Worcester, NY climate
Worcester has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 12°, and about 83 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Worcester feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Worcester 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 | 29° | 12° | 3.0" | 20.7" | 18 | 23 | 10° – 28° |
| February | 32° | 13° | 2.6" | 19.5" | 13 | 22 | 8° – 29° |
| March | 40° | 20° | 3.3" | 14.5" | 14 | 17 | 23° – 42° |
| April | 53° | 31° | 3.8" | 3.3" | 14 | 2 | 35° – 47° |
| May | 65° | 42° | 4.0" | 0.3" | 13 | 0 | 48° – 59° |
| June | 73° | 51° | 4.9" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 59° – 67° |
| July | 77° | 55° | 4.5" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 62° – 69° |
| August | 76° | 54° | 4.5" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 61° – 68° |
| September | 69° | 47° | 4.3" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 55° – 63° |
| October | 57° | 37° | 4.5" | 0.8" | 13 | 0 | 42° – 53° |
| November | 44° | 28° | 3.3" | 6.3" | 13 | 5 | 31° – 42° |
| December | 34° | 19° | 3.5" | 17.6" | 16 | 16 | 18° – 38° |
| Year | 54° | 34° | 46.2" | 83.0" | 158 | 86 |
“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 Worcester
Worcester gets 46 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 158 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 86 days of the year.
About 141 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 17 and the first one by October 3. That leaves about 141 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 88% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Worcester
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Worcester, 97% of that work is heating and 3% 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.
Worcester and its neighbors
Worcester borders 6 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.2°. Summit has the coldest January nights (11°) and Richmondville the hottest July afternoons (80°). Worcester’s January low is 12° and its July high 77°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Worcester 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 Worcester averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.7°). The shift is smaller than in 67% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Worcester’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. February swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 8° to 29°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Worcester’s climate
What is the coldest month in Worcester?
January, with a typical high of 29° and a low of 12°.
What is the hottest month in Worcester?
July, with a typical high of 77° and a low of 55°. About 2 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Worcester get?
About 83 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Worcester?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 3, and the last spring frost by May 17.
What is the rainiest month in Worcester?
June, with 4.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 46 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Worcester itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Emmons, NY (17 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.