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Troy, New YorkPhoto: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0
Climate in Troy · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

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

A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 16°, and about 59 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

More snow than 88% of U.S. towns#397Snowiest  of 854 in NY
Colder January nights than 82% of U.S. towns#359 coldest of 875 in NY
All NY rankings →

A year in Troy at a glance

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

Jan33°16° 16" snow
Feb36°18° 14" snow
Mar45°26° 12" snow
Apr59°36° Last frost ~Apr 19
May71°48° 1 day 90°+
Jun79°57° 3 days 90°+
Jul84°62° 5 days 90°+Wettest
Aug82°61° 3 days 90°+
Sep75°53° 1 day 90°+
Oct62°41° First frost ~Oct 26
Nov now49°32°
Dec38°23° 13" snow

What stands out about Troy’s climate

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

A normal year

What a year in Troy feels like

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

Winter
36° / 19°
15 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
58° / 37°
Last frost around Apr 19
Summer
82° / 60°
13 days reach 90°
Fall
62° / 42°
First frost around Oct 26
Best months to be outsideMayJunJulAugSepHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 190 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 19 and the first by October 26. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Troy L&d, NY, 1.2 miles from the city’s center point, 200 ft lower.

131
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
553rd most of 875 in New York
More freezing nights than 69% of U.S. towns
7
nights at or below 0°
409th most of 875 in New York
More nights at or below 0° than 78% of U.S. towns
13
days that reach 90°
735th fewest of 875 in New York
Fewer 90° days than 66% of U.S. towns
0
days that reach 100°
None in a normal year
6aUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 6a

The 2023 USDA map puts Troy’s center in zone 6a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −8°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

28
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

5.0
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 59 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Albany Airport, falls mostly in January. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 41 inches a year; July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 139 days a year.

41"
Rain + melted snow a year
266th driest of 875 in New York
Drier than 57% of U.S. towns
59"
Snow in a normal winter
397th snowiest of 854 in New York
More snow than 88% of U.S. towns
57 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
472nd most of 653 in New York
More days with snow on the ground than 78% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

4.3"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

16"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Troy

87% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.

6,006 heating degree daysMore heating than 66% of U.S. towns
896 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 52% 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 Troy L&d, NY.

Living here

Living with Troy’s climate

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

The garden window

190 frost-free days in zone 6a. The last frost comes by Apr 19 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 26.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 23 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Troy from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (81%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 3%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Troy and its neighbors

Schaghticoke has the coldest January nights next door (14°, 2° colder). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.

Poestenkill: January low 14°, July high 80°Grafton: January low 12°, July high 78°Pittstown: January low 14°, July high 82°Halfmoon: January low 15°, July high 83°Stillwater: January low 14°, July high 82°Stillwater: January low 14°, July high 83°Mechanicville: January low 15°, July high 83°Easton: January low 13°, July high 81°Cambridge: January low 13°, July high 81°Rensselaer: January low 16°, July high 84°East Greenbush: January low 16°, July high 83°Menands: January low 16°, July high 84°West Sand Lake: January low 15°, July high 82°Sand Lake: January low 15°, July high 82°Latham: January low 15°, July high 83°Albany: January low 16°, July high 83°Roessleville: January low 15°, July high 83°Guilderland: January low 15°, July high 83°Clifton Park: January low 15°, July high 83°Niskayuna: January low 15°, July high 83°Brunswick: January low 15°, July high 82°Schaghticoke: January low 14°, July high 83°North Greenbush: January low 16°, July high 83°Watervliet: January low 16°, July high 84°Green Island: January low 16°, July high 84°Green Island: January low 16°, July high 84°Wynantskill: January low 15°, July high 83°Waterford: January low 15°, July high 84°Waterford: January low 15°, July high 84°Colonie: January low 15°, July high 83°Cohoes: January low 16°, July high 84°Troy: January low 16°, July high 84°TroyBrunswickSchaghticokeNorth GreenbushWatervlietGreen IslandGreen IslandWynantskillWaterfordWaterfordColonieCohoes
ColderMilder12° to 16°
Schaghticoke14.3° −1.5°
Brunswick15.1° about the same
Waterford15.3° about the same
Waterford15.3° about the same
Colonie15.3° about the same
Wynantskill15.4° about the same
North Greenbush15.7° about the same
Cohoes15.7° about the same
Troy15.8°
Watervliet15.8° about the same
Green Island15.8° about the same
Green Island15.8° about the same

Climates most like Troy’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
Troy, NY16°84°41"59"
Plymouth, IN17°83°40"55"
Niles, MI18°83°40"63"
Clearfield, PA18°83°41"63"
Girard, OH19°83°41"68"

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 Troy averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+3.3°).

+1.6°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A bigger shift than in 66% of U.S. towns.

Winter+2.9°now 27°, was 24°
Spring+1.2°now 48°, was 46°
Summer+1.0°now 71°, was 70°
Fall+1.4°now 52°, was 51°

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 Troy compares

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

Summer heat84° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 63% of U.S. towns681st coolest of 875 in New York
Winter cold16° January low
Colder January nights than 82% of U.S. towns359th coldest of 875 in New York
Precipitation41" a year
Drier than 57% of U.S. towns266th driest of 875 in New York
Snow59" a winter
More snow than 88% of U.S. towns397th snowiest of 854 in New York
Hot days13 days at 90°+
Fewer 90° days than 66% of U.S. towns735th fewest of 875 in New York
Freezing nights131 a year
More freezing nights than 69% of U.S. towns553rd most of 875 in New York
Growing season190 frost-free days
A longer frost-free season than 57% of U.S. towns151st longest of 875 in New York
Month by month

Troy weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Troy’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Albany Airport. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January33°16°2.6"15.6"131813° – 32°
February36°18°2.2"13.7"111612° – 34°
March45°26°2.6"12.0"121028° – 46°
April59°36°3.2"1.6"12141° – 53°
May71°48°3.5"0.1"13054° – 66°
June79°57°4.3"0.0"12065° – 73°
July84°62°4.3"0.0"11068° – 77°
August82°61°4.2"0.0"11068° – 75°
September75°53°4.0"0.0"10060° – 68°
October62°41°4.0"0.3"11047° – 59°
November49°32°2.9"2.6"11236° – 46°
December38°23°3.2"13.3"131023° – 42°
Year59°39°40.9"59.2"13957
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 34°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Troy’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 Troy’s center.
  • Snow: Albany Airport.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Troy L&d, NY, 1.2 miles from the city’s center point, 200 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 Troy’s climate

What is the weather like in Troy?

A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 16°, and about 59 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 82% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 63% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Troy in winter?

January nights average 16°. About 131 nights a year reach 32° or below and 7 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 13°.

How much snow does Troy get?

About 59 inches in a normal winter at Albany Airport, most of it in January, with snow on the ground about 57 days a year.

How hot does it get in Troy?

July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 62°. About 13 days a year reach 90° (Troy L&d, NY).

When is the first and last frost in Troy?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 19 and the first fall frost by October 26, about 190 frost-free days, at Troy L&d, NY.

What growing zone is Troy in?

Zone 6a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −8°.

What is the best time of year to visit Troy?

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 Troy getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.6° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 66% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

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

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.