Summit has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 46 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Summit at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Summit’s climate
Read from where Summit sits among Pennsylvania’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
What a year in Summit feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Living with Summit’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
146 frost-free days. The last frost comes by May 12 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 5.
About 46" a winter over 16 days with an inch or more, most in January. Snow covers the ground about 58 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 96% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
90° days are rare: July afternoons average 80°.
The nicest months are May, June, July, August and September. 17 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 →46 inches of snow, 45 of rain and melt
May is the wettest month and November the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 160 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
About 146 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 12 and the first by October 5.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
Summit and its neighbors
Elk Lick has the coldest January nights next door (17°) and Black the hottest July afternoons (80°). 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.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Summit averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.3°).
A smaller shift than in 52% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Summit compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Pennsylvania.
Summit 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° | 3.5" | 12.9" | 17 | 18 | 18° – 35° |
| February | 38° | 19° | 3.1" | 11.4" | 14 | 16 | 17° – 38° |
| March | 47° | 25° | 3.8" | 9.9" | 14 | 10 | 30° – 47° |
| April | 60° | 35° | 3.8" | 1.1" | 14 | 1 | 42° – 53° |
| May | 69° | 45° | 4.7" | 0 | 15 | 0 | 51° – 64° |
| June | 76° | 53° | 4.5" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 61° – 68° |
| July | 80° | 58° | 4.4" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 64° – 72° |
| August | 78° | 56° | 4.1" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 63° – 71° |
| September | 72° | 49° | 3.8" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 57° – 65° |
| October | 61° | 38° | 3.2" | 0.7" | 11 | 0 | 47° – 55° |
| November | 49° | 30° | 3.0" | 2.8" | 12 | 3 | 33° – 44° |
| December | 39° | 23° | 3.6" | 6.9" | 15 | 11 | 20° – 42° |
| Year | 59° | 37° | 45.3" | 45.7" | 160 | 58 |
Heating and cooling a home in Summit
96% 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 20° to 42°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Summit’s climate
What is the coldest month in Summit?
January, with a typical high of 34° and a low of 18°.
What is the hottest month in Summit?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 58°.
How much snow does Summit get?
About 46 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Summit?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 5, and the last spring frost by May 12.
What is the rainiest month in Summit?
May, with 4.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 45 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Summit.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Summit itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Meyersdale 2 Ssw, PA (4 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.