Vails Gate has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 36 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Vails Gate at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Vails Gate’s climate
Read from where Vails Gate sits among New York’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
Living with Vails Gate’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
204 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 10 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Nov 1.
About 36" a winter over 9 days with an inch or more, most in January.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 86% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 18 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 84°.
The nicest months are May, June, August, September and October. 0.5 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 204 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 10 and the first by November 1.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
What a year in Vails Gate feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
36 inches of snow, 45 of rain and melt
October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 118 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Vails Gate and its neighbors
Cornwall has the coldest January nights next door (18°) and Firthcliffe the hottest July afternoons (85°). 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 Vails Gate averaged 2.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.6°).
A bigger shift than in 94% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Vails Gate compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in New York.
Vails Gate 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 | 36° | 19° | 3.1" | 11.1" | 10 | 17° – 34° |
| February | 39° | 20° | 2.5" | 7.1" | 8 | 16° – 36° |
| March | 47° | 28° | 3.6" | 9.6" | 9 | 31° – 48° |
| April | 60° | 38° | 3.7" | 0.4" | 11 | 44° – 54° |
| May | 71° | 49° | 3.6" | 0 | 12 | 55° – 65° |
| June | 79° | 58° | 4.4" | 0 | 11 | 66° – 72° |
| July | 84° | 63° | 4.2" | 0 | 10 | 69° – 78° |
| August | 82° | 61° | 4.3" | 0 | 10 | 68° – 75° |
| September | 75° | 54° | 4.3" | 0 | 8 | 61° – 69° |
| October | 64° | 42° | 4.4" | 0 | 10 | 48° – 59° |
| November | 51° | 33° | 3.4" | 0.5" | 9 | 37° – 47° |
| December | 40° | 25° | 3.7" | 7.0" | 10 | 25° – 44° |
| Year | 61° | 41° | 45.2" | 35.7" | 118 |
Heating and cooling a home in Vails Gate
86% 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 16° to 36°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Vails Gate’s climate
What is the coldest month in Vails Gate?
January, with a typical high of 36° and a low of 19°.
What is the hottest month in Vails Gate?
July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 63°. About 18 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Vails Gate get?
About 36 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Vails Gate?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 1, and the last spring frost by April 10.
What is the rainiest month in Vails Gate?
October, with 4.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 45 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Vails Gate.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Vails Gate itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at West Point, NY (7 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.