Lower Paxton, PA climate
Lower Paxton has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 22°, and about 24 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Lower Paxton feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Lower Paxton 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 | 37° | 22° | 3.2" | 6.4" | 10 | 10 | 20° – 37° |
| February | 41° | 24° | 2.6" | 7.7" | 9 | 12 | 20° – 40° |
| March | 50° | 31° | 3.7" | 4.5" | 9 | 4 | 35° – 50° |
| April | 63° | 40° | 3.8" | 0.4" | 12 | 0 | 48° – 56° |
| May | 72° | 51° | 3.9" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 57° – 67° |
| June | 81° | 60° | 4.2" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 67° – 74° |
| July | 85° | 65° | 4.4" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 70° – 80° |
| August | 83° | 63° | 4.2" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 69° – 77° |
| September | 76° | 56° | 4.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 63° – 70° |
| October | 65° | 44° | 4.0" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 49° – 61° |
| November | 53° | 34° | 3.2" | 0.7" | 9 | 0 | 38° – 49° |
| December | 42° | 27° | 3.5" | 4.2" | 10 | 5 | 26° – 45° |
| Year | 62° | 43° | 45.1" | 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 Lower Paxton
Lower Paxton gets 45 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 Lower Paxton
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Lower Paxton, 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.
Lower Paxton and its neighbors
Lower Paxton borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.6°. Middle Paxton has the coldest January nights (22°) and Swatara the hottest July afternoons (86°). Lower Paxton’s January low is 22° and its July high 85°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Lower Paxton 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 Lower Paxton averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.2°). The shift is larger than in 85% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Lower Paxton’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 20° to 40°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Lower Paxton’s climate
What is the coldest month in Lower Paxton?
January, with a typical high of 37° and a low of 22°.
What is the hottest month in Lower Paxton?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 65°. About 18 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Lower Paxton get?
About 24 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Lower Paxton?
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 Lower Paxton?
September, with 4.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 45 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Lower Paxton itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Harrisburg 1 Ne, PA (4 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.