Shade Gap, PA climate
Shade Gap has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 21°, and about 31 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Shade Gap feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Shade Gap 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° | 21° | 2.8" | 10.0" | 10 | 11 | 20° – 37° |
| February | 41° | 23° | 2.5" | 8.0" | 9 | 11 | 20° – 40° |
| March | 50° | 29° | 3.5" | 6.0" | 10 | 5 | 34° – 50° |
| April | 63° | 39° | 3.7" | 0.3" | 11 | 0 | 46° – 56° |
| May | 73° | 49° | 4.1" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 55° – 66° |
| June | 81° | 58° | 4.1" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 65° – 72° |
| July | 85° | 62° | 3.9" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 69° – 78° |
| August | 83° | 60° | 3.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 67° – 75° |
| September | 76° | 53° | 4.2" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 62° – 68° |
| October | 64° | 42° | 3.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 49° – 60° |
| November | 52° | 33° | 3.1" | 1.0" | 8 | 0 | 36° – 48° |
| December | 42° | 26° | 3.2" | 5.5" | 9 | 5 | 25° – 42° |
| Year | 62° | 41° | 42.2" | 30.8" | 117 | 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 Shade Gap
Shade Gap gets 42 inches of rain and melted snow a year. September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 117 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 31 days of the year.
About 191 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 19 and the first one by October 28. That leaves about 191 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 65% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Shade Gap
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Shade Gap, 87% of that work is heating and 13% 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.
How Shade Gap 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 Shade Gap averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.5°). The shift is larger than in 64% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Shade Gap’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°. September is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Shade Gap’s climate
What is the coldest month in Shade Gap?
January, with a typical high of 37° and a low of 21°.
What is the hottest month in Shade Gap?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 62°. About 14 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Shade Gap get?
About 31 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Shade Gap?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 28, and the last spring frost by April 19.
What is the rainiest month in Shade Gap?
September, with 4.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 42 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Shade Gap itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Chambersburg 1 Ese, PA (21 mi, snow) and Raystown Lake 2, PA (18 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.