Carbon, PA climate
Carbon has chilly winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 20°, and about 23 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade10° warmer than normal today. The forecast high is 78°, and a typical Oct 1 in Carbon peaks around 68°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What a year in Carbon feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Carbon 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 | 36° | 20° | 2.8" | 5.7" | 10 | 6 | 19° – 36° |
| February | 39° | 21° | 2.4" | 8.5" | 7 | 8 | 18° – 38° |
| March | 48° | 28° | 3.5" | 2.3" | 10 | 2 | 32° – 49° |
| April | 61° | 39° | 3.7" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 45° – 55° |
| May | 71° | 49° | 4.2" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 54° – 67° |
| June | 78° | 57° | 4.0" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 64° – 70° |
| July | 82° | 61° | 3.9" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 67° – 76° |
| August | 81° | 60° | 3.6" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 66° – 74° |
| September | 74° | 53° | 4.2" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 60° – 68° |
| October | 62° | 42° | 3.5" | 0.6" | 8 | 0 | 48° – 58° |
| November | 50° | 33° | 3.0" | 0.2" | 9 | 0 | 36° – 47° |
| December | 40° | 24° | 3.2" | 5.5" | 9 | 4 | 23° – 42° |
| Year | 60° | 40° | 41.9" | 22.8" | 113 | 21 |
“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 Carbon
Carbon gets 42 inches of rain and melted snow a year. September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 113 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 21 days of the year.
About 177 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 23 and the first one by October 21. That leaves about 177 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 51% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Carbon
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Carbon, 89% of that work is heating and 11% 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.
Carbon and its neighbors
Carbon borders 6 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 2.1°. Wood has the coldest January nights (19°) and Liberty the hottest July afternoons (85°). Carbon’s January low is 20° and its July high 82°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Carbon 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 Carbon averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+2.3°). The shift is smaller than in 51% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Carbon’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 18° to 38°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Carbon’s climate
What is the coldest month in Carbon?
January, with a typical high of 36° and a low of 20°.
What is the hottest month in Carbon?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 61°. About 8 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Carbon get?
About 23 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Carbon?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 21, and the last spring frost by April 23.
What is the rainiest month in Carbon?
September, with 4.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 42 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Carbon itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Saxton 1w, PA (4 mi, snow) and Altoona Blair Co Airport, PA (9 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.