Philadelphia, NY climate
Philadelphia has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 9°, and about 116 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade2° warmer than normal today. The forecast high is 66°, and a typical Oct 2 in Philadelphia peaks around 64°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What a year in Philadelphia feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Philadelphia 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 | 28° | 9° | 3.3" | 34.0" | 18 | 26 | 3° – 28° |
| February | 30° | 11° | 2.5" | 29.6" | 15 | 25 | 5° – 29° |
| March | 40° | 20° | 2.8" | 13.6" | 13 | 16 | 21° – 42° |
| April | 54° | 33° | 3.4" | 2.7" | 14 | 2 | 37° – 49° |
| May | 67° | 45° | 3.4" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 50° – 61° |
| June | 75° | 54° | 3.7" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 61° – 70° |
| July | 80° | 59° | 3.4" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 64° – 74° |
| August | 79° | 57° | 3.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 65° – 72° |
| September | 71° | 50° | 3.8" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 56° – 65° |
| October | 58° | 39° | 4.6" | 0.5" | 16 | 0 | 43° – 54° |
| November | 45° | 29° | 3.8" | 9.1" | 15 | 5 | 31° – 43° |
| December | 34° | 18° | 3.5" | 26.9" | 17 | 18 | 16° – 38° |
| Year | 55° | 35° | 41.6" | 116.4" | 168 | 92 |
“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 Philadelphia
Philadelphia gets 42 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 168 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 92 days of the year.
About 163 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 2 and the first one by October 13. That leaves about 163 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 68% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Philadelphia
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Philadelphia, 93% of that work is heating and 7% 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.
How Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+4.0°). The shift is larger than in 83% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Philadelphia’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 3° to 28°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Philadelphia’s climate
What is the coldest month in Philadelphia?
January, with a typical high of 28° and a low of 9°.
What is the hottest month in Philadelphia?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 59°. About 4 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Philadelphia get?
About 116 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Philadelphia?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 13, and the last spring frost by May 2.
What is the rainiest month in Philadelphia?
October, with 4.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 42 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Philadelphia itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Watertown, NY (15 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.