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Mount Lebanon Shaker Society 12July2008Photo: Adam Lenhardt · CC BY-SA 3.0
Climate in New Lebanon · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Nights turn raw in New Lebanon each January, colder than in 86% of U.S. towns

In July the day’s top temperature is typically 82°. Summers stay cool: July afternoons here are cooler than in 83% of U.S. towns. The latest 30-year average runs 1.7° warmer than 1901–2000’s, with December up the most. The frost-free window for a garden runs roughly May 5 to October 5.

Colder January nights than 86% of U.S. towns#214 coldest of 692 in NY
More snow than 79% of U.S. towns#513Snowiest  of 671 in NY
All NY rankings →

A year in New Lebanon at a glance

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

Jan32°14° 11" snow
Feb35°16° 12" snow
Mar44°24° 10" snow
Apr57°34°
May69°45° Last frost ~May 5
Jun77°54° 1 day 90°+
Jul82°59° 1 day 90°+
Aug80°57° 1 day 90°+
Sep72°50° Wettest
Oct60°39° First frost ~Oct 5
Nov now48°30°
Dec37°21° 11" snow

What stands out about New Lebanon’s climate

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

A normal year

What a year in New Lebanon feels like

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

Winter
35° / 17°
10 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
57° / 34°
Last frost around May 5
Summer
79° / 57°
3 days reach 90°
Fall
60° / 40°
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 152 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 5 and the first by October 5. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Pittsfield Muni Airport, 8 miles from the town’s center, 230 ft higher.

153
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
210th most of 692 in New York
More freezing nights than 87% of U.S. towns
9
nights at or below 0°
302nd most of 692 in New York
More nights at or below 0° than 82% of U.S. towns
3
days that reach 90°
98th fewest of 692 in New York
Fewer 90° days than 95% of U.S. towns
0
days that reach 100°
None in a normal year
5bUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 5b

The 2023 USDA map puts New Lebanon’s center in zone 5b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −11°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

29
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

1.3
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 46 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Alcove Dam, NY, falls mostly in January, February and December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 44 inches a year; September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 131 days a year.

44"
Rain + melted snow a year
279th wettest of 692 in New York
Wetter than 55% of U.S. towns
46"
Snow in a normal winter
513th snowiest of 671 in New York
More snow than 79% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

4.7"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

12"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in New Lebanon

95% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.

7,224 heating degree daysMore heating than 90% of U.S. towns
344 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 93% 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 Pittsfield Muni Airport.

Living here

Living with New Lebanon’s climate

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

The garden window

152 frost-free days in zone 5b. The last frost comes by May 5 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. 15 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in New Lebanon from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (76%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 5%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

New Lebanon and its neighbors

Every town next door is within a degree of New Lebanon in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.

Nassau: January low 15°, July high 82°East Nassau: January low 15°, July high 82°Berlin: January low 13°, July high 79°Kinderhook: January low 16°, July high 84°Ghent: January low 16°, July high 84°Austerlitz: January low 15°, July high 81°Stephentown: January low 14°, July high 80°Chatham: January low 15°, July high 82°Canaan: January low 15°, July high 81°New Lebanon: January low 14°, July high 82°New LebanonStephentownChathamCanaan
ColderMilder13° to 16°
Stephentown13.9° about the same
New Lebanon14.4°
Canaan14.5° about the same
Chatham15.4° +1.0°

Climates most like New Lebanon’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
New Lebanon, NY14°82°44"46"
Ontario, OH17°82°42"49"
Mountain Top, PA16°80°45"46"
Kennebunk, ME14°81°49"49"
Hillsdale, MI16°82°38"44"

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 New Lebanon averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.3°).

+1.7°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A bigger shift than in 71% of U.S. towns.

Winter+2.7°now 26°, was 23°
Spring+1.3°now 46°, was 44°
Summer+1.3°now 68°, was 67°
Fall+1.5°now 50°, was 48°

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 New Lebanon compares

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

Summer heat82° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 83% of U.S. towns414th coolest of 692 in New York
Winter cold14° January low
Colder January nights than 86% of U.S. towns214th coldest of 692 in New York
Precipitation44" a year
Wetter than 55% of U.S. towns279th wettest of 692 in New York
Snow46" a winter
More snow than 79% of U.S. towns513th snowiest of 671 in New York
Hot days3 days at 90°+
Fewer 90° days than 95% of U.S. towns98th fewest of 692 in New York
Freezing nights153 a year
More freezing nights than 87% of U.S. towns210th most of 692 in New York
Growing season152 frost-free days
A shorter frost-free season than 91% of U.S. towns153rd shortest of 692 in New York
Month by month

New Lebanon weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at New Lebanon’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Alcove Dam, NY. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet days30-yr range
January32°14°3.2"11.4"1113° – 31°
February35°16°2.4"11.6"912° – 32°
March44°24°2.9"9.8"1026° – 44°
April57°34°3.4"0.8"1140° – 51°
May69°45°3.8"0.0"1252° – 63°
June77°54°4.5"0.0"1263° – 70°
July82°59°4.2"0.0"1266° – 74°
August80°57°4.2"0.0"1265° – 72°
September72°50°4.7"0.0"1158° – 65°
October60°39°3.8"0.1"1244° – 56°
November48°30°3.2"0.6"934° – 44°
December37°21°3.6"11.4"1022° – 41°
Year58°37°43.8"45.7"131
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 12° to 32°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where New Lebanon’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 New Lebanon’s center.
  • Snow: Alcove Dam, NY.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Pittsfield Muni Airport, 8 miles from the town’s center, 230 ft higher; 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 New Lebanon’s climate

What is the weather like in New Lebanon?

A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 14°, and about 46 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 86% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 83% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in New Lebanon in winter?

January nights average 14°. About 153 nights a year reach 32° or below and 9 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 13°.

How much snow does New Lebanon get?

About 46 inches in a normal winter at Alcove Dam, NY, most of it in January, February and December.

How hot does it get in New Lebanon?

July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 59°. About 3 days a year reach 90° (Pittsfield Muni Airport).

When is the first and last frost in New Lebanon?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 5 and the first fall frost by October 5, about 152 frost-free days, at Pittsfield Muni Airport.

What growing zone is New Lebanon in?

Zone 5b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −11°.

What is the best time of year to visit New Lebanon?

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 New Lebanon getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.7° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 71% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in New Lebanon.

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.