Great Bend has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, a January night drops to 9°, and about 228 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Great Bend at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Great Bend’s climate
Read from where Great Bend sits among New York’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
228 inches of snow, 43 of rain and melt
October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 190 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
About 163 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 2 and the first by October 13.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
What a year in Great Bend feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Living with Great Bend’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
163 frost-free days. The last frost comes by May 2 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 13.
About 228" a winter over 50 days with an inch or more, most in January. Snow covers the ground about 143 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 93% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 4 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 79°.
The nicest months are May, June, July, August and September. 1.9 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 →Great Bend and its neighbors
Wilna has the coldest January nights next door (8°) and Fort Drum the hottest July afternoons (80°). 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.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Great Bend averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.9°).
A bigger shift than in 78% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Great Bend compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in New York.
Great Bend 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 | 27° | 9° | 3.5" | 60.6" | 22 | 30 | 4° – 27° |
| February | 30° | 10° | 2.6" | 54.7" | 18 | 29 | 4° – 28° |
| March | 39° | 19° | 2.9" | 28.4" | 17 | 30 | 20° – 42° |
| April | 53° | 32° | 3.4" | 9.6" | 15 | 14 | 37° – 48° |
| May | 67° | 44° | 3.5" | 0.6" | 15 | 0 | 49° – 61° |
| June | 75° | 53° | 3.7" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 61° – 69° |
| July | 79° | 58° | 3.5" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 63° – 73° |
| August | 78° | 57° | 3.7" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 64° – 71° |
| September | 71° | 49° | 3.8" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 56° – 65° |
| October | 58° | 38° | 4.7" | 2.6" | 17 | 1 | 42° – 54° |
| November | 45° | 29° | 3.9" | 20.6" | 17 | 11 | 31° – 43° |
| December | 33° | 18° | 3.7" | 50.6" | 21 | 27 | 16° – 38° |
| Year | 55° | 35° | 42.9" | 227.7" | 190 | 143 |
Heating and cooling a home in Great Bend
93% 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 4° to 28°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Great Bend’s climate
What is the coldest month in Great Bend?
January, with a typical high of 27° and a low of 9°.
What is the hottest month in Great Bend?
July, with a typical high of 79° and a low of 58°. About 4 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Great Bend get?
About 228 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Great Bend?
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 Great Bend?
October, with 4.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 43 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Great Bend.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Great Bend itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Hooker 12 Nnw, NY (11 mi, snow) and Watertown, NY (9 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.