Amherst, NY climate
Amherst has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 95 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade7° warmer than normal today. The forecast high is 74°, and a typical Sep 30 in Amherst peaks around 67°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What a year in Amherst feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Amherst 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 | 33° | 18° | 2.8" | 26.7" | 19 | 21 | 16° – 35° |
| February | 34° | 18° | 2.2" | 18.1" | 16 | 19 | 11° – 35° |
| March | 43° | 25° | 2.6" | 14.1" | 15 | 12 | 26° – 47° |
| April | 56° | 35° | 3.4" | 2.5" | 13 | 1 | 40° – 51° |
| May | 68° | 47° | 3.3" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 51° – 64° |
| June | 77° | 57° | 3.3" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 62° – 72° |
| July | 81° | 62° | 3.4" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 66° – 76° |
| August | 80° | 60° | 3.2" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 65° – 75° |
| September | 73° | 53° | 3.8" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 59° – 68° |
| October | 61° | 43° | 3.7" | 0.9" | 14 | 0 | 47° – 59° |
| November | 48° | 33° | 3.2" | 7.8" | 14 | 4 | 35° – 46° |
| December | 38° | 25° | 3.2" | 25.3" | 18 | 14 | 22° – 42° |
| Year | 58° | 40° | 38.0" | 95.4" | 166 | 71 |
“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 Amherst
Amherst gets 38 inches of rain and melted snow a year. September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 166 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 71 days of the year.
About 183 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 24 and the first one by October 26. That leaves about 183 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 56% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Amherst
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Amherst, 91% of that work is heating and 9% 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.
Amherst and its neighbors
Amherst borders 8 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.5°. Clarence has the coldest January nights (18°) and North Tonawanda the hottest July afternoons (81°). Amherst’s January low is 18° and its July high 81°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Amherst 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 Amherst averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.9°). The shift is larger than in 82% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Amherst’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 11° to 35°. September is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Common questions about Amherst’s climate
What is the coldest month in Amherst?
January, with a typical high of 33° and a low of 18°.
What is the hottest month in Amherst?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 62°. About 3 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Amherst get?
About 95 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Amherst?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 26, and the last spring frost by April 24.
What is the rainiest month in Amherst?
September, with 3.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 38 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Amherst itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Buffalo, NY (4 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.