-
1. Salt Lake City coldest normal
January
The monthly mean of 31°F (0°C) sits near freezing, so cold nights and above-freezing afternoons share the same month.
-
2. Salt Lake City typical freeze period
January through December
The station reports average freezing days from January through December.
-
3. Salt Lake City snow peak
January
Salt Lake City averages 51.9 inches of snow a year, with January the snowiest month on the normals.
Questions about Salt Lake City's climate
How much snow does Salt Lake City get? ▼
How many days above 90°F does Salt Lake City get? ▼
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Salt Lake City? ▼
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). All figures on this page are from Salt Lake City's primary station: SALT LAKE CITY INTL AP (USW00024127). 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 4967000). Match rule for Salt Lake City: 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 Salt Lake City 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.