State College, PA climate
State College has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 20°, and about 44 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in State College feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
State College 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 | 35° | 20° | 2.9" | 11.3" | 14 | 14 | 19° – 35° |
| February | 38° | 21° | 2.5" | 11.6" | 11 | 14 | 17° – 37° |
| March | 47° | 28° | 3.4" | 9.4" | 12 | 8 | 31° – 48° |
| April | 60° | 38° | 3.8" | 0.9" | 14 | 0 | 44° – 54° |
| May | 71° | 48° | 4.1" | 0 | 15 | 0 | 54° – 65° |
| June | 78° | 56° | 4.2" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 64° – 70° |
| July | 83° | 61° | 4.2" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 67° – 76° |
| August | 81° | 59° | 4.0" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 66° – 74° |
| September | 74° | 52° | 4.3" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 60° – 67° |
| October | 62° | 41° | 3.7" | 0.4" | 11 | 0 | 47° – 58° |
| November | 50° | 33° | 3.2" | 2.6" | 11 | 2 | 36° – 46° |
| December | 39° | 25° | 3.3" | 7.6" | 13 | 8 | 23° – 41° |
| Year | 60° | 40° | 43.4" | 43.8" | 146 | 46 |
“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 State College
State College gets 43 inches of rain and melted snow a year. September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 146 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 46 days of the year.
About 187 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 20 and the first one by October 26. That leaves about 187 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 60% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in State College
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In State College, 90% of that work is heating and 10% 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.
State College and its neighbors
State College borders 2 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.4°. Ferguson has the coldest January nights (19°) and College the hottest July afternoons (83°). State College’s January low is 20° and its July high 83°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How State College 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 State College averaged 0.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.8°). The shift is smaller than in 91% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at State College’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 17° to 37°. June is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about State College’s climate
What is the coldest month in State College?
January, with a typical high of 35° and a low of 20°.
What is the hottest month in State College?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 61°. About 6 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does State College get?
About 44 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in State College?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 26, and the last spring frost by April 20.
What is the rainiest month in State College?
September, with 4.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 43 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for State College itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at State College, PA (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.