Washington Heights has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 43 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Washington Heights at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What a year in Washington Heights feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
43 inches of snow, 46 of rain and melt
June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 121 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
About 182 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 21 and the first by October 22.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Living with Washington Heights’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
182 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 21 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 22.
About 43" a winter over 11 days with an inch or more, most in January. Snow covers the ground about 46 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 91% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 10 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 83°.
The nicest months are May, June, July, August, September and October. 1.1 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 →Washington Heights and its neighbors
Wallkill has the coldest January nights next door (17°) and Mechanicstown the hottest July afternoons (83°). 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 Washington Heights averaged 1.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.5°).
A bigger shift than in 92% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Washington Heights compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in New York.
Washington Heights 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 | 35° | 17° | 3.1" | 11.2" | 10 | 15 | 16° – 33° |
| February | 38° | 19° | 2.5" | 10.6" | 9 | 13 | 15° – 35° |
| March | 46° | 26° | 3.5" | 9.6" | 10 | 10 | 29° – 47° |
| April | 59° | 37° | 3.7" | 0.9" | 11 | 0 | 43° – 53° |
| May | 70° | 47° | 3.6" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 54° – 64° |
| June | 78° | 56° | 4.7" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 64° – 71° |
| July | 83° | 62° | 4.2" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 67° – 76° |
| August | 81° | 60° | 4.5" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 66° – 74° |
| September | 74° | 52° | 4.4" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 60° – 68° |
| October | 63° | 41° | 4.5" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 47° – 58° |
| November | 50° | 32° | 3.3" | 1.5" | 9 | 1 | 36° – 46° |
| December | 39° | 24° | 3.8" | 8.8" | 11 | 7 | 24° – 43° |
| Year | 60° | 39° | 45.9" | 42.6" | 121 | 46 |
Heating and cooling a home in Washington Heights
91% 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 15° to 35°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Washington Heights’s climate
What is the coldest month in Washington Heights?
January, with a typical high of 35° and a low of 17°.
What is the hottest month in Washington Heights?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 62°. About 10 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Washington Heights get?
About 43 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Washington Heights?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 22, and the last spring frost by April 21.
What is the rainiest month in Washington Heights?
June, with 4.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 46 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Washington Heights.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Washington Heights itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Port Jervis, NY (16 mi, snow) and Middletown 2 Nw, NY (2 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.