Photo: Webb_Herkimer_NY.png: Schzmo *derivative work: Liesel · Public domainLitchfield’s winters are colder than most of the U.S.; July afternoons average 78°
A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 11°.
A year in Litchfield at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Litchfield’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Litchfield’s place in New York beside it.
What a year in Litchfield feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 152 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 6 and the first by October 6. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Cherry Valley 2 Nne, NY, 24 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Litchfield’s center in zone 5a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −16°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
About 46 inches of rain a year
June is the wettest month and February the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Litchfield
96% 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 Cherry Valley 2 Nne, NY.
Living with Litchfield’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
152 frost-free days in zone 5a. The last frost comes by May 6 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 6.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Litchfield from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (84%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 6%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Litchfield and its neighbors
New Hartford the hottest July afternoons (81°, 3° 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 Litchfield averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.9°).
A smaller 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 Litchfield compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Litchfield’s place among New York’s.
Litchfield weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Litchfield’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28° | 11° | 3.0" | 9° – 28° |
| February | 31° | 13° | 2.6" | 8° – 28° |
| March | 40° | 21° | 3.2" | 23° – 43° |
| April | 54° | 32° | 3.8" | 35° – 48° |
| May | 66° | 44° | 4.1" | 49° – 61° |
| June | 74° | 52° | 4.7" | 61° – 69° |
| July | 78° | 57° | 4.7" | 63° – 71° |
| August | 77° | 56° | 4.5" | 63° – 70° |
| September | 70° | 50° | 4.0" | 57° – 65° |
| October | 57° | 39° | 4.5" | 43° – 54° |
| November | 45° | 29° | 3.5" | 31° – 43° |
| December | 34° | 19° | 3.6" | 18° – 38° |
| Year | 54° | 35° | 46.1" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 8° to 28°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Litchfield’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 Litchfield’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Cherry Valley 2 Nne, NY, 24 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; 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 Litchfield’s climate
What is the weather like in Litchfield?
A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 11°. Colder January nights than 92% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Litchfield in winter?
January nights average 11°. About 154 nights a year reach 32° or below and 13 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 9°.
How hot does it get in Litchfield?
July, with a typical high of 78°. 90° days are rare: none in a normal year at Cherry Valley 2 Nne, NY.
When is the first and last frost in Litchfield?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 6 and the first fall frost by October 6, about 152 frost-free days, at Cherry Valley 2 Nne, NY.
What growing zone is Litchfield in?
Zone 5a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −16°.
What is the best time of year to visit Litchfield?
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 Litchfield getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 66% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Litchfield.
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.