Riverside, MD climate
Riverside has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 27°, and about 17 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Riverside feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
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 | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 42° | 27° | 3.2" | 5.2" | 10 | 4 | 26° – 42° |
| February | 45° | 27° | 2.7" | 7.9" | 8 | 6 | 24° – 42° |
| March | 53° | 35° | 4.1" | 1.7" | 10 | 1 | 37° – 52° |
| April | 65° | 45° | 3.4" | 0.2" | 10 | 0 | 50° – 59° |
| May | 74° | 54° | 3.8" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 59° – 70° |
| June | 83° | 64° | 4.2" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 70° – 78° |
| July | 88° | 69° | 4.6" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 74° – 82° |
| August | 86° | 67° | 4.3" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 73° – 79° |
| September | 79° | 61° | 4.6" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 67° – 73° |
| October | 68° | 49° | 3.8" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 54° – 65° |
| November | 56° | 38° | 3.3" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 42° – 52° |
| December | 47° | 31° | 3.9" | 1.7" | 10 | 2 | 31° – 49° |
| Year | 65° | 47° | 45.9" | 16.7" | 108 | 13 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Riverside
Riverside gets 46 inches of rain and melted snow a year. September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 108 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 13 days of the year.
About 201 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 10 and the first one by October 30. That leaves about 201 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 73% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Riverside
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Riverside, 80% of that work is heating and 20% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
Riverside and its neighbors
Riverside borders 2 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.2°. Abingdon has both the coldest January nights (26°) and the hottest July afternoons (88°). Riverside’s January low is 27° and its July high 88°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Riverside compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Riverside averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.0°). The shift is larger than in 78% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Riverside’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. February swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 24° to 42°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Riverside’s climate
What is the coldest month in Riverside?
January, with a typical high of 42° and a low of 27°.
What is the hottest month in Riverside?
July, with a typical high of 88° and a low of 69°. About 26 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Riverside get?
About 17 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 30, and the last spring frost by April 10.
What is the rainiest month in Riverside?
September, with 4.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 46 inches.
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 Chestertown, MD (21 mi, snow) and Aberdeen Phillips Fld, MD (4 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.