Hampden, PA climate
Hampden has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 23°, and about 24 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Hampden feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Hampden 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 | 38° | 23° | 3.0" | 6.4" | 10 | 10 | 21° – 38° |
| February | 42° | 24° | 2.6" | 7.7" | 9 | 12 | 21° – 40° |
| March | 51° | 31° | 3.6" | 4.5" | 9 | 4 | 35° – 51° |
| April | 63° | 41° | 3.7" | 0.4" | 12 | 0 | 49° – 57° |
| May | 73° | 51° | 3.8" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 57° – 68° |
| June | 82° | 60° | 4.1" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 67° – 74° |
| July | 86° | 65° | 4.3" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 71° – 80° |
| August | 84° | 63° | 4.0" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 69° – 77° |
| September | 77° | 56° | 4.4" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 63° – 71° |
| October | 65° | 44° | 3.8" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 50° – 61° |
| November | 53° | 35° | 3.2" | 0.7" | 9 | 0 | 38° – 49° |
| December | 43° | 28° | 3.4" | 4.2" | 10 | 5 | 26° – 45° |
| Year | 63° | 43° | 43.8" | 23.9" | 125 | 31 |
“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 Hampden
Hampden gets 44 inches of rain and melted snow a year. September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 125 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 31 days of the year.
About 189 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 15 and the first one by October 23. That leaves about 189 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 63% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Hampden
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Hampden, 86% of that work is heating and 14% 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.
Hampden and its neighbors
Hampden borders 7 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.4°. Rye has the coldest January nights (22°) and East Pennsboro the hottest July afternoons (86°). Hampden’s January low is 23° and its July high 86°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Hampden 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 Hampden averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.1°). The shift is larger than in 82% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Hampden’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 21° to 40°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Hampden’s climate
What is the coldest month in Hampden?
January, with a typical high of 38° and a low of 23°.
What is the hottest month in Hampden?
July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 65°. About 18 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Hampden get?
About 24 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Hampden?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 23, and the last spring frost by April 15.
What is the rainiest month in Hampden?
September, with 4.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 44 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Hampden itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Harrisburg 1 Ne, PA (6 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.