Photo: Daniel Tripp · Public domainKeene has some of the coolest summers among U.S. towns
Nights in January average 3°. In January, nights here are colder than in almost every U.S. town. December has warmed most since 1901–2000, part of a 1.6° rise. Plan time outside from June to August, when highs sit at 63–67°.
A year in Keene at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Keene’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Keene’s place in New York beside it.
What a year in Keene feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 118 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 27 and the first by September 22. Frost and day counts come from Lake Placid 2 S, NY, 13 miles away.
The 2023 USDA map puts Keene’s center in zone 4a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −28°. 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 61 inches of rain a year
October is the wettest month and February the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Keene
99% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from September through June.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Lake Placid 2 S, NY.
Living with Keene’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
118 frost-free days in zone 4a. The last frost comes by May 27 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Sep 22.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July and August. 210 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Keene from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (67%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 3%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Keene and its neighbors
Jay the hottest July afternoons (80°, 12° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
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 Keene averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.7°).
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 Keene compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Keene’s place among New York’s.
Keene weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Keene’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20° | 3° | 4.9" | 0° – 21° |
| February | 23° | 4° | 4.1" | −1° – 21° |
| March | 30° | 11° | 4.6" | 9° – 32° |
| April | 42° | 24° | 5.4" | 26° – 39° |
| May | 55° | 36° | 5.2" | 39° – 51° |
| June | 63° | 45° | 5.5" | 52° – 60° |
| July | 67° | 50° | 5.4" | 53° – 62° |
| August | 66° | 48° | 5.1" | 54° – 60° |
| September | 59° | 42° | 4.9" | 46° – 56° |
| October | 47° | 31° | 6.1" | 35° – 45° |
| November | 35° | 20° | 5.1" | 21° – 34° |
| December | 25° | 10° | 5.1" | 9° – 29° |
| Year | 44° | 27° | 61.3" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. March swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 9° to 32°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Keene’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 Keene’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Lake Placid 2 S, NY, 13 miles from the town’s center, 540 ft lower; no station nearby passes every check; this is the nearest one in the same valley, flagged above.
- 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 Keene’s climate
What is the weather like in Keene?
A typical July afternoon reaches 67°, a January night drops to 3°. Colder January nights than all but 88 U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than all but 50 U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Keene in winter?
January nights average 3°. About 184 nights a year reach 32° or below and 31 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 0°.
How hot does it get in Keene?
July, with a typical high of 67° and a low of 50°. About 1 days a year reach 90° (Lake Placid 2 S, NY).
When is the first and last frost in Keene?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 27 and the first fall frost by September 22, about 118 frost-free days, at Lake Placid 2 S, NY.
What growing zone is Keene in?
Zone 4a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −28°.
What is the best time of year to visit Keene?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), June, July and August. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Keene 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 Keene.
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.