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TwinbridgesPhoto: Denaliano at English Wikipedia · Public domain
Climate in Halfmoon · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

January in Halfmoon bites harder than in 86% of U.S. towns

Peak summer warmth arrives in July, with afternoons near 83°. In July, afternoons here are cooler than in 73% of U.S. towns. December has warmed most since 1901–2000, part of a 1.6° rise. The heating season runs November to April: each of those months averages under 50°.

More snow than 88% of U.S. towns#359Snowiest  of 670 in NY
Colder January nights than 86% of U.S. towns#227 coldest of 691 in NY
All NY rankings →

A year in Halfmoon at a glance

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

Jan32°15° 16" snow
Feb35°16° 14" snow
Mar44°25° 12" snow
Apr58°35° Last frost ~Apr 19
May70°47° 1 day 90°+
Jun78°56° 3 days 90°+Wettest
Jul83°61° 5 days 90°+
Aug81°59° 3 days 90°+
Sep74°52° 1 day 90°+
Oct61°41° First frost ~Oct 26
Nov now48°31°
Dec37°22° 13" snow

What stands out about Halfmoon’s climate

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

A normal year

What a year in Halfmoon feels like

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

Winter
35° / 18°
15 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
57° / 36°
Last frost around Apr 19
Summer
81° / 59°
13 days reach 90°
Fall
61° / 41°
First frost around Oct 26
Best months to be outsideMayJunJulAugSepHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 190 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 19 and the first by October 26. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Troy L&d, NY, 8 miles from the town’s center, 260 ft lower.

131
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
494th most of 691 in New York
More freezing nights than 69% of U.S. towns
7
nights at or below 0°
381st most of 691 in New York
More nights at or below 0° than 78% of U.S. towns
13
days that reach 90°
588th fewest of 691 in New York
Fewer 90° days than 66% 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 Halfmoon’s center in zone 6a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −9°. 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

5.0
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 59 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Albany Airport, falls mostly in January. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 42 inches a year; June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 139 days a year.

42"
Rain + melted snow a year
297th driest of 691 in New York
Drier than 53% of U.S. towns
59"
Snow in a normal winter
359th snowiest of 670 in New York
More snow than 88% of U.S. towns
57 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
413th most of 506 in New York
More days with snow on the ground than 78% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

4.5"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

16"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Halfmoon

87% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.

6,006 heating degree daysMore heating than 66% of U.S. towns
896 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 52% 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 Troy L&d, NY.

Living here

Living with Halfmoon’s climate

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

The garden window

190 frost-free days in zone 6a. The last frost comes by Apr 19 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 26.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 12 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Halfmoon from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (71%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 7%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Halfmoon and its neighbors

Stillwater has the coldest January nights next door (14°, 1° colder). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.

Easton: January low 13°, July high 81°Stillwater: January low 14°, July high 83°Saratoga: January low 13°, July high 83°Pittstown: January low 14°, July high 82°Troy: January low 16°, July high 84°Brunswick: January low 15°, July high 82°Cambridge: January low 13°, July high 81°Niskayuna: January low 15°, July high 83°Ballston: January low 14°, July high 82°Country Knolls: January low 14°, July high 83°Round Lake: January low 14°, July high 83°Saratoga Springs: January low 13°, July high 83°North Ballston Spa: January low 13°, July high 82°Cohoes: January low 16°, July high 84°Waterford: January low 15°, July high 84°Watervliet: January low 16°, July high 84°Albany: January low 16°, July high 83°Roessleville: January low 15°, July high 83°Guilderland: January low 15°, July high 83°Green Island: January low 16°, July high 84°Green Island: January low 16°, July high 84°Latham: January low 15°, July high 83°Stillwater: January low 14°, July high 82°Schaghticoke: January low 14°, July high 83°Mechanicville: January low 15°, July high 83°Clifton Park: January low 15°, July high 83°Malta: January low 14°, July high 83°Waterford: January low 15°, July high 84°Colonie: January low 15°, July high 83°Halfmoon: January low 15°, July high 83°HalfmoonStillwaterSchaghticokeMechanicvilleClifton ParkMaltaWaterfordColonie
ColderMilder13° to 16°
Stillwater13.6° −1.0°
Malta13.6° −1.0°
Schaghticoke14.3° about the same
Mechanicville14.5° about the same
Clifton Park14.5° about the same
Halfmoon14.6°
Waterford15.3° about the same
Colonie15.3° about the same

Climates most like Halfmoon’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.

TownJan. lowJuly highPrecip.Snow
Halfmoon, NY15°83°42"59"
La Porte, IN17°83°40"65"
Greenville, PA18°83°43"62"
Niles, MI18°83°40"63"
Ontario, OH17°82°42"49"

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 Halfmoon averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.3°).

+1.6°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A bigger shift than in 65% of U.S. towns.

Winter+2.9°now 26°, was 23°
Spring+1.1°now 47°, was 45°
Summer+1.0°now 70°, was 69°
Fall+1.3°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 Halfmoon compares

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

Summer heat83° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 73% of U.S. towns505th coolest of 691 in New York
Winter cold15° January low
Colder January nights than 86% of U.S. towns227th coldest of 691 in New York
Precipitation42" a year
Drier than 53% of U.S. towns297th driest of 691 in New York
Snow59" a winter
More snow than 88% of U.S. towns359th snowiest of 670 in New York
Hot days13 days at 90°+
Fewer 90° days than 66% of U.S. towns588th fewest of 691 in New York
Freezing nights131 a year
More freezing nights than 69% of U.S. towns494th most of 691 in New York
Growing season190 frost-free days
A longer frost-free season than 57% of U.S. towns63rd longest of 691 in New York
Month by month

Halfmoon weather by month

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

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January32°15°2.7"15.6"131812° – 31°
February35°16°2.3"13.7"111611° – 32°
March44°25°2.8"12.0"121027° – 45°
April58°35°3.3"1.6"12140° – 52°
May70°47°3.6"0.1"13053° – 64°
June78°56°4.5"0.0"12064° – 72°
July83°61°4.4"0.0"11067° – 76°
August81°59°4.1"0.0"11067° – 74°
September74°52°4.1"0.0"10059° – 67°
October61°41°4.0"0.3"11046° – 58°
November48°31°3.0"2.6"11235° – 45°
December37°22°3.3"13.3"131022° – 41°
Year58°38°41.9"59.2"13957
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 11° to 32°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Halfmoon’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 Halfmoon’s center.
  • Snow: Albany Airport.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Troy L&d, NY, 8 miles from the town’s center, 260 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 Halfmoon’s climate

What is the weather like in Halfmoon?

A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 15°, and about 59 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 86% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 73% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Halfmoon in winter?

January nights average 15°. About 131 nights a year reach 32° or below and 7 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 12°.

How much snow does Halfmoon get?

About 59 inches in a normal winter at Albany Airport, most of it in January, with snow on the ground about 57 days a year.

How hot does it get in Halfmoon?

July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 61°. About 13 days a year reach 90° (Troy L&d, NY).

When is the first and last frost in Halfmoon?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 19 and the first fall frost by October 26, about 190 frost-free days, at Troy L&d, NY.

What growing zone is Halfmoon in?

Zone 6a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −9°.

What is the best time of year to visit Halfmoon?

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 Halfmoon getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.6° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 65% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

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

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.