Salem (IN) Temperature by Month
The average annual maximum temperature in Salem, Indiana, United States of America is 19°C (66°F), with daytime highs ranging from 5°C (41°F) in January to 30°C (86°F) in August. This page covers monthly averages, day-night differences, and how Salem compares to cities worldwide.
Salem Monthly Temperatures
With significant temperature fluctuations, Salem enjoys distinct seasons year-round. Nighttime lows range from 17°C (63°F) in August to -6°C (21°F) in January.
The chart below illustrates the average maximum day and minimum night temperatures in Salem by month:
The coldest point of the day usually falls between 4 AM and 6 AM, with temperatures peaking around 3 PM. August, the city's warmest month, gets 275 hours of sunshine.
The chart below shows the average temperature throughout the year:
Temperature: Salem vs the United States of America
The map below shows the annual temperature across the United States of America. You can also select individual months if you want to compare a specific time of year.
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Salem vs World: Temperature Compared
Salem's average annual maximum temperature is 19°C (66°F). To put that in context, here's how it compares to a few well-known destinations:
Lisbon, Portugal averages 21°C (70°F) annually — warm summers, mild winters, and rain mainly in the cooler months.
On the cooler end, Oslo, Norway averages just 10°C (50°F) annually, with pleasant summers but long, cold winters.
Chicago, USA averages 15°C (59°F) annually — known for extreme seasonal swings, from bitterly cold winters to warm summers.
Adelaide, Australia averages 21°C (70°F) a year, with warm summers, mild winters, and relatively low rainfall year-round.
What Does the Temperature Feel Like in Salem?
Temperature alone doesn't tell the whole story — humidity plays a big role in how warm or cold it actually feels. High humidity in summer makes the heat feel more intense, particularly once temperatures climb above 25°C. In winter, the same humidity can make cold air feel sharper than the thermometer suggests.
In the cooler months, when temperatures drop below 10°C, high humidity makes the cold feel more cutting than it would in dry conditions.
In Salem, January is the coolest month, with average highs of 5°C (41°F) and humidity around 67% — considered high. In August, the warmest month, temperatures average 30°C (86°F) with 71% humidity — conditions that feel high. For a full picture, see our humidity page.
Climate temperature data is typically calculated as a 30-year average. This smooths out year-to-year variability and gives a more reliable picture of what a place is actually like, rather than what happened in any single unusual year.
The readings come from a range of sources — land-based weather stations, ocean buoys, ships, and satellites. That data is collected by weather services around the world, then pooled, quality-checked, and averaged to produce the climate records you see here.
Whether a city sits on the coast or deep inland makes a significant difference to its climate. Coastal areas tend to have more stable temperatures year-round — large bodies of water absorb heat slowly in summer and release it gradually in winter, keeping extremes in check. Cities far from the sea don't benefit from that buffer, which is why continental climates tend to have hotter summers and colder winters than their coastal counterparts at the same latitude.
For more on Salem's weather — including monthly rainfall, sunshine hours, and humidity — visit our Salem climate page.
