Riverside has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 25°, and about 34 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Riverside at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Riverside’s climate
Read from where Riverside sits among Connecticut’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
What a year in Riverside feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Riverside averaged 2.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.7°).
A bigger shift than in 98% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
About 200 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 12 and the first by October 31.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Living with Riverside’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
200 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 12 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 31.
About 34" a winter over 10 days with an inch or more, most in February.
Months averaging under 55° run from November through April. Heating is 87% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 10 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 85°.
The nicest months are May, June, August, September and October. 0.5 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →34 inches of snow, 47 of rain and melt
September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 124 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Riverside and its neighbors
Cos Cob has the coldest January nights next door (24°) and Indian Field the hottest July afternoons (85°). Tap a town to see its climate.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
How Riverside compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Connecticut.
Riverside weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 40° | 25° | 3.3" | 9.1" | 11 | 24° – 39° |
| February | 42° | 26° | 2.8" | 11.9" | 8 | 21° – 40° |
| March | 49° | 32° | 4.0" | 5.9" | 10 | 35° – 49° |
| April | 61° | 42° | 4.0" | 0.5" | 12 | 47° – 56° |
| May | 70° | 51° | 3.9" | 0 | 12 | 57° – 65° |
| June | 80° | 61° | 4.3" | 0 | 12 | 67° – 73° |
| July | 85° | 67° | 4.3" | 0 | 9 | 71° – 79° |
| August | 83° | 66° | 4.1" | 0 | 9 | 70° – 78° |
| September | 76° | 59° | 4.5" | 0 | 9 | 65° – 72° |
| October | 65° | 48° | 4.4" | 0 | 10 | 52° – 64° |
| November | 54° | 38° | 3.5" | 0.8" | 10 | 41° – 51° |
| December | 45° | 30° | 4.0" | 5.8" | 11 | 31° – 49° |
| Year | 62° | 45° | 47.0" | 34.0" | 124 |
Heating and cooling a home in Riverside
87% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 21° to 40°. June is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Riverside’s climate
What is the coldest month in Riverside?
January, with a typical high of 40° and a low of 25°.
What is the hottest month in Riverside?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 67°. About 10 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Riverside get?
About 34 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Riverside?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 31, and the last spring frost by April 12.
What is the rainiest month in Riverside?
September, with 4.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 47 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Riverside.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Riverside itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Stamford 5 N, CT (7 mi, snow) and Westchester Co Airport, NY (7 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.