Yakima Air Terminal, WA Climate: Temperature & Rain by Month
Annual temperature and rainfall from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 normals →; comfort score computed by PlainClimate
30-year climate normals (1991-2020) from Yakima Air Terminal's primary NOAA station, YAKIMA AIR TERMINAL.
The climate verdict for Yakima Air Terminal
Dryness leads the climate profile for Yakima Air Terminal, Washington, with 8.0 inches of precipitation a year. NOAA records an annual average of 51°F. At 39/100 (below average) the climate comfort score falls in the bottom third of the station-mapped U.S. score corpus, exceeding only 4% of scores.
- 51°F
- yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
- 39/100
- comfort score, above 4% of station-mapped location scores
- 8.0"
- annual precipitation · 20" snow
- 149 days
- growing season, frost-free days
Yakima Air Terminal: NOAA 1991-2020 normals describe a typical year, not a forecast. Method: /methodology.
Normals record plate
Sheet USW00024243 · Yakima Air Terminal, WA 51°F mean · 8.0" precip
TEMP-COOL · RANK-MID · PHOTO-FINISH · PRCP-ARID · SWING-MID · COMF-LOW · LOAD-HEAT · STN-1 · BOOK-FULL
- TEMP-COOL 51°F
- RANK-MID #3,019
- PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Lind
- PRCP-ARID 8.0"
- SWING-MID 42°F
- COMF-LOW 39/100
- LOAD-HEAT 5,756 HDD
- STN-1 USW00024243
- BOOK-FULL 6/6 fields
Nearest mean-temperature peer: Lind, WA (+ 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.
- Yakima Air Term… (this station) 51°F
- Cold E Wareham, MA 51°F
- Hot Ganado, AZ 51°F
- Near Lind, WA 51°F
- Near Otis, NM 51°F
Climate Living Index · Yakima Air Terminal
Yakima Air Terminal: 36/100 · grade F
Yakima Air Terminal publishes all six Living Index dimensions from NOAA annual/seasonal normals · NOAA daily multivariate normals · NOAA hourly normals.
PlainClimate-derived for Yakima Air Terminal, not an official NOAA rating. Rankings still use Comfort Score 39/100 (separate formula). Breakpoints and limits.
| Dimension | Station value | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Summer moisture balance | 46.4°F mean dew point | 75/100 · B |
| Snowfall burden | 20.3 inches/year | 49/100 · D |
| Annual temperature balance | 50.8°F · 16.7° from 67.5°F | 44/100 · D |
| Frost-free season | 149 days/year | 24/100 · F |
| Normal heat + freeze calendar | 183 calendar days | 23/100 · F |
| Precipitation balance | 8.0 in · 27.0 from 35 in | 7/100 · F |
Yakima Air Terminal · 2026-08-04 · NOAA NCEI Climate Normals · method · Comfort Score method.
Yakima Air Terminal's normals sit in a dry climate class: BSk
Precipitation is low relative to temperature but above true desert thresholds: cold semi-arid steppe (BSk). Class BSk is the Peel et al. (2007) label for this station's monthly mean temperature and precipitation normals: dry (arid or semi-arid), specifically cold semi-arid steppe.
- Köppen code
- BSk
- Group
- Dry (arid or semi-arid)
- Warmest month
- 72.4°F
- Coldest month
- 30.6°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 Yakima Air Terminal sits across the climate record
Three NOAA fields for Yakima Air Terminal's primary station, temperature, precipitation, and seasonal swing, are ranked against every station-mapped normal that carries the same field.
- Annual temperature
- 44th percentile warmth
- Mid-pack annual mean versus 6,861 station normals.
- Annual precipitation
- Drier than 97%
- Yakima Air Terminal's annual total ranks in the drier third of 6,352 measured normals.
- Seasonal temperature swing
- 43rd percentile swing
- Typical seasonal amplitude versus 6,861 complete station-years.
How Yakima Air Terminal compares across U.S. station-mapped locations
Yakima Air Terminal's comfort score vs. all station-mapped locations
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
39 4th percentile score exceeds 4% 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%). This entry sits in this band.
