July in Bear Rocks stays fresher than in 78% of U.S. towns
Nights in January average 20°. By precipitation alone, it ranks wetter than 78% of U.S. towns. December has warmed most since 1901–2000, part of a 0.8° rise. Tender plants can go out after about April 30; in half of years the first frost comes by October 17.
A year in Bear Rocks at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Bear Rocks’ climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Bear Rocks’ place in Pennsylvania beside it.
What a year in Bear Rocks feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 170 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 30 and the first by October 17. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Donegal 2 Nw, PA, 3 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Bear Rocks’ center in zone 6a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −7°. 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 30 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Mt Pleasant, PA, falls mostly in January. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 48 inches a year; June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 150 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Bear Rocks
92% 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 Donegal 2 Nw, PA.
Living with Bear Rocks’ climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
170 frost-free days in zone 6a. The last frost comes by Apr 30 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 17.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August, September and October. 1.2 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Bear Rocks from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (85%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 2%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Bear Rocks and its neighbors
Mount Pleasant Township the hottest July afternoons (83°, 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 Bear Rocks’, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bear Rocks, PA | 20° | 82° | 48" | 30" |
| East Haddam, CT | 20° | 83° | 49" | 28" |
| North Westport, MA | 22° | 83° | 49" | 31" |
| Richmond, RI | 21° | 82° | 47" | 35" |
| Lake Mohawk, NJ | 18° | 83° | 49" | 28" |
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 Bear Rocks averaged 0.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.2°).
A smaller shift than in 91% 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 Bear Rocks compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Bear Rocks’ place among Pennsylvania’s.
Bear Rocks weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Bear Rocks’ center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Mt Pleasant, PA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 37° | 20° | 3.8" | 9.0" | 16 | 21° – 38° |
| February | 40° | 22° | 3.3" | 7.5" | 12 | 18° – 40° |
| March | 49° | 29° | 3.9" | 5.6" | 13 | 32° – 50° |
| April | 62° | 38° | 4.1" | 0.3" | 14 | 45° – 55° |
| May | 72° | 47° | 4.7" | 0.0" | 14 | 53° – 66° |
| June | 79° | 56° | 4.9" | 0.0" | 12 | 63° – 70° |
| July | 82° | 60° | 4.8" | 0.0" | 12 | 67° – 76° |
| August | 81° | 59° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 11 | 66° – 74° |
| September | 75° | 52° | 4.0" | 0.0" | 11 | 60° – 67° |
| October | 64° | 41° | 3.5" | 0.1" | 10 | 49° – 58° |
| November | 51° | 32° | 3.5" | 0.9" | 12 | 35° – 48° |
| December | 41° | 25° | 3.9" | 6.4" | 14 | 23° – 44° |
| Year | 61° | 40° | 48.4" | 29.8" | 150 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 18° to 40°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Bear Rocks’ 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 Bear Rocks’ center.
- Snow: Mt Pleasant, PA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Donegal 2 Nw, PA, 3 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; 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 Bear Rocks’ climate
What is the weather like in Bear Rocks?
A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 20°, and about 30 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 57% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 78% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Bear Rocks in winter?
January nights average 20°. About 143 nights a year reach 32° or below and 5 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 21°.
How much snow does Bear Rocks get?
About 30 inches in a normal winter at Mt Pleasant, PA, most of it in January.
How hot does it get in Bear Rocks?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 60°. About 3 days a year reach 90° (Donegal 2 Nw, PA).
When is the first and last frost in Bear Rocks?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 30 and the first fall frost by October 17, about 170 frost-free days, at Donegal 2 Nw, PA.
What growing zone is Bear Rocks in?
Zone 6a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −7°.
What is the best time of year to visit Bear Rocks?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June, July, August, September and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Bear Rocks getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.8° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 91% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Bear Rocks.
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.