SUNY Oswego has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 140 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in SUNY Oswego at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about SUNY Oswego’s climate
Read from where SUNY Oswego sits among New York’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
140 inches of snow, 41 of rain and melt
October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 172 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
What a year in SUNY Oswego feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Living with SUNY Oswego’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
187 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 22 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 29.
About 140" a winter over 36 days with an inch or more, most in January. Snow covers the ground about 89 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 92% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 3 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 79°.
The nicest months are May, June, July, August and September. 0.6 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →About 187 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 22 and the first by October 29.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
SUNY Oswego and its neighbors
Oswego has the coldest January nights next door (17°) and Oswego the hottest July afternoons (80°). Tap a town to see its climate.
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.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in SUNY Oswego averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.0°).
A bigger shift than in 65% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How SUNY Oswego compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in New York.
SUNY Oswego 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 | 31° | 17° | 3.4" | 44.7" | 20 | 24 | 13° – 33° |
| February | 32° | 18° | 2.6" | 35.3" | 16 | 24 | 12° – 33° |
| March | 41° | 26° | 2.7" | 17.1" | 15 | 17 | 26° – 45° |
| April | 53° | 36° | 3.4" | 2.8" | 14 | 1 | 38° – 51° |
| May | 65° | 47° | 3.3" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 50° – 62° |
| June | 74° | 57° | 3.6" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 62° – 72° |
| July | 79° | 63° | 3.5" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 65° – 74° |
| August | 78° | 61° | 3.5" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 66° – 74° |
| September | 71° | 54° | 3.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 59° – 67° |
| October | 59° | 44° | 4.4" | 0.2" | 15 | 0 | 46° – 58° |
| November | 47° | 34° | 3.9" | 9.4" | 16 | 5 | 35° – 47° |
| December | 37° | 25° | 3.6" | 30.6" | 19 | 17 | 23° – 41° |
| Year | 56° | 40° | 41.4" | 140.1" | 172 | 89 |
Heating and cooling a home in SUNY Oswego
92% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
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.
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 12° to 33°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about SUNY Oswego’s climate
What is the coldest month in SUNY Oswego?
January, with a typical high of 31° and a low of 17°.
What is the hottest month in SUNY Oswego?
July, with a typical high of 79° and a low of 63°. About 3 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does SUNY Oswego get?
About 140 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in SUNY Oswego?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 29, and the last spring frost by April 22.
What is the rainiest month in SUNY Oswego?
October, with 4.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 41 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in SUNY Oswego.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for SUNY Oswego itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Oswego, NY (1 mi) away. 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.