Shandaken, NY climate
Shandaken has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 14°, and about 105 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Shandaken feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Shandaken 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 | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31° | 14° | 3.9" | 24.6" | 17 | 14° – 30° |
| February | 35° | 16° | 3.1" | 20.6" | 14 | 12° – 31° |
| March | 43° | 23° | 4.2" | 18.5" | 15 | 25° – 44° |
| April | 56° | 33° | 4.2" | 5.9" | 13 | 39° – 49° |
| May | 67° | 44° | 4.4" | 0.4" | 15 | 50° – 61° |
| June | 75° | 52° | 5.1" | 0 | 15 | 60° – 68° |
| July | 80° | 57° | 5.0" | 0 | 13 | 64° – 72° |
| August | 78° | 56° | 5.1" | 0 | 13 | 63° – 69° |
| September | 71° | 49° | 5.2" | 0 | 12 | 56° – 64° |
| October | 59° | 38° | 5.5" | 2.2" | 13 | 44° – 55° |
| November | 47° | 30° | 4.3" | 9.3" | 13 | 33° – 44° |
| December | 36° | 21° | 4.6" | 23.2" | 16 | 20° – 40° |
| Year | 56° | 36° | 54.5" | 104.7" | 169 |
“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 Shandaken
Shandaken gets 55 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 169 days a year.
About 154 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 6 and the first one by October 7. That leaves about 154 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 77% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Shandaken
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Shandaken, 98% of that work is heating and 2% 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.
Shandaken and its neighbors
Shandaken borders 7 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 4.1°. Hardenburgh has the coldest January nights (12°) and Olive the hottest July afternoons (82°). Shandaken’s January low is 14° and its July high 80°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Shandaken 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 Shandaken averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.5°). The shift is larger than in 87% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Shandaken’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. December swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 20° to 40°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Shandaken’s climate
What is the coldest month in Shandaken?
January, with a typical high of 31° and a low of 14°.
What is the hottest month in Shandaken?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 57°.
How much snow does Shandaken get?
About 105 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Shandaken?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 7, and the last spring frost by May 6.
What is the rainiest month in Shandaken?
October, with 5.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 55 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Shandaken itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Slide Mtn, NY (5 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.