Rutland, NY climate
Rutland has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 8°, and about 228 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Rutland feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Rutland 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 | 27° | 8° | 3.8" | 60.6" | 22 | 30 | 3° – 27° |
| February | 29° | 10° | 2.9" | 54.7" | 18 | 29 | 4° – 28° |
| March | 38° | 19° | 3.1" | 28.4" | 17 | 30 | 20° – 41° |
| April | 52° | 32° | 3.7" | 9.6" | 15 | 14 | 36° – 48° |
| May | 66° | 44° | 3.8" | 0.6" | 15 | 0 | 49° – 60° |
| June | 74° | 53° | 4.0" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 60° – 68° |
| July | 78° | 58° | 3.8" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 62° – 72° |
| August | 77° | 56° | 4.0" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 63° – 70° |
| September | 70° | 48° | 4.1" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 55° – 64° |
| October | 56° | 38° | 5.1" | 2.6" | 17 | 1 | 42° – 54° |
| November | 44° | 28° | 4.3" | 20.6" | 17 | 11 | 30° – 42° |
| December | 32° | 17° | 4.1" | 50.6" | 21 | 27 | 15° – 37° |
| Year | 54° | 34° | 46.5" | 227.7" | 190 | 143 |
“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 Rutland
Rutland gets 47 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 190 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 143 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 Rutland
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Rutland, 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.
Rutland and its neighbors
Rutland borders 7 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 3.3°. Pinckney has the coldest January nights (7°) and Le Ray the hottest July afternoons (80°). Rutland’s January low is 8° and its July high 78°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Rutland 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 Rutland averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+4.0°). The shift is larger than in 76% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Rutland’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 4° to 28°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Rutland’s climate
What is the coldest month in Rutland?
January, with a typical high of 27° and a low of 8°.
What is the hottest month in Rutland?
July, with a typical high of 78° and a low of 58°. About 4 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Rutland get?
About 228 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Rutland?
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 Rutland?
October, with 5.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 47 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Rutland itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Hooker 12 Nnw, NY (7 mi, snow) and Watertown, NY (5 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.