- 40–50: 1,113 station-mapped locations (18%). Above this entry.
- 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
Yakima Air Terminal's measured station temperature trend
MethodologyAcross 76 complete annual observations from 1947 to 2025, YAKIMA AIR TERMINAL warmed at a fitted rate of 0.28°C per decade. The line shows the fitted change relative to its first year, not raw year-to-year temperatures or a forecast.
- Yakima Air Terminal primary station fitted change +0.28 °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 | 40°F (4°C) | 24°F (-4°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 1.2" | 6.2" | 27.0 | 0.0 |
| February | 47°F (8°C) | 26°F (-3°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 0.8" | 2.7" | 23.2 | 0.0 |
| March | 57°F (14°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 0.6" | 0.6" | 20.4 | 0.0 |
| April | 65°F (18°C) | 35°F (2°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 0.6" | 0.0" | 11.4 | 0.0 |
| May | 74°F (23°C) | 44°F (6°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 0.7" | 0.0" | 2.6 | 1.7 |
| June | 81°F (27°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 0.5" | 0.0" | 0.1 | 4.6 |
| July | 90°F (32°C) | 55°F (13°C) | 72°F (22°C) | 0.2" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 16.5 |
| August | 89°F (31°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 71°F (22°C) | 0.2" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 14.2 |
| September | 79°F (26°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 62°F (17°C) | 0.2" | 0.0" | 0.7 | 3.2 |
| October | 64°F (18°C) | 35°F (2°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 0.6" | 0.1" | 11.4 | 0.0 |
| November | 49°F (9°C) | 27°F (-3°C) | 38°F (3°C) | 0.9" | 3.0" | 22.5 | 0.0 |
| December | 38°F (3°C) | 23°F (-5°C) | 31°F (-1°C) | 1.4" | 7.7" | 28.0 | 0.0 |
The year, day by day
Yakima Air Terminal works both ends of the calendar. Normal highs climb to 92°F by July 24 and hold at or above 90°F on 28 dates, then normal lows drop to freezing or below on 155 dates, bottoming at 23°F around December 21.
When the heat sits
Normal highs reach 90°F from July 14 through August 10, covering 28 dates. The broader mild season, normal highs of 70°F or more, runs May 2 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 March 28, then returns to freezing around October 26, covering 155 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 December 27, when 34% of years recorded at least a hundredth of an inch. The driest is July 26 at 7%. Summed across the calendar, that is about 72 wet dates a year.
The widest day
July 24 carries the biggest normal gap between afternoon and dawn, 36°F between the normal high and the normal low.
Look up any date
Any date's 1991–2020 normal for Yakima Air Terminal.
Where Yakima Air Terminal Stands Nationally
Aridity defines the water calendar: about 8 inches in a normal year lands this among the driest tenth of ranked stations.
Daily temperature swings run wider than most of the country, peaking near 36°F between the normal high and low.
Yakima Air Terminal earns 2 nationally notable standings (outer quintiles) against 6,860 NOAA 1991–2020 normals stations; only those extremes render.
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
Snow: 6.2"
9.5 days with precipitation
Snow: 2.7"
7.3 days with precipitation
Snow: 0.6"
6.6 days with precipitation
5.6 days with precipitation
6.3 days with precipitation
4.6 days with precipitation
2.2 days with precipitation
2.2 days with precipitation
3.0 days with precipitation
Snow: 0.1"
5.9 days with precipitation
Snow: 3.0"
8.3 days with precipitation
Snow: 7.7"
10.3 days with precipitation
Yakima Air Terminal's wet season runs through the cold months
December, January and February carry 43% of the year's precipitation here, while June through August contribute 11%. That is the cool-season-dominant pattern of the West Coast and the higher inland West, where storm tracks swing south in winter and summer turns dry; the thermometer meanwhile shows a 41.8°F seasonal spread.
