Shirley, PA climate
Shirley has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 21°, and about 26 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Shirley feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Shirley 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 | 38° | 21° | 2.7" | 9.1" | 11 | 10 | 21° – 38° |
| February | 41° | 23° | 2.4" | 6.9" | 10 | 10 | 20° – 40° |
| March | 50° | 29° | 3.3" | 4.3" | 11 | 4 | 34° – 50° |
| April | 63° | 39° | 3.6" | 0.2" | 13 | 0 | 47° – 57° |
| May | 73° | 49° | 3.9" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 56° – 67° |
| June | 82° | 58° | 3.8" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 66° – 72° |
| July | 86° | 62° | 3.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 69° – 78° |
| August | 84° | 61° | 3.5" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 68° – 76° |
| September | 77° | 53° | 4.1" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 63° – 69° |
| October | 65° | 42° | 3.4" | 0.1" | 11 | 0 | 49° – 60° |
| November | 53° | 33° | 2.8" | 0.9" | 10 | 1 | 37° – 48° |
| December | 42° | 26° | 3.1" | 4.7" | 11 | 5 | 25° – 42° |
| Year | 63° | 41° | 40.1" | 26.2" | 135 | 30 |
“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 Shirley
Shirley gets 40 inches of rain and melted snow a year. September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 135 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 30 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 Shirley
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Shirley, 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.
Shirley and its neighbors
Shirley borders 8 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.1°. Union has the coldest January nights (20°) and Cromwell the hottest July afternoons (86°). Shirley’s January low is 21° and its July high 86°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Shirley 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 Shirley averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.3°). The shift is smaller than in 52% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Shirley’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 6°.
Common questions about Shirley’s climate
What is the coldest month in Shirley?
January, with a typical high of 38° and a low of 21°.
What is the hottest month in Shirley?
July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 62°. About 14 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Shirley get?
About 26 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Shirley?
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 Shirley?
September, with 4.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 40 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Shirley itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Lewistown, PA (22 mi, snow) and Raystown Lake 2, PA (13 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.