West Penn, PA climate
West Penn has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 43 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in West Penn feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
West Penn 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 | 36° | 19° | 3.7" | 12.6" | 13 | 17 | 18° – 36° |
| February | 40° | 21° | 2.9" | 11.6" | 10 | 16 | 18° – 37° |
| March | 48° | 28° | 4.0" | 8.4" | 12 | 9 | 31° – 47° |
| April | 61° | 37° | 4.1" | 1.4" | 12 | 1 | 45° – 54° |
| May | 72° | 47° | 4.2" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 55° – 65° |
| June | 80° | 57° | 5.0" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 64° – 71° |
| July | 84° | 62° | 5.1" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 68° – 77° |
| August | 82° | 60° | 4.8" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 66° – 74° |
| September | 75° | 52° | 5.1" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 61° – 68° |
| October | 63° | 41° | 4.7" | 0.1" | 10 | 0 | 47° – 59° |
| November | 51° | 32° | 3.7" | 1.6" | 10 | 1 | 36° – 46° |
| December | 41° | 24° | 4.3" | 7.1" | 12 | 9 | 25° – 44° |
| Year | 61° | 40° | 51.6" | 42.8" | 134 | 53 |
“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 West Penn
West Penn gets 52 inches of rain and melted snow a year. September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 134 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 53 days of the year.
About 189 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 16 and the first one by October 25. That leaves about 189 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 63% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in West Penn
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In West Penn, 86% of that work is heating and 14% 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.
West Penn and its neighbors
West Penn borders 7 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.9°. Tamaqua has the coldest January nights (18°) and Lynn the hottest July afternoons (85°). West Penn’s January low is 19° and its July high 84°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How West Penn 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 West Penn averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.3°). The shift is larger than in 77% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at West Penn’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 18° to 37°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about West Penn’s climate
What is the coldest month in West Penn?
January, with a typical high of 36° and a low of 19°.
What is the hottest month in West Penn?
July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 62°. About 17 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does West Penn get?
About 43 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in West Penn?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 25, and the last spring frost by April 16.
What is the rainiest month in West Penn?
September, with 5.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 52 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for West Penn itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Tamaqua, PA (7 mi, snow) and Hamburg, PA (15 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.