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Climate in Palenville · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Palenville has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers

A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 16°, and about 31 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

A year in Palenville at a glance

Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.

Jan34°16° 8" snow
Feb37°18° 9" snow
Mar45°25° 4" snow
Apr59°35° Last frost ~29
May70°46° Nice out
Jun78°55° Nice out3 days 90°+
Jul83°60° Nice out5 days 90°+
Aug81°58° Nice out3 days 90°+
Sep73°51° Nice out
Oct now61°41° First frost ~14Wettest
Nov49°32°
Dec38°23° 9" snow

What stands out about Palenville’s climate

Read from where Palenville sits among New York’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.

★ What stands out · Rain & snow

31 inches of snow, 47 of rain and melt

October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 116 days a year.

47"
Rain + melted snow a year
344th wettest of 2,223 New York towns
More than 77% of U.S. towns
31"
Snow in a normal winter
237th least snowy of 2,156 New York towns
More than 59% of U.S. towns
26 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
266th least snowy of 1,653 New York towns
Less than 53% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

4.9"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

9.1"
JFMAMJJASOND
A normal year

What a year in Palenville feels like

Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.

Winter
36° / 19°
7 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
58° / 36°
Last frost around Apr 29
Summer
81° / 58°
13 days reach 90°
Fall
61° / 41°
First frost around Oct 14
Best months to be outsideMayJunJulAugSepHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost & heat

About 169 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 29 and the first by October 14.

148
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
7
nights below 0° in a normal year
13
days that reach 90° in a normal year

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

29
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

5.3
JFMAMJJASOND
Living here

Living with Palenville’s climate

What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.

The garden window

169 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 29 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 14.

Snow season

About 31" a winter over 7 days with an inch or more, most in December. Snow covers the ground about 26 days a year.

Furnace season

Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 91% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.

Summer heat

About 13 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 83°.

Get outside

The nicest months are May, June, July, August and September. 8.0 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Palenville and its neighbors

Hunter has the coldest January nights next door (12°) and Saugerties the hottest July afternoons (85°). Tap a town to see its climate.

Athens: January low 17°, July high 85°Germantown: January low 17°, July high 85°South Cairo: January low 16°, July high 85°Greenport: January low 17°, July high 85°Catskill: January low 17°, July high 85°Cairo: January low 15°, July high 84°Livingston: January low 17°, July high 85°Jewett: January low 13°, July high 79°Lexington: January low 13°, July high 79°Woodstock: January low 15°, July high 82°Shandaken: January low 14°, July high 80°Red Hook: January low 17°, July high 85°Ulster: January low 17°, July high 85°Glasco: January low 17°, July high 86°Saugerties: January low 17°, July high 86°Saugerties South: January low 17°, July high 86°Clermont: January low 17°, July high 85°Ruby: January low 17°, July high 85°Catskill: January low 16°, July high 84°Hunter: January low 12°, July high 76°Saugerties: January low 16°, July high 85°Palenville: January low 16°, July high 83° PalenvilleCatskillHunterSaugerties
ColderMilder12° to 17°
Hunter12.3° −3.3°
Palenville15.6°
Catskill16.0° +0.4°
Saugerties16.4° +0.8°

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.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

The last 30 years in Palenville averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.5°).

+1.7°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A bigger shift than in 80% of U.S. towns.

❄️ Winter+2.8°now 28°, was 25°
🌷 Spring+1.4°now 47°, was 46°
☀️ Summer+1.2°now 69°, was 68°
🍂 Fall+1.3°now 51°, was 50°

Change by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Compared with other towns

How Palenville compares

Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in New York.

Summer heat83° July high
Cooler than 67% of U.S. towns568th hottest of 2,223 New York towns
Winter cold16° January low
Colder than 68% of U.S. towns1094th mildest of 2,223 New York towns
Precipitation47" a year
Wetter than 77% of U.S. towns344th wettest of 2,223 New York towns
Snow31" a winter
Snowier than 59% of U.S. towns237th least snowy of 2,156 New York towns
Growing season169 frost-free days
Shorter than 62% of U.S. towns807th longest of 2,222 New York towns
Month by month

Palenville weather by month

Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January34°16°3.2" 8.2"8514° – 32°
February37°18°2.8" 8.5"8914° – 34°
March45°25°3.7" 4.4"8528° – 46°
April59°35°3.7" 0.3"10041° – 52°
May70°46°3.7" 012053° – 64°
June78°55°4.5" 011064° – 71°
July83°60°4.0" 011067° – 75°
August81°58°4.5" 010066° – 72°
September73°51°4.6" 09059° – 67°
October61°41°4.9" 010047° – 57°
November49°32°3.4" 0.5"9036° – 46°
December38°23°4.1" 9.1"9624° – 42°
Year59°38°47.0"31.0"11626
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Palenville

91% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.

91%heating
6,437 heating degree daysMore heating than 65% of U.S. towns
624 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 67% of U.S. towns

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.

Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 14° to 34°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal

Common questions about Palenville’s climate

What is the coldest month in Palenville?

January, with a typical high of 34° and a low of 16°.

What is the hottest month in Palenville?

July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 60°. About 13 days a year reach 90°.

How much snow does Palenville get?

About 31 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.

When is the first frost in Palenville?

In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 14, and the last spring frost by April 29.

What is the rainiest month in Palenville?

October, with 4.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 47 inches.

Neighbors talk weather

Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Palenville.

Town Square →
Weigh in
Is Palenville’s weather one of its best features?

Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.

Ask your neighbors

Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Palenville itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Hudson Correctional Facility, NY (13 mi, snow) and Cairo 3 Nw, NY (9 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. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.

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