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Climate in Brutus · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Brutus gets about 106 inches of snow a winter, more than 98% of U.S. towns

A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 106 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

More snow than 98% of U.S. towns#115Snowiest  of 854 in NY
Cooler July afternoons than 84% of U.S. towns#440Coolest summers  of 875 in NY
All NY rankings →

A year in Brutus at a glance

Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.

Jan32°17° 20" snow
Feb34°18° 27" snow
Mar42°25° 22" snow
Apr56°35° 3" snow
May68°46° Last frost ~May 2
Jun77°56° 2 days 90°+
Jul82°61° 3 days 90°+
Aug80°59° 2 days 90°+
Sep73°52°
Oct60°42° First frost ~Oct 18Wettest
Nov now48°33° 10" snow
Dec37°24° 24" snow

What stands out about Brutus’ climate

Compared with towns across the U.S., with Brutus’ place in New York beside it.

A normal year

What a year in Brutus feels like

Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.

Winter
34° / 19°
32 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
55° / 35°
Last frost around May 2
Summer
80° / 59°
8 days reach 90°
Fall
60° / 42°
First frost around Oct 18
Best months to be outsideMayJunJulAugSepHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 166 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 2 and the first by October 18. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Auburn, NY, 8 miles from the town’s center, 300 ft higher.

143
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
371st most of 875 in New York
More freezing nights than 78% of U.S. towns
8
nights at or below 0°
339th most of 875 in New York
More nights at or below 0° than 80% of U.S. towns
8
days that reach 90°
415th fewest of 875 in New York
Fewer 90° days than 83% of U.S. towns
0
days that reach 100°
None in a normal year
6aUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 6a

The 2023 USDA map puts Brutus’ center in zone 6a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −7°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

28
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

3.2
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 106 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Skaneateles, NY, falls mostly in February. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 40 inches a year; October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 187 days a year.

40"
Rain + melted snow a year
238th driest of 875 in New York
Drier than 59% of U.S. towns
106"
Snow in a normal winter
115th snowiest of 854 in New York
More snow than 98% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

4.1"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

27"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Brutus

93% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.

6,892 heating degree daysMore heating than 85% of U.S. towns
534 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 83% of U.S. towns

Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Auburn, NY.

Living here

Living with Brutus’ climate

What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.

The garden window

166 frost-free days in zone 6a. The last frost comes by May 2 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 18.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 4.6 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Brutus from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (75%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 8%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Brutus and its neighbors

Every town next door is within a degree of Brutus in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.

Lysander: January low 16°, July high 81°Conquest: January low 17°, July high 81°Ira: January low 16°, July high 81°Montezuma: January low 17°, July high 81°Throop: January low 17°, July high 81°Van Buren: January low 16°, July high 81°Camillus: January low 16°, July high 82°Skaneateles: January low 15°, July high 80°Auburn: January low 17°, July high 81°Owasco: January low 16°, July high 80°Cato: January low 17°, July high 81°Mentz: January low 17°, July high 81°Elbridge: January low 16°, July high 81°Sennett: January low 16°, July high 81°Brutus: January low 17°, July high 82°BrutusCatoMentzElbridgeSennett
ColderMilder15° to 17°
Elbridge16.3° about the same
Sennett16.4° about the same
Cato16.6° about the same
Brutus16.7°
Mentz16.7° about the same

Climates most like Brutus’, farther away

TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.

TownJan. lowJuly highPrecip.Snow
Brutus, NY17°82°40"106"
Beachwood, OH19°82°42"114"
Allegan, MI18°83°39"109"
Erie, PA20°81°44"104"
Bennington, VT13°81°42"75"

Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

The last 30 years in Brutus averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.7°).

+1.3°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A smaller shift than in 58% of U.S. towns.

Winter+2.2°now 27°, was 25°
Spring+1.2°now 45°, was 44°
Summer+0.8°now 69°, was 68°
Fall+0.8°now 51°, was 50°

Change by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.

Compared with other towns

How Brutus compares

Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Brutus’ place among New York’s.

Summer heat82° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 84% of U.S. towns440th coolest of 875 in New York
Winter cold17° January low
Colder January nights than 77% of U.S. towns443rd coldest of 875 in New York
Precipitation40" a year
Drier than 59% of U.S. towns238th driest of 875 in New York
Snow106" a winter
More snow than 98% of U.S. towns115th snowiest of 854 in New York
Hot days8 days at 90°+
Fewer 90° days than 83% of U.S. towns415th fewest of 875 in New York
Freezing nights143 a year
More freezing nights than 78% of U.S. towns371st most of 875 in New York
Growing season166 frost-free days
A shorter frost-free season than 77% of U.S. towns387th shortest of 875 in New York
Month by month

Brutus weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Brutus’ center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Skaneateles, NY. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet days30-yr range
January32°17°2.8"19.5"2013° – 33°
February34°18°2.3"27.4"1612° – 34°
March42°25°2.9"22.1"1626° – 46°
April56°35°3.3"3.2"1539° – 51°
May68°46°3.4"0.0"1551° – 63°
June77°56°3.8"0.0"1463° – 72°
July82°61°3.9"0.0"1367° – 75°
August80°59°3.7"0.0"1267° – 74°
September73°52°3.7"0.0"1459° – 67°
October60°42°4.1"0.1"1746° – 57°
November48°33°3.4"9.6"1735° – 47°
December37°24°3.3"23.8"1922° – 41°
Year57°39°40.4"105.7"187
Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 12° to 34°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Brutus’ numbers come from

Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →

  • Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at Brutus’ center.
  • Snow: Skaneateles, NY.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Auburn, NY, 8 miles from the town’s center, 300 ft higher; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
  • Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  • Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
  • Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).

Common questions about Brutus’ climate

What is the weather like in Brutus?

A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 106 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 77% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 84% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Brutus in winter?

January nights average 17°. About 143 nights a year reach 32° or below and 8 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 13°.

How much snow does Brutus get?

About 106 inches in a normal winter at Skaneateles, NY, most of it in February.

How hot does it get in Brutus?

July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 61°. About 8 days a year reach 90° (Auburn, NY).

When is the first and last frost in Brutus?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 2 and the first fall frost by October 18, about 166 frost-free days, at Auburn, NY.

What growing zone is Brutus in?

Zone 6a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −7°.

What is the best time of year to visit Brutus?

By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.

Is Brutus getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.3° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 58% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Brutus.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.