Climate
Snow is relatively rare at low elevations in western Oregon, but it is common at higher elevations, especially at Crater Lake. Measurements at park headquarters, 6,475 feet (1,974 m) above sea level, show that snow falls more often here than at any other long-term weather station in Oregon. Winter, which typically begins at the park in September and runs through June, includes an average of 98 days with measurable snowfall. Up to 37 inches (94 cm) of snow have fallen on the park in a single day (in 1937, 1951, and 1971), 313 inches (800 cm) in a month (January 1950), and 903 inches (2,290 cm) in a year (1950).
Snow typically accumulates in the park to depths of 10 to 15 feet (3.0 to 4.6 m) by early spring. Most of the park's roads remain closed through late spring, and snow lingers into the summer. In July and August, snowfall is uncommon, and "one magnificent day typically follows another".
January is the coldest month, when highs average about 35 °F (2 °C) and lows average about 18 °F (−8 °C). August is the warmest month, with an average high of roughly 69 °F (21 °C) and an average low of about 40 °F (4 °C). Between 1962 and 1990, the highest recorded temperature was 90 °F (32 °C), and the lowest was −21 °F (−29 °C). Annual precipitation averages about 66 inches (1,700 mm) a year. December is the wettest, averaging about 11 inches (280 mm).
| Climate data for Crater Lake (1981–2010 normals) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °F (°C) | 34.6 (1.4) |
35.1 (1.7) |
37.5 (3.1) |
41.7 (5.4) |
49.4 (9.7) |
57.9 (14.4) |
68.8 (20.4) |
69.7 (20.9) |
63.2 (17.3) |
52.1 (11.2) |
38.2 (3.4) |
34.0 (1.1) |
48.52 (9.18) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 19.0 (−7.2) |
18.5 (−7.5) |
19.8 (−6.8) |
23.0 (−5.0) |
28.3 (−2.1) |
33.3 (0.7) |
40.5 (4.7) |
40.6 (4.8) |
36.2 (2.3) |
30.1 (−1.1) |
22.6 (−5.2) |
18.8 (−7.3) |
27.56 (−2.47) |
| Precipitation inches (mm) | 9.32 (236.7) |
7.75 (196.9) |
7.48 (190) |
5.37 (136.4) |
3.55 (90.2) |
2.22 (56.4) |
1.02 (25.9) |
1.00 (25.4) |
1.85 (47) |
4.44 (112.8) |
10.29 (261.4) |
11.41 (289.8) |
65.7 (1,668.8) |
| Snowfall inches (cm) | 85.5 (217.2) |
73.8 (187.5) |
73.4 (186.4) |
48.8 (124) |
17.4 (44.2) |
4.1 (10.4) |
0.2 (0.5) |
0 (0) |
3.1 (7.9) |
17.3 (43.9) |
71.1 (180.6) |
92.7 (235.5) |
487.4 (1,238) |
| Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 17.9 | 15.9 | 18.1 | 15.5 | 11.2 | 8.1 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 5.8 | 9.8 | 17.5 | 18.0 | 145.7 |
| Avg. snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 15.9 | 14.3 | 16.1 | 12.6 | 6.0 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 4.7 | 13.2 | 16.4 | 102.5 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Read more about this topic: Crater Lake National Park
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