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Climate in Clifton Township · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Hardly any U.S. towns see fresher July days than Clifton Township

The depth of winter brings overnight lows near 15°. Expect the heaviest rain or snow in June and the lightest in February. In January, nights here are colder than in 83% of U.S. towns. Radiators earn their keep from October to April, the months that average under 50°.

Colder January nights than 83% of U.S. towns#21 coldest of 1,006 in PA
Cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns#12Coolest summers  of 1,006 in PA
All PA rankings →
July high
78°
Cooler than 96% of U.S. towns
12th coolest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
January low
15°
Colder than 83% of U.S. towns
21st coldest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Rain + melted snow
49"
Wetter than 82% of U.S. towns
89th wettest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Frost-free days
154
May 6 to Oct 8
Shorter than 89% of U.S. towns
90° days
<1
Fewer than 98% of U.S. towns
16th fewest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania

A year in Clifton Township at a glance

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

Jan31°15°
Feb34°17°
Mar42°24°
Apr55°34°
May66°44° Last frost ~May 6
Jun73°53° Wettest
Jul78°58° 1 day 90°+
Aug76°56°
Sep69°49°
Oct58°38° First frost ~Oct 8
Nov now46°30°
Dec36°21°

What stands out about Clifton Township’s climate

Compared with towns across the U.S., with Clifton Township’s place in Pennsylvania beside it.

Fewer 90° days than 98% of U.S. townsAbout 1 days a year reach 90°, most of them in July. 16th fewest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania.Cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. townsJuly afternoons average 78°; 90° days are rare. 12th coolest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania.A shorter frost-free season than 89% of U.S. townsAbout 154 frost-free days, from May 6 to Oct 8 in half of years. 54th shortest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania.Growing zone 6aThe 2023 USDA plant hardiness zone at Clifton Township’s center: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −6°.
A normal year

What a year in Clifton Township feels like

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

Winter
34° / 18°
Snow is rare
Spring
54° / 34°
Last frost around May 6
Summer
76° / 55°
90° days are rare
Fall
58° / 39°
First frost around Oct 8
Best months to be outsideMayJunJulAugSepHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 154 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 6 and the first by October 8. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Mt Pocono Mountains Airport, 11 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.

147
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
85th most of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
More freezing nights than 82% of U.S. towns
6
nights at or below 0°
118th most of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
More nights at or below 0° than 70% of U.S. towns
<1
days that reach 90°
16th fewest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Fewer 90° days than 98% 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 Clifton Township’s center in zone 6a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −6°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

29
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 49 inches of rain a year

June is the wettest month and February the driest.

49"
Rain + melted snow a year
89th wettest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Wetter than 82% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

4.9"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Clifton Township

96% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.

7,247 heating degree daysMore heating than 90% of U.S. towns
289 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 95% 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 Mt Pocono Mountains Airport.

Living here

Living with Clifton Township’s climate

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

The garden window

154 frost-free days in zone 6a. The last frost comes by May 6 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 8.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 16 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Clifton Township from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (75%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 13%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Clifton Township and its neighbors

Spring Brook Township the hottest July afternoons (80°, 2° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.

Dreher Township: January low 15°, July high 79°Sterling Township: January low 15°, July high 78°Pocono Springs: January low 14°, July high 76°Mount Pocono: January low 16°, July high 79°Tobyhanna Township: January low 16°, July high 79°Greene Township: January low 15°, July high 78°Buck Township: January low 15°, July high 77°Bear Creek Township: January low 15°, July high 78°Jenkins Township: January low 17°, July high 82°Eagle Lake: January low 15°, July high 78°Madison Township: January low 15°, July high 79°Moscow: January low 16°, July high 79°Pittston Township: January low 18°, July high 82°Scranton: January low 17°, July high 83°Lehigh Township: January low 15°, July high 77°Coolbaugh Township: January low 15°, July high 77°Thornhurst Township: January low 15°, July high 77°Gouldsboro: January low 15°, July high 77°Big Bass Lake: January low 15°, July high 78°Covington Township: January low 15°, July high 78°Spring Brook Township: January low 16°, July high 80°Clifton Township: January low 15°, July high 78°Clifton TownshipLehigh TownshipCoolbaugh TownshipThornhurst TownshipGouldsboroBig Bass LakeCovington TownshipSpring Brook Township
ColderMilder14° to 18°
Lehigh Township14.5° about the same
Gouldsboro14.7° about the same
Coolbaugh Township14.8° about the same
Thornhurst Township14.8° about the same
Big Bass Lake14.9° about the same
Covington Township15.0° about the same
Clifton Township15.3°
Spring Brook Township16.1° about the same

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 Clifton Township averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.5°).

+1.7°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A bigger shift than in 75% of U.S. towns.

Winter+2.8°now 26°, was 23°
Spring+1.5°now 44°, was 43°
Summer+1.3°now 66°, was 64°
Fall+1.4°now 48°, was 47°

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 Clifton Township compares

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

Summer heat78° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns12th coolest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Winter cold15° January low
Colder January nights than 83% of U.S. towns21st coldest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Precipitation49" a year
Wetter than 82% of U.S. towns89th wettest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Hot days<1 days at 90°+
Fewer 90° days than 98% of U.S. towns16th fewest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Freezing nights147 a year
More freezing nights than 82% of U.S. towns85th most of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Growing season154 frost-free days
A shorter frost-free season than 89% of U.S. towns54th shortest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
#12Coolest summers  of 1,006 in PAAll PA rankings →
Month by month

Clifton Township weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Clifton Township’s center. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + melt30-yr range
January31°15°3.6"14° – 31°
February34°17°2.9"13° – 32°
March42°24°3.8"26° – 44°
April55°34°4.1"39° – 50°
May66°44°4.2"50° – 61°
June73°53°4.9"60° – 67°
July78°58°4.3"63° – 71°
August76°56°4.3"62° – 70°
September69°49°4.9"56° – 63°
October58°38°4.9"44° – 55°
November46°30°3.6"32° – 43°
December36°21°3.8"20° – 41°
Year55°36°49.3"
Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 20° to 41°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Clifton Township’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 Clifton Township’s center.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Mt Pocono Mountains Airport, 11 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 Clifton Township’s climate

What is the weather like in Clifton Township?

A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 15°. Colder January nights than 83% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Clifton Township in winter?

January nights average 15°. About 147 nights a year reach 32° or below and 6 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 14°.

How hot does it get in Clifton Township?

July, with a typical high of 78°. 90° days are rare: none in a normal year at Mt Pocono Mountains Airport.

When is the first and last frost in Clifton Township?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 6 and the first fall frost by October 8, about 154 frost-free days, at Mt Pocono Mountains Airport.

What growing zone is Clifton Township in?

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

What is the best time of year to visit Clifton Township?

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 Clifton Township getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.7° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 75% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Clifton Township.

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.