Black River, NY climate
Black River has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 10°, and about 116 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Black River feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Black River 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 | 28° | 10° | 3.5" | 34.0" | 18 | 26 | 4° – 28° |
| February | 30° | 11° | 2.6" | 29.6" | 15 | 25 | 5° – 29° |
| March | 40° | 20° | 2.9" | 13.6" | 13 | 16 | 21° – 42° |
| April | 54° | 32° | 3.4" | 2.7" | 14 | 2 | 37° – 49° |
| May | 67° | 45° | 3.5" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 50° – 61° |
| June | 75° | 54° | 3.7" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 61° – 70° |
| July | 80° | 59° | 3.5" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 64° – 74° |
| August | 78° | 57° | 3.7" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 65° – 72° |
| September | 71° | 50° | 3.9" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 56° – 65° |
| October | 58° | 39° | 4.8" | 0.5" | 16 | 0 | 43° – 55° |
| November | 45° | 29° | 4.0" | 9.1" | 15 | 5 | 31° – 43° |
| December | 34° | 18° | 3.7" | 26.9" | 17 | 18 | 16° – 39° |
| Year | 55° | 35° | 42.9" | 116.4" | 168 | 92 |
“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 Black River
Black River gets 43 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 168 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 92 days of the year.
About 163 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 2 and the first one by October 13. That leaves about 163 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 68% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Black River
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Black River, 93% of that work is heating and 7% 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.
Black River and its neighbors
Black River borders 2 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.5°. Rutland has the coldest January nights (8°) and Le Ray the hottest July afternoons (80°). Black River’s January low is 10° and its July high 80°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Black River 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 Black River averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+4.1°). The shift is larger than in 81% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Black River’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 5° to 29°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Black River’s climate
What is the coldest month in Black River?
January, with a typical high of 28° and a low of 10°.
What is the hottest month in Black River?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 59°. About 4 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Black River get?
About 116 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Black River?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 13, and the last spring frost by May 2.
What is the rainiest month in Black River?
October, with 4.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 43 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Black River itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Watertown, NY (5 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.