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Moira NYPhoto: P199 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Climate in Moira · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Moira’s winters are colder and snowier than most of the U.S.

A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 8°, and about 75 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

Colder January nights than 96% of U.S. towns#14 coldest of 875 in NY
More snow than 94% of U.S. towns#267Snowiest  of 854 in NY
All NY rankings →

A year in Moira at a glance

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

Jan26°8° 17" snow
Feb29°10° 16" snow
Mar38°20° 16" snow
Apr53°33° 5" snow
May67°45° Last frost ~May 10
Jun76°54° 2 days 90°+
Jul80°59° 1 day 90°+
Aug79°57° 1 day 90°+
Sep71°49°
Oct58°39° First frost ~Oct 5Wettest
Nov now44°28° 6" snow
Dec32°17° 16" snow

What stands out about Moira’s climate

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

A normal year

What a year in Moira feels like

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

Winter
29° / 11°
27 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
53° / 32°
Last frost around May 10
Summer
78° / 57°
4 days reach 90°
Fall
58° / 39°
First frost around Oct 5
Best months to be outsideMayJunJulAugSepHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 148 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 10 and the first by October 5. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Lawrenceville 3 Sw, NY, 7 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.

158
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
143rd most of 875 in New York
More freezing nights than 90% of U.S. towns
26
nights at or below 0°
24th most of 875 in New York
More nights at or below 0° than 96% of U.S. towns
4
days that reach 90°
204th fewest of 875 in New York
Fewer 90° days than 92% of U.S. towns
0
days that reach 100°
None in a normal year
4bUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 4b

The 2023 USDA map puts Moira’s center in zone 4b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −21°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

30
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

1.5
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 75 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Lawrenceville 3 Sw, NY, falls mostly in January, February, March and December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 39 inches a year; October is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 168 days a year.

39"
Rain + melted snow a year
183rd driest of 875 in New York
Drier than 65% of U.S. towns
75"
Snow in a normal winter
267th snowiest of 854 in New York
More snow than 94% of U.S. towns
97 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
39th most of 653 in New York
More days with snow on the ground than 96% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

4.1"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

17"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Moira

94% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.

7,669 heating degree daysMore heating than 94% of U.S. towns
451 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 88% 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 Lawrenceville 3 Sw, NY.

Living here

Living with Moira’s climate

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

The garden window

148 frost-free days in zone 4b. The last frost comes by May 10 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 5.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 9.8 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Moira from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (66%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 13%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Moira and its neighbors

Dickinson has the coldest January nights next door (6°, 1° colder). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.

Brandon: January low 6°, July high 77°Waverly: January low 5°, July high 77°Lawrence: January low 7°, July high 80°Malone: January low 6°, July high 77°Fort Covington: January low 8°, July high 80°Westville: January low 8°, July high 80°Brasher Falls: January low 8°, July high 80°Massena: January low 8°, July high 81°Norfolk: January low 8°, July high 80°Stockholm: January low 8°, July high 80°Winthrop: January low 8°, July high 80°Dickinson: January low 6°, July high 78°Bangor: January low 8°, July high 80°Brasher: January low 8°, July high 81°Bombay: January low 8°, July high 81°Moira: January low 8°, July high 80°MoiraDickinsonBangorBrasherBombay
ColderMilder5° to 8°
Dickinson6.4° −1.2°
Moira7.6°
Bangor7.7° about the same
Brasher8.1° about the same
Bombay8.1° about the same

Climates most like Moira’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
Moira, NY8°80°39"75"
Old Town, ME9°80°43"75"
Cadillac, MI12°80°35"74"
Kronenwetter, WI6°80°34"64"
Newport, NH10°81°44"66"

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 Moira averaged 2.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+4.3°).

+2.1°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A bigger shift than in 93% of U.S. towns.

Winter+3.4°now 20°, was 17°
Spring+1.7°now 43°, was 41°
Summer+1.5°now 67°, was 66°
Fall+1.8°now 48°, was 46°

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 Moira compares

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

Summer heat80° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 91% of U.S. towns193rd coolest of 875 in New York
Winter cold8° January low
Colder January nights than 96% of U.S. towns14th coldest of 875 in New York
Precipitation39" a year
Drier than 65% of U.S. towns183rd driest of 875 in New York
Snow75" a winter
More snow than 94% of U.S. towns267th snowiest of 854 in New York
Hot days4 days at 90°+
Fewer 90° days than 92% of U.S. towns204th fewest of 875 in New York
Freezing nights158 a year
More freezing nights than 90% of U.S. towns143rd most of 875 in New York
Growing season148 frost-free days
A shorter frost-free season than 93% of U.S. towns125th shortest of 875 in New York
Month by month

Moira weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Moira’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Lawrenceville 3 Sw, NY. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January26°8°2.3"16.9"16262° – 27°
February29°10°2.0"15.6"13254° – 26°
March38°20°2.4"15.7"131920° – 40°
April53°33°3.2"4.9"13238° – 49°
May67°45°3.3"0.2"15050° – 62°
June76°54°4.1"0.0"14062° – 71°
July80°59°3.9"0.0"14064° – 74°
August79°57°3.7"0.0"13065° – 71°
September71°49°3.8"0.0"12056° – 65°
October58°39°4.1"0.4"14043° – 56°
November44°28°3.0"5.7"16630° – 43°
December32°17°2.7"15.8"161916° – 37°
Year54°35°38.6"75.2"16897
Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 2° to 27°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Moira’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 Moira’s center.
  • Snow: Lawrenceville 3 Sw, NY.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Lawrenceville 3 Sw, NY, 7 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 Moira’s climate

What is the weather like in Moira?

A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 8°, and about 75 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 96% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 91% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Moira in winter?

January nights average 8°. About 158 nights a year reach 32° or below and 26 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 2°.

How much snow does Moira get?

About 75 inches in a normal winter at Lawrenceville 3 Sw, NY, most of it in January, February, March and December, with snow on the ground about 97 days a year.

How hot does it get in Moira?

July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 59°. About 4 days a year reach 90° (Lawrenceville 3 Sw, NY).

When is the first and last frost in Moira?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 10 and the first fall frost by October 5, about 148 frost-free days, at Lawrenceville 3 Sw, NY.

What growing zone is Moira in?

Zone 4b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −21°.

What is the best time of year to visit Moira?

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 Moira getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 2.1° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 93% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

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

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.