Waterford has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 114 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Waterford at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Waterford’s climate
Read from where Waterford sits among Pennsylvania’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
114 inches of snow, 47 of rain and melt
October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 178 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
What a year in Waterford feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Living with Waterford’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
155 frost-free days. The last frost comes by May 7 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 10.
About 114" a winter over 35 days with an inch or more, most in January. Snow covers the ground about 90 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 94% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
90° days are rare: July afternoons average 81°.
The nicest months are May, June, July, August and September. 0.2 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 →About 155 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 7 and the first by October 10.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Waterford averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+2.6°).
A bigger shift than in 73% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Waterford compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Pennsylvania.
Waterford 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 | 32° | 18° | 3.7" | 30.3" | 21 | 25 | 16° – 35° |
| February | 35° | 18° | 2.7" | 21.3" | 16 | 23 | 11° – 35° |
| March | 44° | 25° | 3.2" | 15.8" | 15 | 15 | 27° – 47° |
| April | 58° | 35° | 3.8" | 3.8" | 15 | 2 | 40° – 52° |
| May | 69° | 46° | 4.0" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 50° – 63° |
| June | 77° | 55° | 4.4" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 61° – 70° |
| July | 81° | 59° | 4.4" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 65° – 74° |
| August | 79° | 58° | 3.9" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 64° – 73° |
| September | 73° | 51° | 4.4" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 58° – 66° |
| October | 61° | 41° | 4.6" | 0.9" | 15 | 0 | 47° – 58° |
| November | 48° | 32° | 3.9" | 14.5" | 16 | 7 | 34° – 46° |
| December | 37° | 24° | 4.0" | 27.6" | 18 | 18 | 21° – 41° |
| Year | 58° | 38° | 46.9" | 114.2" | 178 | 90 |
Heating and cooling a home in Waterford
94% 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 11° to 35°. September is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Waterford’s climate
What is the coldest month in Waterford?
January, with a typical high of 32° and a low of 18°.
What is the hottest month in Waterford?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 59°.
How much snow does Waterford get?
About 114 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Waterford?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 10, and the last spring frost by May 7.
What is the rainiest month in Waterford?
October, with 4.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 47 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Waterford.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Waterford itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Union City Filtration Plant, PA (7 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.