Durham, CT Climate


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Durham, CT has a humid continental climate with four distinct seasons. Summers are hot and humid with temperatures averaging in the upper 70s while winters are cold and snowy with temperatures in the mid-20s at night. Spring and autumn bring mild weather, with plenty of rainfall throughout the year. Durham sees an average of 48 inches of rain annually, making it one of the wettest places in Connecticut. Winters are generally colder than nearby coastal areas due to its inland location. Snowfall is common during winter months and can range from light dustings to large snowstorms.

Durham, Connecticut gets 50 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

Durham averages 35 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.

On average, there are 193 sunny days per year in Durham. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Durham gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 114 days per year. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. In order for precipitation to be counted you have to get at least .01 inches on the ground to measure.


Weather Highlights

Summer High: the July high is around 84 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 19
Rain: averages 50 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 35 inches of snow a year


Bestplaces Comfort Index

The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Durham is 7.1 (10=best), which means it is more comfortable than most places in Connecticut.

9.1 Summer - 5.1 Winter
August, June and September are the most pleasant months in Durham, while January and February are the least comfortable months.

  ClimateDurham, ConnecticutUnited States
  50.4 in.38.1 in.
  34.5 in.27.8 in.
  114.4 days106.2 days
  193 days205 days
  84.4°85.8°
  19.1°21.7°
  7.17
  3.44.3
  213 ft.2443 ft.
Climate
YOU SHOULD KNOW

Many people confuse weather and climate but they are different. Weather is the conditions of the atmosphere over a short period of time, and climate is how the atmosphere is over long periods of time.

Weather is how the atmosphere is behaving and its effects upon life and human activities. Weather can change from minute-to-minute. Most people think of weather in terms of temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloudiness, brightness, visibility, wind, and atmospheric pressure.

Climate is the description of the long-term pattern of weather in a place. Climate can mean the average weather for a particular region and time period taken over 30 years. Climate is the average of weather over time.

July is the hottest month for Durham with an average high temperature of 84.4°, which ranks it as one of the hottest places in Connecticut. In Durham, there are 5 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Durham are June, September and August.
In Durham, there are 10.8 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is hotter than most places in Connecticut.
January has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Durham with an average of 19.1°. This is warmer than most places in Connecticut.
In Durham, there are 119.6 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is warmer than most places in Connecticut.
In Durham, there are 2.3 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is about average compared to other places in Connecticut.
The humidity is usually comfortable in Durham but some summer months can be sticky or muggy. July is the most humid month, though humidity is low for most of the year. The most humid months are July, August and June.
October is the wettest month in Durham with 5.1 inches of rain, and the driest month is February with 3.3 inches. The wettest season is Winter with 27% of yearly precipitation and 22% occurs in Spring, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 50.4 inches in Durham means that it is about average compared to other places in Connecticut.
May is the rainiest month in Durham with 11.0 days of rain, and August is the driest month with only 8.2 rainy days. There are 114.4 rainy days annually in Durham, which is less rainy than most places in Connecticut. The rainiest season is Summer when it rains 28% of the time and the driest is Winter with only a 24% chance of a rainy day.
An annual snowfall of 34.5 inches in Durham means that it is about average compared to other places in Connecticut. January is the snowiest month in Durham with 10.4 inches of snow, and 6 months of the year have significant snowfall.
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