Reading, NY climate
Reading has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 16°, and about 53 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Reading feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Reading 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° | 16° | 2.0" | 11.8" | 15 | 21 | 14° – 32° |
| February | 34° | 17° | 1.9" | 11.3" | 12 | 20 | 11° – 34° |
| March | 42° | 24° | 2.5" | 13.6" | 13 | 15 | 26° – 46° |
| April | 56° | 34° | 3.0" | 2.2" | 14 | 1 | 39° – 50° |
| May | 68° | 45° | 3.2" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 50° – 62° |
| June | 76° | 54° | 3.8" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 62° – 69° |
| July | 80° | 59° | 3.9" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 65° – 74° |
| August | 79° | 57° | 3.4" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 64° – 72° |
| September | 72° | 50° | 3.7" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 58° – 66° |
| October | 59° | 40° | 3.6" | 0.2" | 14 | 0 | 45° – 56° |
| November | 47° | 31° | 2.6" | 4.1" | 14 | 3 | 34° – 45° |
| December | 36° | 22° | 2.4" | 10.0" | 15 | 14 | 21° – 40° |
| Year | 57° | 37° | 35.8" | 53.2" | 161 | 75 |
“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 Reading
Reading gets 36 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 161 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 75 days of the year.
About 150 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 10 and the first one by October 8. That leaves about 150 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 81% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Reading
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Reading, 96% of that work is heating and 4% 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.
Reading and its neighbors
Reading borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 2.1°. Hector has the coldest January nights (15°) and Watkins Glen the hottest July afternoons (83°). Reading’s January low is 16° and its July high 80°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Reading 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 Reading averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.8°). The shift is smaller than in 51% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Reading’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°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Reading’s climate
What is the coldest month in Reading?
January, with a typical high of 32° and a low of 16°.
What is the hottest month in Reading?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 59°. About 2 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Reading get?
About 53 inches in a normal winter, most of it in March.
When is the first frost in Reading?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 8, and the last spring frost by May 10.
What is the rainiest month in Reading?
July, with 3.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 36 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Reading itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Corning, NY (21 mi, snow) and Mecklenburg 4sw, 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.