Ithaca, NY climate
Ithaca has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 63 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Ithaca feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Ithaca 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 | 34° | 17° | 2.1" | 16.6" | 16 | 21 | 16° – 34° |
| February | 36° | 18° | 1.8" | 14.5" | 13 | 20 | 12° – 35° |
| March | 44° | 25° | 2.6" | 12.0" | 14 | 13 | 27° – 47° |
| April | 58° | 35° | 3.1" | 2.8" | 14 | 1 | 40° – 52° |
| May | 71° | 46° | 3.1" | 0 | 15 | 0 | 53° – 64° |
| June | 79° | 55° | 3.9" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 64° – 72° |
| July | 83° | 60° | 3.7" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 67° – 75° |
| August | 81° | 58° | 3.5" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 67° – 74° |
| September | 74° | 52° | 3.7" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 60° – 67° |
| October | 62° | 41° | 3.4" | 0.2" | 15 | 0 | 47° – 58° |
| November | 49° | 32° | 2.6" | 4.6" | 14 | 4 | 35° – 47° |
| December | 39° | 24° | 2.5" | 12.2" | 16 | 14 | 23° – 42° |
| Year | 59° | 38° | 36.1" | 62.9" | 166 | 73 |
“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 Ithaca
Ithaca gets 36 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 166 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 73 days of the year.
About 145 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 11 and the first one by October 3. That leaves about 145 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 85% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Ithaca
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Ithaca, 95% of that work is heating and 5% 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.
Ithaca and its neighbors
Ithaca borders 1 town with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.5°. Cayuga Heights has both the coldest January nights (16°) and the hottest July afternoons (82°). Ithaca’s January low is 17° and its July high 83°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Ithaca 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 Ithaca averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+2.6°). The shift is smaller than in 61% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Ithaca’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 12° to 35°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Ithaca’s climate
What is the coldest month in Ithaca?
January, with a typical high of 34° and a low of 17°.
What is the hottest month in Ithaca?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 60°. About 5 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Ithaca get?
About 63 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Ithaca?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 3, and the last spring frost by May 11.
What is the rainiest month in Ithaca?
June, with 3.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 36 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Ithaca itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Ithaca Cornell Univ, NY (3 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.