Riverside has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain
A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 65 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Riverside at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Riverside’s climate
Read from where Riverside sits among Pennsylvania’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
65 inches of snow, 48 of rain and melt
June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 137 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Riverside averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+2.0°).
A smaller shift than in 78% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
What a year in Riverside feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 176 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 29 and the first by October 21.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
Living with Riverside’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
176 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 29 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 21.
About 65" a winter over 24 days with an inch or more, most in February. Snow covers the ground about 61 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 93% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
90° days are rare: July afternoons average 83°.
The nicest months are May, June, July, August and September. 0.0 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →Riverside and its neighbors
Stonycreek has the coldest January nights next door (18°) and Elim the hottest July afternoons (83°). Tap a town to see its climate.
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.
How Riverside compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Pennsylvania.
Riverside 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 | 36° | 19° | 3.7" | 17.9" | 15 | 19 | 19° – 36° |
| February | 39° | 20° | 3.2" | 19.9" | 13 | 18 | 18° – 39° |
| March | 48° | 27° | 4.0" | 8.2" | 11 | 8 | 31° – 49° |
| April | 62° | 36° | 4.3" | 1.5" | 12 | 1 | 44° – 55° |
| May | 71° | 46° | 4.4" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 53° – 67° |
| June | 79° | 55° | 4.7" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 63° – 69° |
| July | 83° | 59° | 4.7" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 67° – 76° |
| August | 81° | 57° | 4.2" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 65° – 74° |
| September | 74° | 51° | 4.1" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 59° – 68° |
| October | 63° | 40° | 3.5" | 0.2" | 10 | 0 | 48° – 57° |
| November | 51° | 31° | 3.4" | 3.8" | 11 | 3 | 34° – 47° |
| December | 40° | 24° | 3.9" | 13.1" | 14 | 13 | 21° – 43° |
| Year | 61° | 39° | 48.0" | 64.6" | 137 | 61 |
Heating and cooling a home in Riverside
93% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
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.
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 21° to 43°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Riverside’s climate
What is the coldest month in Riverside?
January, with a typical high of 36° and a low of 19°.
What is the hottest month in Riverside?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 59°.
How much snow does Riverside get?
About 65 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Riverside?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 21, and the last spring frost by April 29.
What is the rainiest month in Riverside?
June, with 4.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 48 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Riverside.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Riverside itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Boswell, PA (10 mi, snow) and Johnstown Cambria Co Airport, PA (5 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.