Dresden has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 56 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Dresden at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Dresden’s climate
Read from where Dresden sits among New York’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
56 inches of snow, 33 of rain and melt
July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 156 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
What a year in Dresden feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 173 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 30 and the first by October 22.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Living with Dresden’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
173 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 30 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 22.
About 56" a winter over 22 days with an inch or more, most in January.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 92% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 9 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 82°.
The nicest months are May, June, July, August and September.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Dresden averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.7°).
A bigger shift than in 50% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Dresden compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in New York.
Dresden 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 | 33° | 18° | 1.8" | 15.0" | 14 | 15° – 34° |
| February | 36° | 19° | 1.7" | 12.7" | 11 | 12° – 36° |
| March | 44° | 25° | 2.3" | 11.8" | 13 | 27° – 47° |
| April | 57° | 35° | 2.8" | 2.1" | 14 | 40° – 52° |
| May | 70° | 46° | 3.0" | 0.1" | 13 | 52° – 64° |
| June | 78° | 56° | 3.4" | 0 | 13 | 64° – 72° |
| July | 82° | 61° | 3.7" | 0 | 12 | 67° – 75° |
| August | 81° | 59° | 3.2" | 0 | 11 | 67° – 75° |
| September | 74° | 52° | 3.4" | 0 | 12 | 60° – 67° |
| October | 61° | 42° | 3.3" | 0.2" | 15 | 47° – 58° |
| November | 49° | 33° | 2.3" | 3.8" | 13 | 35° – 47° |
| December | 38° | 25° | 2.3" | 10.5" | 14 | 23° – 42° |
| Year | 59° | 39° | 33.2" | 56.2" | 156 |
Heating and cooling a home in Dresden
92% 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 12° to 36°. September is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Dresden’s climate
What is the coldest month in Dresden?
January, with a typical high of 33° and a low of 18°.
What is the hottest month in Dresden?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 61°. About 9 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Dresden get?
About 56 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Dresden?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 22, and the last spring frost by April 30.
What is the rainiest month in Dresden?
July, with 3.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 33 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Dresden.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Dresden itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Aurora Rsch Farm, NY (16 mi, snow) and Penn Yan Airport, NY (6 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.