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Climate in Riverside · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Riverside has chilly winters and pleasant summers

A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 23°, and about 27 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

A year in Riverside at a glance

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

Jan39°23° 7" snow
Feb41°24° 9" snow
Mar48°30° 6" snow
Apr58°39° Last frost ~24
May68°48° Nice out
Jun77°58° Nice out
Jul83°65° Nice out4 days 90°+
Aug81°63° Nice out
Sep74°57° Nice out
Oct now64°45° Nice outFirst frost ~25
Nov54°36°
Dec45°28° 4" snowWettest

What stands out about Riverside’s climate

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

★ What stands out · Rain & snow

27 inches of snow, 46 of rain and melt

December is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 114 days a year.

46"
Rain + melted snow a year
715th wettest of 2,223 New York towns
More than 71% of U.S. towns
27"
Snow in a normal winter
190th least snowy of 2,158 New York towns
More than 53% of U.S. towns
21 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
105th least snowy of 1,653 New York towns
Less than 57% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

4.6"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

8.6"
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A normal year

What a year in Riverside feels like

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

Winter
42° / 25°
8 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
58° / 39°
Last frost around Apr 24
Summer
80° / 62°
7 days reach 90°
Fall
64° / 46°
First frost around Oct 25
Best months to be outsideMayJunJulAugSepOctHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

The last 30 years in Riverside averaged 2.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.5°).

+2.1°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A bigger shift than in 96% of U.S. towns.

❄️ Winter+2.8°now 33°, was 31°
🌷 Spring+1.8°now 48°, was 47°
☀️ Summer+2.0°now 71°, was 69°
🍂 Fall+1.8°now 55°, was 53°

Change by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Frost & heat

About 182 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 24 and the first by October 25.

116
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
1
nights below 0° in a normal year
7
days that reach 90° in a normal year

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

26
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90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

3.9
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Living here

Living with Riverside’s climate

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

The garden window

182 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 24 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 25.

Snow season

About 27" a winter over 8 days with an inch or more, most in February. Snow covers the ground about 21 days a year.

Furnace season

Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 90% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.

Summer heat

About 7 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 83°.

Get outside

The nicest months are May, June, July, August, September and October. 4.1 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

Riverside and its neighbors

Northampton has the coldest January nights next door (23°) and Northampton the hottest July afternoons (83°). Tap a town to see its climate.

Brookhaven: January low 23°, July high 83°Manorville: January low 23°, July high 83°Wading River: January low 23°, July high 83°East Shoreham: January low 24°, July high 83°Southold: January low 24°, July high 81°Ridge: January low 23°, July high 83°Northville: January low 23°, July high 82°Mattituck: January low 24°, July high 82°East Hampton: January low 24°, July high 81°Fire Island: January low 26°, July high 83°Wainscott: January low 24°, July high 81°West Hampton Dunes: January low 24°, July high 82°Sagaponack: January low 24°, July high 81°Noyack: January low 24°, July high 81°Eastport: January low 23°, July high 82°Westhampton: January low 23°, July high 82°Hampton Bays: January low 24°, July high 81°East Quogue: January low 24°, July high 81°Baiting Hollow: January low 23°, July high 83°Riverhead: January low 23°, July high 82°Southampton: January low 24°, July high 81°Northampton: January low 23°, July high 83°Flanders: January low 24°, July high 82°Calverton: January low 23°, July high 83°Riverside: January low 23°, July high 83° RiversideRiverheadSouthamptonNorthamptonFlandersCalverton
ColderMilder23° to 26°
Riverside23.0°
Northampton23.0° same
Riverhead23.4° +0.4°
Calverton23.4° +0.4°
Flanders23.5° +0.5°
Southampton23.8° +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.

Compared with other towns

How Riverside compares

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

Summer heat83° July high
Cooler than 70% of U.S. towns669th hottest of 2,223 New York towns
Winter cold23° January low
Milder than 67% of U.S. towns317th mildest of 2,223 New York towns
Precipitation46" a year
Wetter than 71% of U.S. towns715th wettest of 2,223 New York towns
Snow27" a winter
Snowier than 53% of U.S. towns190th least snowy of 2,158 New York towns
Growing season182 frost-free days
Longer than 55% of U.S. towns501st longest of 2,222 New York towns
Month by month

Riverside 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
January39°23°3.5" 7.2"10723° – 38°
February41°24°3.2" 8.6"10720° – 39°
March48°30°4.5" 6.0"10434° – 46°
April58°39°4.0" 0.8"11045° – 52°
May68°48°3.3" 010054° – 62°
June77°58°3.9" 09064° – 70°
July83°65°3.1" 08069° – 77°
August81°63°3.7" 08069° – 75°
September74°57°3.9" 08063° – 69°
October64°45°4.4" 09051° – 61°
November54°36°3.7" 0.1"10040° – 49°
December45°28°4.6" 4.1"11430° – 47°
Year61°43°45.5"26.8"11421
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Riverside

90% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.

90%heating
5,693 heating degree daysLess heating than 51% of U.S. towns
645 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 65% 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 20° to 39°. June is the most reliable, staying within 6°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal

Common questions about Riverside’s climate

What is the coldest month in Riverside?

January, with a typical high of 39° and a low of 23°.

What is the hottest month in Riverside?

July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 65°. About 7 days a year reach 90°.

How much snow does Riverside get?

About 27 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.

When is the first frost in Riverside?

In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 25, and the last spring frost by April 24.

What is the rainiest month in Riverside?

December, with 4.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 46 inches.

Neighbors talk weather

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

Town Square →
Weigh in
Is Riverside’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 Riverside itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Bridgehampton, NY (20 mi, snow) and Baiting Hollow, NY (4 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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