Climate in Rochester (New York)
| Climate
|
Jan
|
Feb
|
Mar
|
Apr
|
May
|
Jun
|
Jul
|
Aug
|
Sep
|
Oct
|
Nov
|
Dec
|
|---|
| Daily highs (°F)
|
31 |
33 |
43 |
55 |
68 |
77 |
81 |
79 |
71 |
60 |
47 |
36
|
| Nightly lows (°F)
|
17 |
17 |
25 |
35 |
46 |
55 |
60 |
59 |
51 |
41 |
33 |
23
|
| Precipitation (in)
|
2.3 |
2.0 |
2.6 |
2.8 |
2.8 |
3.4 |
2.9 |
3.5 |
3.5 |
2.6 |
2.8 |
2.7
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Daylight (hrs/day)
|
9 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
15 |
15 |
15 |
14 |
12 |
11 |
10 |
9
|
| Water (°F)
|
38 |
36 |
36 |
38 |
44 |
56 |
67 |
70 |
66 |
56 |
48 |
41
|
Check Rochester's 7 day forecast at
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Rochester is unashamedly part of the Snow Belt of the United States, competing every year with its upstate neighbors for the "coveted" Golden Snowball Award (for most snowfall). Snowfalls in Rochester were once legendary, although lately the lake-effect snow has favored Syracuse and Rochester has started to fall behind.
Visitors are often surprised by the amount of snow Rochesterians will put up with. It takes multiple feet of snow or biting cold frostbite-in-ten-minutes temperatures to close schools; anything less and you just put another layer on and grab the shovel. And forget about work or college being canceled; unless the governor has declared a state of emergency, you'll find commuters dutifully plunging forth across barely-plowed roads and highways. And sometimes, even then...
Simply stated, snow is a daily fact of life in Rochester winters, and the traveler must be prepared to deal with it as the locals do: with a hearty grumble of resignation, the assertion that "at least we don't have earthquakes, tornadoes, or hurricanes", and the knowledge that better days lie ahead.
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An illustrative anecdote
Rochester astronomer Lewis Swift (1820?1913) once attended a conference in California. Invited to gaze through the telescope there, he expressed amazement.
"What do you see?" he was asked.
"Stars!"
"Well what did you expect to see?"
"Clouds!"
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Fortunately, those "better days" are truly gems, and few cities appreciate them more when they arrive. "The weather is beautiful" headlines can often be found in the news media when a wave of pleasant weather hits. July and August can be very humid at times, but relief is rarely more than a few days away. May, June, late August, September, and early October have the most comfortable temperatures. Outside of those months, partly sunny days alternate with overcast conditions and heavy precipitation, ranging from light fluffy snow to heavy wet glop to cold damp drizzle.
But all this emphasis on winter should not overshadow Rochester's short but beautiful springs, mild summers, and very colorful autumns. Rochesterians make the best of winter, but they really take advantage of every nice day the rest of the year?and so should you.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Rochester (New York)
