Photo: [email protected] at English Wikipedia · Public domainStratford sits near the bottom of U.S. towns for July heat
The coldest hours of a January night bottom out at 9° on average. Winter nights are cold: in January they are colder than in 95% of U.S. towns. Compared with 1901–2000, the average now sits 1.2° higher. Warm coats and heating bills mark the months from October to April, when means dip under 50°.
A year in Stratford at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Stratford’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Stratford’s place in New York beside it.
What a year in Stratford feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 143 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 11 and the first by October 3. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Gloversville 7nw (peck Lake), NY, 11 miles from the town’s center, 120 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts Stratford’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°
About 54 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 Stratford
98% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October 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 Gloversville 7nw (peck Lake), NY.
Living with Stratford’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
143 frost-free days in zone 4b. The last frost comes by May 11 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 3.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 47 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Stratford from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (80%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 9%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Stratford and its neighbors
Arietta has the coldest January nights next door (5°, 3° colder) and Ephratah the hottest July afternoons (81°, 4° 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 Stratford averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.2°).
A smaller shift than in 60% 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 Stratford compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Stratford’s place among New York’s.
Stratford weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Stratford’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 27° | 9° | 4.1" | 7° – 25° |
| February | 30° | 10° | 3.4" | 6° – 26° |
| March | 38° | 18° | 3.8" | 20° – 40° |
| April | 52° | 30° | 4.4" | 34° – 47° |
| May | 65° | 42° | 4.8" | 48° – 59° |
| June | 73° | 51° | 5.2" | 58° – 67° |
| July | 77° | 55° | 5.1" | 62° – 70° |
| August | 76° | 54° | 4.9" | 61° – 68° |
| September | 68° | 47° | 4.4" | 54° – 62° |
| October | 56° | 36° | 5.1" | 42° – 52° |
| November | 43° | 27° | 4.2" | 30° – 41° |
| December | 32° | 16° | 4.4" | 16° – 36° |
| Year | 53° | 33° | 53.7" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. March swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 20° to 40°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Stratford’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 Stratford’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Gloversville 7nw (peck Lake), NY, 11 miles from the town’s center, 120 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 Stratford’s climate
What is the weather like in Stratford?
A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 9°. Colder January nights than 95% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 97% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Stratford in winter?
January nights average 9°. About 179 nights a year reach 32° or below and 27 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 7°.
How hot does it get in Stratford?
July, with a typical high of 77°. 90° days are rare: none in a normal year at Gloversville 7nw (peck Lake), NY.
When is the first and last frost in Stratford?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 11 and the first fall frost by October 3, about 143 frost-free days, at Gloversville 7nw (peck Lake), NY.
What growing zone is Stratford 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 Stratford?
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 Stratford getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 60% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Stratford.
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.