North Elba, NY climate
North Elba has cold, snowy winters and cool summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 72°, a January night drops to 4°, and about 104 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in North Elba feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
North Elba 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 | 23° | 4° | 3.9" | 21.0" | 19 | 29 | 1° – 22° |
| February | 26° | 5° | 3.1" | 21.0" | 14 | 27 | 1° – 23° |
| March | 34° | 13° | 3.5" | 18.9" | 13 | 24 | 12° – 35° |
| April | 46° | 26° | 4.2" | 7.8" | 14 | 7 | 29° – 42° |
| May | 60° | 38° | 4.6" | 0.5" | 15 | 0 | 42° – 54° |
| June | 68° | 47° | 5.3" | 0 | 15 | 0 | 55° – 63° |
| July | 72° | 51° | 4.9" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 56° – 65° |
| August | 70° | 51° | 4.6" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 57° – 63° |
| September | 63° | 44° | 4.4" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 49° – 59° |
| October | 51° | 33° | 5.2" | 2.6" | 15 | 1 | 37° – 48° |
| November | 38° | 22° | 4.1" | 9.6" | 15 | 11 | 24° – 36° |
| December | 28° | 11° | 4.2" | 22.7" | 19 | 26 | 11° – 32° |
| Year | 48° | 29° | 52.0" | 104.1" | 179 | 124 |
“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 North Elba
North Elba gets 52 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 179 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 124 days of the year.
About 123 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 21 and the first one by September 24. That leaves about 123 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 97% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in North Elba
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In North Elba, 99% of that work is heating and 1% 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.
North Elba and its neighbors
North Elba borders 6 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 3.2°. Keene has the coldest January nights (3°) and Saranac Lake the hottest July afternoons (77°). North Elba’s January low is 4° and its July high 72°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How North Elba 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 North Elba averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.8°). The shift is larger than in 79% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at North Elba’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. March swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 12° to 35°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about North Elba’s climate
What is the coldest month in North Elba?
January, with a typical high of 23° and a low of 4°.
What is the hottest month in North Elba?
July, with a typical high of 72° and a low of 51°. About 1 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does North Elba get?
About 104 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in North Elba?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 24, and the last spring frost by May 21.
What is the rainiest month in North Elba?
June, with 5.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 52 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for North Elba itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Lake Placid 2 S, NY (7 mi, snow) and Ray Brook, NY (7 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.