Perth’s winters are colder and snowier than most of the U.S.
A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 12°, and about 64 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Perth at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Perth’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Perth’s place in New York beside it.
What a year in Perth feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 158 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 2 and the first by October 7. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Saratoga Springs 4 Sw, NY, 20 miles from the town’s center, 490 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts Perth’s center in zone 5b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −15°. 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 64 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Saratoga Springs 4 Sw, NY, falls mostly in January, February and December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 46 inches a year; June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 138 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Perth
91% 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 Saratoga Springs 4 Sw, NY.
Living with Perth’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
158 frost-free days in zone 5b. The last frost comes by May 2 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 7.
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 Perth from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (68%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 12%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Perth and its neighbors
Amsterdam the hottest July afternoons (82°, 1° 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 Perth’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perth, NY | 12° | 81° | 46" | 64" |
| Wolfeboro, NH | 12° | 81° | 47" | 62" |
| Auburn, ME | 10° | 80° | 47" | 65" |
| Bradford, PA | 15° | 80° | 44" | 75" |
| Amesbury, MA | 17° | 82° | 48" | 62" |
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 Perth averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.2°).
A smaller shift than in 54% 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 Perth compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Perth’s place among New York’s.
Perth weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Perth’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Saratoga Springs 4 Sw, NY. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 30° | 12° | 3.3" | 16.5" | 12 | 23 | 10° – 29° |
| February | 33° | 14° | 2.8" | 15.7" | 10 | 23 | 10° – 30° |
| March | 42° | 22° | 3.4" | 11.4" | 11 | 17 | 24° – 43° |
| April | 56° | 33° | 3.8" | 1.8" | 12 | 2 | 38° – 50° |
| May | 68° | 45° | 3.9" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 51° – 62° |
| June | 76° | 54° | 4.6" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 62° – 70° |
| July | 81° | 59° | 4.4" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 65° – 73° |
| August | 79° | 57° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 65° – 71° |
| September | 72° | 50° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 57° – 65° |
| October | 59° | 39° | 4.3" | 0.1" | 12 | 0 | 45° – 55° |
| November | 47° | 30° | 3.3" | 2.9" | 11 | 3 | 33° – 43° |
| December | 35° | 20° | 3.7" | 15.1" | 12 | 16 | 20° – 39° |
| Year | 56° | 36° | 45.5" | 63.5" | 138 | 84 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 10° to 30°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Perth’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 Perth’s center.
- Snow: Saratoga Springs 4 Sw, NY.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Saratoga Springs 4 Sw, NY, 20 miles from the town’s center, 490 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 Perth’s climate
What is the weather like in Perth?
A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 12°, and about 64 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 91% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 89% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Perth in winter?
January nights average 12°. About 144 nights a year reach 32° or below and 11 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 10°.
How much snow does Perth get?
About 64 inches in a normal winter at Saratoga Springs 4 Sw, NY, most of it in January, February and December, with snow on the ground about 84 days a year.
How hot does it get in Perth?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 59°. About 11 days a year reach 90° (Saratoga Springs 4 Sw, NY).
When is the first and last frost in Perth?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 2 and the first fall frost by October 7, about 158 frost-free days, at Saratoga Springs 4 Sw, NY.
What growing zone is Perth in?
Zone 5b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −15°.
What is the best time of year to visit Perth?
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 Perth getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.3° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 54% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Perth.
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.