- Wettest month
- December, 1.4"
- Driest month
- July, 0.2"
- Wettest three months
- December, January, November (44% of the year)
Shares are computed from this station's own 1991-2020 monthly precipitation normals. A cool-season label means the December-February share reaches 35%. Where snow falls, the monthly figures above report liquid-equivalent precipitation, so a wet winter month is not necessarily a rainy one.
Yakima Air Terminal is dry, and what does fall arrives gently
Only about 72 days a year record measurable precipitation here, 20% of the calendar, and they carry 8.0" between them. At roughly 0.11 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 10 wet days; the driest is July at about 2.
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 Yakima Air Terminal
Yakima Air Terminal averages 20.3 inches of snowfall a year, with December the snowiest month on the normals, spread across roughly 14 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: 20.3 inches of depth.
- Days recording measurable snow: about 14 a year.
- At a rough ten-to-one melt ratio, snow accounts for on the order of 25% 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 4
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 8
50% probability date
Growing Season
149 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
5,756
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
606
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
December
Humidity & Wind
Monthly averages from hourly observations
| Month | Humidity | Wind (mph) | Clear Sky % | Overcast % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 78% | 4.4 | 37% | 38% |
| February | 65% | 5.8 | 47% | 24% |
| March | 56% | 7.1 | 50% | 16% |
| April | 49% | 7.4 | 55% | 12% |
| May | 47% | 7.2 | 56% | 12% |
| June | 43% | 7.3 | 70% | 4% |
| July | 41% | 6.7 | 82% | 2% |
| August | 49% | 6.3 | 77% | 3% |
| September | 57% | 5.9 | 73% | 6% |
| October | 68% | 4.9 | 57% | 20% |
| November | 78% | 4.2 | 43% | 35% |
| December | 80% | 3.9 | 33% | 45% |
Nationwide similar cities
Other rankable U.S. places outside WA closest to Yakima Air Terminal 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).
- Ashland, NE 51°F · 0.0°F off
- Attica, IN 51°F · 0.0°F off
- Brady, NE 51°F · 0.0°F off
- Bridgehampton, NY 51°F · 0.0°F off
Closest by annual precipitation
Nearest out-of-state peers by annual precipitation (8.0" here), excluding temperature-peer places.
- Castle Dale, UT 8.0" · 0.0" off
- Delta, UT 8.0" · 0.0" off
- Shoshoni, WY 8.0" · 0.0" off
- Arizona City, AZ 8.0" · 0.1" off
Snow and freeze rhythm
When cold and snow define Yakima Air Terminal
heating led · dry · mid swing
Yakima Air Terminal's energy balance leans toward cold weather: 5,756 annual heating degree days against 606 for cooling. Its 41.8°F seasonal range still makes the monthly rows more useful than the annual average alone.
Only about 149 days are frost-free in a normal year. That short interval is consistent with the cold-season signal, but the measure does not predict the exact first or last freeze in any one year.
-
1. Yakima Air Terminal coldest normal
December
The monthly mean of 31°F (-1°C) sits near freezing, so cold nights and above-freezing afternoons share the same month.
-
2. Yakima Air Terminal typical freeze period
January through December
The station reports average freezing days from January through December.
-
3. Yakima Air Terminal snow peak
December
Yakima Air Terminal averages 20.3 inches of snow a year, with December the snowiest month on the normals.
Questions about Yakima Air Terminal's climate
How much snow does Yakima Air Terminal get? ▼
How many days above 90°F does Yakima Air Terminal get? ▼
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Yakima Air Terminal? ▼
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). All figures on this page are from Yakima Air Terminal's primary station: YAKIMA AIR TERMINAL (USW00024243). For informational purposes only.
Place identity: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer places. The conservative exact name-and-state crosswalk finds no Census place match, so PlainClimate treats this as a station-mapped location and does not claim it is a municipality. No exact Gazetteer row for Yakima Air Terminal; facility counts that depend on place identity are therefore an upper bound, not a municipal census.
On this page every temperature, precipitation, and derived score for Yakima Air Terminal 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.