Kensington, NY climate
Kensington has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 26°, and about 26 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Kensington feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Kensington 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 | 40° | 26° | 3.4" | 7.5" | 11 | 6 | 25° – 40° |
| February | 42° | 27° | 3.0" | 8.6" | 10 | 7 | 23° – 41° |
| March | 50° | 34° | 4.2" | 4.3" | 11 | 3 | 37° – 50° |
| April | 61° | 43° | 3.9" | 0.6" | 11 | 0 | 48° – 56° |
| May | 70° | 53° | 3.7" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 57° – 66° |
| June | 80° | 63° | 4.1" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 68° – 75° |
| July | 85° | 69° | 4.1" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 72° – 81° |
| August | 84° | 67° | 4.1" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 72° – 79° |
| September | 77° | 61° | 4.1" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 66° – 73° |
| October | 65° | 49° | 4.1" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 53° – 64° |
| November | 54° | 40° | 3.5" | 0.4" | 9 | 0 | 42° – 52° |
| December | 45° | 32° | 4.3" | 4.5" | 11 | 3 | 31° – 50° |
| Year | 63° | 47° | 46.5" | 25.9" | 121 | 20 |
“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 Kensington
Kensington gets 47 inches of rain and melted snow a year. December is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 121 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 20 days of the year.
About 226 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 2 and the first one by November 14. That leaves about 226 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 84% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Kensington
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Kensington, 83% of that work is heating and 17% 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.
Kensington and its neighbors
Kensington borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.2°. Great Neck has both the coldest January nights (26°) and the hottest July afternoons (85°). Kensington’s January low is 26° and its July high 85°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Kensington 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 Kensington averaged 2.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.6°). The shift is larger than in 97% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Kensington’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. December swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 31° to 50°. September is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Kensington’s climate
What is the coldest month in Kensington?
January, with a typical high of 40° and a low of 26°.
What is the hottest month in Kensington?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 69°. About 11 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Kensington get?
About 26 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Kensington?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 14, and the last spring frost by April 2.
What is the rainiest month in Kensington?
December, with 4.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 47 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Kensington itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at New York Jfk Intl Airport, NY (11 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.