Photo: Bala Subs · CC BY-SA 2.0North Elba gets about 104 inches of snow a winter, more than 97% of U.S. towns
On a normal July day the thermometer tops out near 72°. The wettest month is June; the driest is February. By July afternoons alone, it runs cooler than almost every U.S. town. Tender plants can go out after about May 27; in half of years the first frost comes by September 22.
A year in North Elba at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about North Elba’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with North Elba’s place in New York beside it.
What a year in North Elba 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 NOAA’s station at Lake Placid 2 S, NY, 7 miles from the town’s center, 230 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts North Elba’s center in zone 4b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −25°. 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 104 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Lake Placid 2 S, NY, falls mostly in January, February and December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 52 inches a year; June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 179 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in North Elba
99% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from September through May.
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 North Elba’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
118 frost-free days in zone 4b. 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, August and September. 266 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in North Elba from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (56%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 7%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →North Elba and its neighbors
Keene has the coldest January nights next door (3°, 1° colder) and Saranac Lake the hottest July afternoons (77°, 5° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like North Elba’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.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Elba, NY | 4° | 72° | 52" | 104" |
| Rumford, ME | 7° | 77° | 52" | 88" |
| Sault Ste. Marie, MI | 8° | 76° | 37" | 120" |
| Minocqua, WI | 3° | 77° | 33" | 99" |
| Wakefield, NH | 11° | 80° | 49" | 81" |
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 North Elba averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.8°).
A bigger shift than in 69% 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 North Elba compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with North Elba’s place among New York’s.
North Elba weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at North Elba’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Lake Placid 2 S, NY. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 23° | 4° | 3.9" | 21.0" | 19 | 29 | 1° – 22° |
| February | 26° | 5° | 3.1" | 21.0" | 14 | 27 | 1° – 23° |
| March | 34° | 13° | 3.5" | 18.9" | 13 | 24 | 12° – 35° |
| April | 46° | 26° | 4.2" | 7.8" | 14 | 7 | 29° – 42° |
| May | 60° | 38° | 4.6" | 0.5" | 15 | 0 | 42° – 54° |
| June | 68° | 47° | 5.3" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 | 55° – 63° |
| July | 72° | 51° | 4.9" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 | 56° – 65° |
| August | 70° | 51° | 4.6" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 57° – 63° |
| September | 63° | 44° | 4.4" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 49° – 59° |
| October | 51° | 33° | 5.2" | 2.6" | 15 | 1 | 37° – 48° |
| November | 38° | 22° | 4.1" | 9.6" | 15 | 11 | 24° – 36° |
| December | 28° | 11° | 4.2" | 22.7" | 19 | 26 | 11° – 32° |
| Year | 48° | 29° | 52.0" | 104.1" | 179 | 124 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. March swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 12° to 35°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where North Elba’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 North Elba’s center.
- Snow: Lake Placid 2 S, NY.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Lake Placid 2 S, NY, 7 miles from the town’s center, 230 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 North Elba’s climate
What is the weather like in North Elba?
A typical July afternoon reaches 72°, a January night drops to 4°, and about 104 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than all but 142 U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than all but 109 U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in North Elba in winter?
January nights average 4°. 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 1°.
How much snow does North Elba get?
About 104 inches in a normal winter at Lake Placid 2 S, NY, most of it in January, February and December, with snow on the ground about 124 days a year.
How hot does it get in North Elba?
July, with a typical high of 72° and a low of 51°. About 1 days a year reach 90° (Lake Placid 2 S, NY).
When is the first and last frost in North Elba?
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 North Elba in?
Zone 4b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −25°.
What is the best time of year to visit North Elba?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is North Elba getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.7° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 69% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in North Elba.
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.