Yakima, WA Weather

Yakima has a semi-arid climate with a Mediterranean precipitation pattern. Winters are cold, with December the coolest month, with a mean temperature of 28.5 °F (−1.9 °C). Annual average snowfall is 21.6 inches (55 cm), with most occurring in December and January, when the snow depth averages 2 to 3 in (5.1 to 7.6 cm). There are 22 days per year in which the high does not surpass freezing, and 2.3 mornings where the low is 0 °F (−18 °C) or lower. Springtime warming is very gradual, with the average last freeze of the season May 13. Summer days are hot, but the diurnal temperature variation is large, averaging 34.6 °F (19.2 °C) in July, sometimes reaching as high as 50 °F (27.8 °C) during that season; there are 34 afternoons of maxima reaching 90 °F (32 °C) or greater annually and 3.2 afternoons of 100 °F (38 °C) maxima. Autumn cooling is very rapid, with the average first freeze of the season occurring on September 30. Due to the city’s location in a rain shadow, precipitation, at an average of 8.25 inches (210 mm) annually, is low year-round, but especially during summer. Extreme temperatures have ranged from −25 °F (−32 °C) on February 1, 1950, to 110 °F (43 °C) on August 10, 1971.