Lee, NY climate
Lee has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 12°, and about 151 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Lee feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Lee 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 | 29° | 12° | 4.0" | 41.4" | 18 | 8° – 30° |
| February | 31° | 13° | 3.2" | 38.0" | 15 | 8° – 29° |
| March | 40° | 21° | 3.5" | 17.1" | 14 | 22° – 43° |
| April | 54° | 32° | 4.0" | 2.9" | 14 | 37° – 49° |
| May | 67° | 44° | 4.4" | 0 | 14 | 50° – 61° |
| June | 76° | 53° | 4.6" | 0 | 12 | 61° – 70° |
| July | 80° | 58° | 4.5" | 0 | 12 | 64° – 73° |
| August | 78° | 56° | 4.1" | 0 | 12 | 64° – 71° |
| September | 71° | 49° | 4.2" | 0 | 11 | 56° – 66° |
| October | 58° | 39° | 5.2" | 1.1" | 16 | 43° – 55° |
| November | 46° | 30° | 4.2" | 15.6" | 14 | 32° – 43° |
| December | 34° | 20° | 4.5" | 35.2" | 18 | 19° – 38° |
| Year | 55° | 36° | 50.2" | 151.3" | 167 |
“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 Lee
Lee gets 50 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 167 days a year.
About 157 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 6 and the first one by October 13. That leaves about 157 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 74% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Lee
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Lee, 94% of that work is heating and 6% 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.
Lee and its neighbors
Lee borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 3.2°. Ava has the coldest January nights (10°) and Rome the hottest July afternoons (82°). Lee’s January low is 12° and its July high 80°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Lee 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 Lee averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.3°). The shift is larger than in 67% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Lee’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. January swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 8° to 30°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Lee’s climate
What is the coldest month in Lee?
January, with a typical high of 29° and a low of 12°.
What is the hottest month in Lee?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 58°. About 7 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Lee get?
About 151 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Lee?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 13, and the last spring frost by May 6.
What is the rainiest month in Lee?
October, with 5.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 50 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Lee itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Camden, NY (16 mi, snow) and Rome Griffiss Airfield, NY (8 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.