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Climate in Lawson Heights · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Lawson Heights has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers

A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 21°, and about 48 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

A year in Lawson Heights at a glance

Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.

Jan38°21° 15" snow
Feb41°22° 11" snow
Mar50°29° 10" snow
Apr64°38°
May73°48° Nice outLast frost ~1
Jun80°57° Nice outWettest
Jul84°61° Nice out2 days 90°+
Aug82°59° Nice out2 days 90°+
Sep76°53° Nice out
Oct now65°42° Nice outFirst frost ~13
Nov52°33°
Dec42°26° 10" snow

What stands out about Lawson Heights’s climate

Read from where Lawson Heights sits among Pennsylvania’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.

★ What stands out · Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

The last 30 years in Lawson Heights averaged 0.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.1°).

+0.8°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A smaller shift than in 85% of U.S. towns.

❄️ Winter+1.5°now 32°, was 30°
🌷 Spring+0.9°now 50°, was 49°
☀️ Summer+0.1°now 71°, was 70°
🍂 Fall+0.6°now 53°, was 53°

Change by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Rain & snow

48 inches of snow, 47 of rain and melt

June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 140 days a year.

47"
Rain + melted snow a year
1008th wettest of 3,547 Pennsylvania towns
More than 76% of U.S. towns
48"
Snow in a normal winter
695th snowiest of 3,514 Pennsylvania towns
More than 80% of U.S. towns
44 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
1223rd snowiest of 3,002 Pennsylvania towns
More than 62% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

4.7"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

15"
JFMAMJJASOND
A normal year

What a year in Lawson Heights feels like

Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.

Winter
40° / 23°
19 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
62° / 38°
Last frost around May 1
Summer
82° / 59°
6 days reach 90°
Fall
64° / 42°
First frost around Oct 13
Best months to be outsideMayJunJulAugSepOctHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost & heat

About 164 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 1 and the first by October 13.

130
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
2
nights below 0° in a normal year
6
days that reach 90° in a normal year

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

25
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

2.4
JFMAMJJASOND
Living here

Living with Lawson Heights’s climate

What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.

The garden window

164 frost-free days. The last frost comes by May 1 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 13.

Snow season

About 48" a winter over 19 days with an inch or more, most in January. Snow covers the ground about 44 days a year.

Furnace season

Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 91% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.

Summer heat

About 6 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 84°.

Get outside

The nicest months are May, June, July, August, September and October. 2.1 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Lawson Heights and its neighbors

Unity has the coldest January nights next door (21°) and Latrobe the hottest July afternoons (84°). Tap a town to see its climate.

Derry: January low 21°, July high 83°Hempfield: January low 21°, July high 83°Salem: January low 20°, July high 83°Mount Pleasant: January low 21°, July high 83°Ligonier: January low 20°, July high 83°Cook: January low 20°, July high 83°Crabtree: January low 21°, July high 83°Latrobe: January low 21°, July high 84°Unity: January low 21°, July high 83°St. Vincent College: January low 21°, July high 83°Lawson Heights: January low 21°, July high 84° Lawson HeightsLatrobeUnitySt. Vincent College
ColderMilder20° to 21°
Unity20.7° −0.1°
St. Vincent College20.7° −0.1°
Lawson Heights20.8°
Latrobe20.8° same

Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.

Compared with other towns

How Lawson Heights compares

Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Pennsylvania.

Summer heat84° July high
Cooler than 59% of U.S. towns1629th hottest of 3,547 Pennsylvania towns
Winter cold21° January low
Milder than 57% of U.S. towns1271st mildest of 3,547 Pennsylvania towns
Precipitation47" a year
Wetter than 76% of U.S. towns1008th wettest of 3,547 Pennsylvania towns
Snow48" a winter
Snowier than 80% of U.S. towns695th snowiest of 3,514 Pennsylvania towns
Growing season164 frost-free days
Shorter than 67% of U.S. towns1005th shortest of 3,547 Pennsylvania towns
Month by month

Lawson Heights weather by month

Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January38°21°3.5" 14.6"151422° – 38°
February41°22°3.0" 10.7"121218° – 41°
March50°29°3.8" 9.6"13633° – 51°
April64°38°4.0" 0.8"13146° – 56°
May73°48°4.4" 013054° – 67°
June80°57°4.7" 011065° – 71°
July84°61°4.6" 011068° – 77°
August82°59°4.3" 09067° – 75°
September76°53°4.0" 09061° – 69°
October65°42°3.5" 0.3"9049° – 59°
November52°33°3.5" 2.2"12236° – 49°
December42°26°3.7" 10.0"131024° – 45°
Year62°41°46.8"48.2"14044
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Lawson Heights

91% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.

91%heating
5,855 heating degree daysMore heating than 52% of U.S. towns
587 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 70% of U.S. towns

Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.

Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 18° to 41°. June is the most reliable, staying within 6°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal

Common questions about Lawson Heights’s climate

What is the coldest month in Lawson Heights?

January, with a typical high of 38° and a low of 21°.

What is the hottest month in Lawson Heights?

July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 61°. About 6 days a year reach 90°.

How much snow does Lawson Heights get?

About 48 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.

When is the first frost in Lawson Heights?

In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 13, and the last spring frost by May 1.

What is the rainiest month in Lawson Heights?

June, with 4.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 47 inches.

Neighbors talk weather

Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Lawson Heights.

Town Square →
Weigh in
Are Lawson Heights winters worth it?

Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.

Ask your neighbors

Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Lawson Heights itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Derry 4 Sw, PA (3 mi, snow) and Mt Pleasant, PA (8 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. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.

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