Potter, NY climate
Potter has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 57 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Potter feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Potter 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 | 32° | 17° | 2.0" | 13.5" | 14 | 21 | 14° – 33° |
| February | 34° | 18° | 1.8" | 13.3" | 11 | 21 | 11° – 34° |
| March | 42° | 24° | 2.3" | 12.8" | 12 | 15 | 26° – 46° |
| April | 56° | 34° | 2.8" | 1.8" | 13 | 1 | 39° – 51° |
| May | 68° | 46° | 3.2" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 51° – 63° |
| June | 76° | 55° | 3.5" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 62° – 70° |
| July | 80° | 60° | 3.7" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 65° – 74° |
| August | 79° | 58° | 3.4" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 65° – 74° |
| September | 72° | 51° | 3.4" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 59° – 66° |
| October | 60° | 41° | 3.5" | 0.1" | 16 | 0 | 46° – 56° |
| November | 47° | 32° | 2.4" | 4.7" | 12 | 4 | 34° – 46° |
| December | 37° | 23° | 2.4" | 10.4" | 13 | 15 | 22° – 40° |
| Year | 57° | 38° | 34.3" | 56.6" | 153 | 77 |
“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 Potter
Potter gets 34 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 153 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 77 days of the year.
About 175 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 29 and the first one by October 22. That leaves about 175 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 54% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Potter
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Potter, 91% of that work is heating and 9% 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.
Potter and its neighbors
Potter borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.3°. Jerusalem has both the coldest January nights (17°) and the hottest July afternoons (81°). Potter’s January low is 17° and its July high 80°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Potter 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 Potter averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+2.8°). The shift is larger than in 60% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Potter’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. February swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 11° to 34°. September is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Potter’s climate
What is the coldest month in Potter?
January, with a typical high of 32° and a low of 17°.
What is the hottest month in Potter?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 60°. About 8 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Potter get?
About 57 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Potter?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 22, and the last spring frost by April 29.
What is the rainiest month in Potter?
July, with 3.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 34 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Potter itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Geneva Rsch Farm, NY (14 mi, snow) and Canandaigua 3 S, NY (10 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.