Lehigh, PA climate
Lehigh has chilly winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 27 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Lehigh feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Lehigh 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 | 33° | 17° | 3.8" | 7.8" | 11 | 15° – 34° |
| February | 37° | 18° | 2.9" | 9.8" | 9 | 15° – 35° |
| March | 45° | 25° | 4.0" | 6.3" | 10 | 28° – 46° |
| April | 58° | 35° | 4.2" | 0.4" | 11 | 42° – 51° |
| May | 69° | 46° | 4.2" | 0 | 14 | 52° – 63° |
| June | 76° | 55° | 5.1" | 0 | 13 | 61° – 69° |
| July | 81° | 59° | 5.0" | 0 | 12 | 66° – 73° |
| August | 79° | 58° | 4.8" | 0 | 11 | 64° – 71° |
| September | 72° | 50° | 5.3" | 0 | 10 | 58° – 65° |
| October | 60° | 39° | 4.9" | 0 | 11 | 45° – 58° |
| November | 48° | 31° | 3.9" | 0.3" | 10 | 35° – 44° |
| December | 38° | 22° | 4.3" | 2.7" | 11 | 22° – 42° |
| Year | 58° | 38° | 52.3" | 27.3" | 132 |
“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 Lehigh
Lehigh gets 52 inches of rain and melted snow a year. September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 132 days a year.
About 184 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 21 and the first one by October 23. That leaves about 184 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 57% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Lehigh
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Lehigh, 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.
Lehigh and its neighbors
Lehigh borders 6 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 2.8°. Kidder has the coldest January nights (15°) and Jim Thorpe the hottest July afternoons (83°). Lehigh’s January low is 17° and its July high 81°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Lehigh 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 Lehigh averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.5°). The shift is larger than in 80% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Lehigh’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 22° to 42°. September is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Lehigh’s climate
What is the coldest month in Lehigh?
January, with a typical high of 33° and a low of 17°.
What is the hottest month in Lehigh?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 59°. About 4 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Lehigh get?
About 27 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Lehigh?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 23, and the last spring frost by April 21.
What is the rainiest month in Lehigh?
September, with 5.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 52 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Lehigh itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Lehighton 1ssw, PA (10 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.