Erie, PA climate
Erie has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 20°, and about 104 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Erie feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Erie 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 | 34° | 20° | 3.4" | 31.8" | 20 | 20 | 17° – 37° |
| February | 36° | 20° | 2.5" | 19.4" | 15 | 17 | 12° – 37° |
| March | 44° | 27° | 3.0" | 14.5" | 14 | 9 | 28° – 48° |
| April | 57° | 37° | 3.6" | 2.6" | 14 | 1 | 41° – 52° |
| May | 68° | 47° | 3.6" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 50° – 64° |
| June | 77° | 57° | 3.9" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 62° – 72° |
| July | 81° | 62° | 4.0" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 66° – 75° |
| August | 79° | 61° | 3.6" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 66° – 74° |
| September | 73° | 54° | 4.2" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 59° – 68° |
| October | 61° | 44° | 4.5" | 0.1" | 14 | 0 | 49° – 59° |
| November | 49° | 34° | 3.8" | 9.6" | 15 | 5 | 36° – 48° |
| December | 39° | 26° | 3.8" | 26.3" | 19 | 12 | 23° – 43° |
| Year | 58° | 41° | 43.9" | 104.3" | 167 | 63 |
“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 Erie
Erie gets 44 inches of rain and melted snow a year. October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 167 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 63 days of the year.
About 192 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 26 and the first one by November 4. That leaves about 192 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 66% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Erie
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Erie, 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.
Erie and its neighbors
Erie borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.1°. Harborcreek has both the coldest January nights (20°) and the hottest July afternoons (81°). Erie’s January low is 20° and its July high 81°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Erie 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 Erie averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.5°). The shift is larger than in 67% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Erie’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 12° to 37°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Erie’s climate
What is the coldest month in Erie?
January, with a typical high of 34° and a low of 20°.
What is the hottest month in Erie?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 62°. About 5 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Erie get?
About 104 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Erie?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 4, and the last spring frost by April 26.
What is the rainiest month in Erie?
October, with 4.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 44 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Erie itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Erie Intl Airport, PA (6 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.