Champion gets about 228 inches of snow a winter, more than all but 1 U.S. towns
On a normal July day the thermometer tops out near 79°. Temperatures cover 70° across the year, low to high. Its July afternoons stay fresher than in 95% of U.S. towns. Tender plants can go out after about May 2; in half of years the first frost comes by October 13.
A year in Champion at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Champion’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Champion’s place in New York beside it.
What a year in Champion feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 163 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 2 and the first by October 13. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Watertown, NY, 8 miles from the town’s center, 340 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts Champion’s center in zone 4b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −20°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 228 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Hooker 12 Nnw, NY, is heaviest from January through February, about 58 inches a month. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 44 inches a year; October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 190 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Champion
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.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Watertown, NY.
Living with Champion’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
163 frost-free days in zone 4b. 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 13.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 4.3 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Champion from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (71%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 15%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Champion and its neighbors
Fort Drum the hottest July afternoons (80°, 1° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Champion’s, 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.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champion, NY | 8° | 79° | 44" | 228" |
| Ishpeming, MI | 5° | 77° | 33" | 197" |
| Stowe, VT | 7° | 78° | 45" | 139" |
| Truckee, CA | 19° | 82° | 35" | 183" |
| Caribou, ME | 2° | 77° | 41" | 118" |
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.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Champion averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+4.0°).
A bigger shift than in 66% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.
How Champion compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Champion’s place among New York’s.
Champion weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Champion’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Hooker 12 Nnw, NY. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 27° | 8° | 3.6" | 60.6" | 22 | 30 | 4° – 27° |
| February | 30° | 10° | 2.7" | 54.7" | 18 | 29 | 4° – 28° |
| March | 39° | 19° | 2.9" | 28.4" | 17 | 30 | 20° – 41° |
| April | 53° | 32° | 3.5" | 9.6" | 15 | 14 | 36° – 48° |
| May | 66° | 44° | 3.6" | 0.6" | 15 | 0 | 49° – 61° |
| June | 74° | 53° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 60° – 69° |
| July | 79° | 58° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 63° – 73° |
| August | 77° | 56° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 63° – 71° |
| September | 70° | 48° | 3.9" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 55° – 64° |
| October | 57° | 38° | 4.8" | 2.6" | 17 | 1 | 42° – 54° |
| November | 44° | 28° | 4.0" | 20.6" | 17 | 11 | 30° – 42° |
| December | 33° | 17° | 3.8" | 50.6" | 21 | 27 | 15° – 38° |
| Year | 54° | 34° | 44.0" | 227.7" | 190 | 143 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 4° to 28°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Champion’s 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 Champion’s center.
- Snow: Hooker 12 Nnw, NY.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Watertown, NY, 8 miles from the town’s center, 340 ft lower; 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 Champion’s climate
What is the weather like in Champion?
A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, a January night drops to 8°, and about 228 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 95% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 95% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Champion in winter?
January nights average 8°. About 144 nights a year reach 32° or below and 20 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 4°.
How much snow does Champion get?
About 228 inches in a normal winter at Hooker 12 Nnw, NY, heaviest from January through February, about 58 inches a month, with snow on the ground about 143 days a year.
How hot does it get in Champion?
July, with a typical high of 79° and a low of 58°. About 4 days a year reach 90° (Watertown, NY).
When is the first and last frost in Champion?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 2 and the first fall frost by October 13, about 163 frost-free days, at Watertown, NY.
What growing zone is Champion in?
Zone 4b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −20°.
What is the best time of year to visit Champion?
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 Champion getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.6° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 66% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Champion.
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.