Pennsylvania Climate

Pennsylvania is a state with diverse geographical features, and as such, the climate can vary greatly from region to region. Generally, the climate in Pennsylvania is considered humid continental, which means that it experiences four distinct seasons. Summers are generally hot and humid with temperatures reaching into the high 80s and 90s during the day while winters tend to be cold and snowy. The average annual snowfall for the state is approximately 37 inches, with some areas receiving more than 100 inches in a single season. Precipitation also varies greatly across the state, ranging from an average of around 32 inches per year in Philadelphia to over 45 inches per year in Western Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania gets 44 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

Pennsylvania averages 38 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.

On average, there are 179 sunny days per year in Pennsylvania. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Pennsylvania gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 137 days per year. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. In order for precipitation to be counted you have to get at least .01 inches on the ground to measure.

Weather Highlights

Summer High: the July high is around 83 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 19
Rain: averages 44 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 38 inches of snow a year

Bestplaces Comfort Index

Pennsylvania's annual BestPlaces Comfort Index of 6.9 (10=best) indicates it is less comfortable than most states in the United States.

8.9 Summer - 4.8 Winter

August, June and September are the most pleasant months in the state of Pennsylvania, while January and February are the least comfortable months.

Climate	Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania	United States
	Unlock	38.1 in.
	38.2 in.	Unlock
	Unlock	106.2 days
	179 days	Unlock
	83.0°	85.8°
	Unlock	21.7°
	6.9	Unlock
	Unlock	4.3
	1153 ft.	Unlock

Climate

YOU SHOULD KNOW

Many people confuse weather and climate but they are different. Weather is the conditions of the atmosphere over a short period of time, and climate is how the atmosphere is over long periods of time.

Weather is how the atmosphere is behaving and its effects upon life and human activities. Weather can change from minute-to-minute. Most people think of weather in terms of temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloudiness, brightness, visibility, wind, and atmospheric pressure.

Climate is the description of the long-term pattern of weather in a place. Climate can mean the average weather for a particular region and time period taken over 30 years. Climate is the average of weather over time.

July is the hottest month for Pennsylvania with an average high temperature of 83.0°, which ranks it as cooler than most states. In Pennsylvania, there are 5 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Pennsylvania are June, August and September.

Pennsylvania has 9.5 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is cooler than most states in the U.S.

January has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Pennsylvania with an average of 18.8°. This is about average compared to other of the U.S. states.

Pennsylvania has 128.6 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is colder than most states in the U.S.

Pennsylvania averages 3.7 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is about average compared to other states in the U.S.

The humidity is usually comfortable in the state of Pennsylvania but some summer days can be muggy. July is the most humid month, though it is still relatively mild compared to many other places. The most humid months are July, August and June.

July is the wettest month in Pennsylvania with 4.3 inches of rain, and the driest month is February with 2.6 inches. The wettest season is Autumn with 29% of yearly precipitation and 20% occurs in Spring, which is the driest season. Pennsylvania's average annual rainfall of 43.6 inches indicates that it is about average compared to other states in the United States.

January is the rainiest month in Pennsylvania with 12.8 days of rain, and August is the driest month with only 9.9 rainy days. Pennsylvania's annual average of 136.7 days with measurable rain is rainier than most states in the United States. The rainiest season is Summer when it rains 27% of the time and the driest is Winter with only a 23% chance of a rainy day.

Pennsylvania's average annual snowfall of 38.2 inches indicates that it is about average compared to other states in the United States. January is the snowiest month in Pennsylvania with 11.5 inches of snow, and 6 months of the year have significant snowfall.

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AJ · Doylestown, PA

PA is a 5 Star State

Over 3 years ago

How Can PA not have 5 stars? Sure the elected officials may be below avg and some of the areas may not be well maintained but it's a great place to explore and even put More

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David · McSherrystown, PA

Escaping Pennsylvania ASAP

Over 4 years ago

I've lived in PA for 26 years and I've been ready to leave for some time. PA made the top 10 for property tax, is ranked number 13 for hazardous pollution, not even in More

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David · Strongstown, PA

jobs

Over 9 years ago

We need jobs now bring back gas, oil and coal. I moved back to Pennsylvania in 2008 so my wife could be close to her family and I found a job at halliburton rather More