Zena, NY climate
Zena has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 16°, and about 86 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Zena feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Zena 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 | 34° | 16° | 3.5" | 19.9" | 16 | 16° – 33° |
| February | 38° | 18° | 2.9" | 20.7" | 13 | 15° – 34° |
| March | 46° | 26° | 3.9" | 14.5" | 14 | 29° – 47° |
| April | 60° | 36° | 3.9" | 3.1" | 13 | 42° – 53° |
| May | 71° | 47° | 4.0" | 0.3" | 14 | 54° – 65° |
| June | 79° | 56° | 4.6" | 0 | 15 | 64° – 72° |
| July | 84° | 61° | 4.4" | 0 | 13 | 68° – 76° |
| August | 82° | 59° | 4.6" | 0 | 13 | 67° – 73° |
| September | 74° | 52° | 4.8" | 0 | 11 | 60° – 67° |
| October | 62° | 41° | 5.0" | 1.8" | 12 | 47° – 58° |
| November | 50° | 32° | 3.8" | 4.9" | 12 | 36° – 46° |
| December | 39° | 24° | 4.3" | 20.5" | 16 | 24° – 43° |
| Year | 60° | 39° | 49.7" | 85.7" | 162 |
“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 Zena
Zena gets 50 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 162 days a year.
About 169 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 29 and the first one by October 14. That leaves about 169 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 62% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Zena
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Zena, 91% of that work is heating and 9% 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.
Zena and its neighbors
Zena borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.4°. Woodstock has the coldest January nights (15°) and West Hurley the hottest July afternoons (84°). Zena’s January low is 16° and its July high 84°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Zena 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 Zena averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.4°). The shift is larger than in 89% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Zena’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. December swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 24° to 43°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Zena’s climate
What is the coldest month in Zena?
January, with a typical high of 34° and a low of 16°.
What is the hottest month in Zena?
July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 61°. About 13 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Zena get?
About 86 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Zena?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 14, and the last spring frost by April 29.
What is the rainiest month in Zena?
October, with 5.0 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 50 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Zena itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Platte Clove, NY (8 mi, snow) and Cairo 3 Nw, NY (20 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.