Princeton has mild winters and warm summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 91°, a January night drops to 33°, and snow is almost unheard of.
A year in Princeton at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What a year in Princeton feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Rain and snow in Princeton
March is the wettest month and October the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 101 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
About 0.7" in a normal year, so most winters see none.
About 219 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 1 and the first by November 5.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Living with Princeton’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
219 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 1 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Nov 5.
About 0.7" in a normal winter.
Months averaging under 55° run from November through March. Heating is 64% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 63 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 91°.
The nicest months are March, April, May, September, October and November.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Princeton averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.2°).
A smaller shift than in 78% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Princeton compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in South Carolina.
Princeton 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 | 53° | 33° | 4.2" | 0.2" | 10 | 0 | 37° – 49° |
| February | 57° | 35° | 3.8" | 0.1" | 9 | 0 | 39° – 55° |
| March | 65° | 41° | 4.6" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 47° – 63° |
| April | 74° | 49° | 3.5" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 57° – 65° |
| May | 81° | 57° | 3.7" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 64° – 74° |
| June | 88° | 66° | 4.2" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 73° – 81° |
| July | 91° | 70° | 3.8" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 77° – 84° |
| August | 89° | 69° | 3.9" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 76° – 84° |
| September | 83° | 62° | 3.5" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 70° – 78° |
| October | 74° | 51° | 3.2" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 58° – 67° |
| November | 63° | 40° | 3.6" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 47° – 57° |
| December | 56° | 35° | 4.4" | 0.4" | 10 | 0 | 36° – 55° |
| Year | 73° | 51° | 46.3" | 0.7" | 101 | 0 |
Heating and cooling a home in Princeton
64% of the work is heating.
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 36° to 55°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Princeton’s climate
What is the coldest month in Princeton?
January, with a typical high of 53° and a low of 33°.
What is the hottest month in Princeton?
July, with a typical high of 91° and a low of 70°. About 63 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Princeton get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.7 inches.
When is the first frost in Princeton?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 5, and the last spring frost by April 1.
What is the rainiest month in Princeton?
March, with 4.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 46 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Princeton.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Princeton itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Ware Shoals 2, SC (7 mi, snow) and Laurens, SC (16 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. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.