Poughkeepsie, NY climate
Poughkeepsie has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 59 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Poughkeepsie feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Poughkeepsie 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 | 36° | 18° | 3.0" | 14.6" | 11 | 21 | 17° – 34° |
| February | 39° | 20° | 2.5" | 14.6" | 9 | 21 | 16° – 36° |
| March | 48° | 28° | 3.2" | 12.4" | 11 | 17 | 32° – 49° |
| April | 61° | 38° | 3.4" | 1.8" | 11 | 2 | 44° – 55° |
| May | 72° | 49° | 3.5" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 55° – 66° |
| June | 80° | 58° | 4.3" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 66° – 73° |
| July | 85° | 63° | 4.1" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 69° – 79° |
| August | 83° | 62° | 4.4" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 69° – 76° |
| September | 75° | 54° | 4.1" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 61° – 69° |
| October | 64° | 42° | 4.3" | 0.1" | 11 | 0 | 48° – 59° |
| November | 51° | 33° | 3.3" | 2.8" | 10 | 3 | 37° – 47° |
| December | 41° | 25° | 3.6" | 12.9" | 11 | 14 | 25° – 44° |
| Year | 61° | 41° | 43.8" | 59.2" | 133 | 78 |
“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 Poughkeepsie
Poughkeepsie gets 44 inches of rain and melted snow a year. August is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 133 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 78 days of the year.
About 168 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 30 and the first one by October 14. That leaves about 168 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 63% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Poughkeepsie
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Poughkeepsie, 89% of that work is heating and 11% 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.
Poughkeepsie and its neighbors
Poughkeepsie borders 8 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.2°. Hyde Park has the coldest January nights (17°) and Poughkeepsie the hottest July afternoons (86°). Poughkeepsie’s January low is 18° and its July high 85°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Poughkeepsie 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 Poughkeepsie averaged 2.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.7°). The shift is larger than in 96% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Poughkeepsie’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 16° to 36°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Poughkeepsie’s climate
What is the coldest month in Poughkeepsie?
January, with a typical high of 36° and a low of 18°.
What is the hottest month in Poughkeepsie?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 63°. About 19 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Poughkeepsie get?
About 59 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Poughkeepsie?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 14, and the last spring frost by April 30.
What is the rainiest month in Poughkeepsie?
August, with 4.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 44 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Poughkeepsie itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Mohonk Lake, NY (14 mi, snow) and Poughkeepsie Dutchess Co Airport, NY (3 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.