Wilmington, NY climate
Wilmington has cold, snowy winters and cool summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 73°, a January night drops to 4°, and about 104 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Wilmington feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Wilmington 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 | 23° | 4° | 3.3" | 21.0" | 19 | 29 | 1° – 23° |
| February | 26° | 6° | 2.7" | 21.0" | 14 | 27 | 2° – 23° |
| March | 34° | 14° | 3.1" | 18.9" | 13 | 24 | 13° – 36° |
| April | 47° | 27° | 3.9" | 7.8" | 14 | 7 | 31° – 43° |
| May | 61° | 38° | 4.3" | 0.5" | 15 | 0 | 43° – 54° |
| June | 69° | 47° | 5.0" | 0 | 15 | 0 | 56° – 63° |
| July | 73° | 52° | 5.0" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 57° – 66° |
| August | 71° | 51° | 4.6" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 58° – 64° |
| September | 64° | 44° | 4.2" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 49° – 59° |
| October | 51° | 34° | 5.0" | 2.6" | 15 | 1 | 38° – 50° |
| November | 38° | 23° | 3.6" | 9.6" | 15 | 11 | 24° – 37° |
| December | 28° | 12° | 3.6" | 22.7" | 19 | 26 | 12° – 32° |
| Year | 49° | 29° | 48.1" | 104.1" | 179 | 124 |
“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 Wilmington
Wilmington gets 48 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 179 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 124 days of the year.
About 118 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 27 and the first one by September 22. That leaves about 118 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 98% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Wilmington
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Wilmington, 99% of that work is heating and 1% 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.
Wilmington and its neighbors
Wilmington borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 5.8°. Keene has the coldest January nights (3°) and Jay the hottest July afternoons (80°). Wilmington’s January low is 4° and its July high 73°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Wilmington 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 Wilmington averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.7°). The shift is larger than in 81% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Wilmington’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. March swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 13° to 36°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Wilmington’s climate
What is the coldest month in Wilmington?
January, with a typical high of 23° and a low of 4°.
What is the hottest month in Wilmington?
July, with a typical high of 73° and a low of 52°. About 1 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Wilmington get?
About 104 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Wilmington?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 22, and the last spring frost by May 27.
What is the rainiest month in Wilmington?
June, with 5.0 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 48 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Wilmington itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Lake Placid 2 S, NY (7 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.