Sandy Lake has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 54 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Sandy Lake at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Sandy Lake’s climate
Read from where Sandy Lake sits among Pennsylvania’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
54 inches of snow, 45 of rain and melt
June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 170 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 Sandy Lake averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.9°).
A bigger shift than in 88% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
What a year in Sandy Lake feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 171 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 2 and the first by October 23.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Living with Sandy Lake’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
171 frost-free days. The last frost comes by May 2 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 23.
About 54" a winter over 22 days with an inch or more, most in January. Snow covers the ground about 56 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 92% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 10 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 82°.
The nicest months are May, June, July, August and September. 0.4 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 →How Sandy Lake compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Pennsylvania.
Sandy Lake 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 | 34° | 18° | 3.2" | 17.9" | 18 | 19 | 17° – 35° |
| February | 37° | 19° | 2.5" | 11.5" | 15 | 16 | 13° – 37° |
| March | 46° | 26° | 3.3" | 8.9" | 14 | 8 | 29° – 48° |
| April | 60° | 36° | 4.0" | 1.1" | 14 | 1 | 42° – 53° |
| May | 70° | 46° | 4.0" | 0 | 15 | 0 | 51° – 65° |
| June | 78° | 55° | 4.8" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 61° – 70° |
| July | 82° | 59° | 4.7" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 66° – 74° |
| August | 80° | 57° | 3.9" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 64° – 73° |
| September | 74° | 51° | 4.0" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 59° – 67° |
| October | 62° | 41° | 3.7" | 0 | 15 | 0 | 47° – 57° |
| November | 49° | 32° | 3.3" | 2.6" | 14 | 2 | 34° – 46° |
| December | 38° | 24° | 3.3" | 11.7" | 17 | 10 | 21° – 42° |
| Year | 59° | 38° | 44.6" | 53.7" | 170 | 56 |
Heating and cooling a home in Sandy Lake
92% 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. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 13° to 37°. September is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Sandy Lake’s climate
What is the coldest month in Sandy Lake?
January, with a typical high of 34° and a low of 18°.
What is the hottest month in Sandy Lake?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 59°. About 10 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Sandy Lake get?
About 54 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Sandy Lake?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 23, and the last spring frost by May 2.
What is the rainiest month in Sandy Lake?
June, with 4.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 45 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Sandy Lake.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Sandy Lake itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Franklin, PA (14 mi) away. 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.