Northwest 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.
A year in Northwest Ithaca at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Northwest Ithaca’s climate
Read from where Northwest Ithaca sits among New York’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
63 inches of snow, 36 of rain and melt
June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 166 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Northwest Ithaca averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.6°).
A smaller shift than in 59% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
What a year in Northwest Ithaca feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 145 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 11 and the first by October 3.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Living with Northwest Ithaca’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
145 frost-free days. The last frost comes by May 11 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 3.
About 63" a winter over 20 days with an inch or more, most in January. Snow covers the ground about 73 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 95% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 5 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 83°.
The nicest months are May, June, July, August and September. 2.0 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 →Northwest Ithaca and its neighbors
Ithaca has the coldest January nights next door (17°) and Ithaca the hottest July afternoons (83°). 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.
How Northwest Ithaca compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in New York.
Northwest 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 | 33° | 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° – 48° |
| 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° | 3.8" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 67° – 75° |
| August | 82° | 59° | 3.5" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 67° – 74° |
| September | 74° | 52° | 3.7" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 60° – 67° |
| October | 62° | 41° | 3.5" | 0.2" | 15 | 0 | 47° – 58° |
| November | 49° | 32° | 2.7" | 4.6" | 14 | 4 | 35° – 47° |
| December | 39° | 24° | 2.6" | 12.2" | 16 | 14 | 23° – 42° |
| Year | 59° | 39° | 36.5" | 62.9" | 166 | 73 |
Heating and cooling a home in Northwest Ithaca
95% 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 12° to 35°. September is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Northwest Ithaca’s climate
What is the coldest month in Northwest Ithaca?
January, with a typical high of 33° and a low of 17°.
What is the hottest month in Northwest Ithaca?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 60°. About 5 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Northwest Ithaca get?
About 63 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Northwest 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 Northwest Ithaca?
June, with 3.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 36 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Northwest Ithaca.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Northwest Ithaca itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Ithaca Cornell Univ, NY (4 mi) away. 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.