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Forks Township, Northampton County, PA, USAPhoto: CanonLawJunkie · CC BY-SA 4.0
Climate in Forks Township · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

More precipitation falls on Forks Township than on 75% of U.S. towns: 48 inches a year

The warmest part of a July day comes in at 85° on average. Its January nights bite harder than in 62% of U.S. towns. The latest 30-year average runs 2.2° warmer than 1901–2000’s, with December up the most. Seedlings are safe outdoors from about April 18, with the first autumn frost due around October 25.

Colder January nights than 62% of U.S. towns#298 coldest of 1,005 in PA
More snow than 52% of U.S. towns#745Snowiest  of 993 in PA
All PA rankings →

A year in Forks Township at a glance

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

Jan38°19° 10" snow
Feb41°21° 5" snow
Mar50°28° 4" snow
Apr63°38° Last frost ~Apr 18
May72°48° 1 day 90°+
Jun80°57° 3 days 90°+
Jul85°62° 10 days 90°+Wettest
Aug83°60° 4 days 90°+
Sep76°53° 3 days 90°+
Oct65°41° First frost ~Oct 25
Nov now53°32°
Dec42°25° 4" snow

What stands out about Forks Township’s climate

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

A normal year

What a year in Forks Township feels like

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

Winter
40° / 22°
7 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
62° / 38°
Last frost around Apr 18
Summer
83° / 60°
21 days reach 90°
Fall
65° / 42°
First frost around Oct 25
Best months to be outsideMayJunAugSepOctHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 188 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 18 and the first by October 25. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Phillipsburg-easton Brg, NJ, 3 miles from the town’s center, 140 ft lower.

119
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
641st most of 1,005 in Pennsylvania
More freezing nights than 55% of U.S. towns
1
nights at or below 0°
247th fewest of 1,005 in Pennsylvania
Fewer nights at or below 0° than 55% of U.S. towns
21
days that reach 90°
208th most of 1,005 in Pennsylvania
More 90° days than 52% of U.S. towns
<1
days that reach 100°
569th fewest of 1,005 in Pennsylvania
Fewer 100° days than 56% of U.S. towns
7aUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 7a

The 2023 USDA map puts Forks Township’s center in zone 7a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 1°. 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

9.9
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 23 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Belvidere Brg, NJ, falls mostly in January. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 48 inches a year; July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 131 days a year.

48"
Rain + melted snow a year
258th wettest of 1,005 in Pennsylvania
Wetter than 75% of U.S. towns
23"
Snow in a normal winter
745th snowiest of 993 in Pennsylvania
More snow than 52% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

4.9"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

10"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Forks Township

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.

5,516 heating degree daysMore heating than 55% of U.S. towns
848 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 56% 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 Phillipsburg-easton Brg, NJ.

Living here

Living with Forks Township’s climate

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

The garden window

188 frost-free days in zone 7a. The last frost comes by Apr 18 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 25.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, August, September and October. 13 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Forks Township from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (78%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 10%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Forks Township and its neighbors

Every town next door is within a degree of Forks Township in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.

Wilson: January low 20°, July high 86°Old Orchard: January low 20°, July high 86°Lower Nazareth Township: January low 20°, July high 86°Bethlehem Township: January low 20°, July high 86°Upper Nazareth Township: January low 20°, July high 86°Eastlawn Gardens: January low 19°, July high 85°Williams Township: January low 20°, July high 85°Glendon: January low 20°, July high 85°Phillipsburg: January low 20°, July high 86°Lower Saucon Township: January low 20°, July high 86°West Easton: January low 20°, July high 86°Hutchinson: January low 19°, July high 84°White Township: January low 19°, July high 84°Franklin Township: January low 19°, July high 84°Greenwich Township: January low 20°, July high 85°Upper Stewartsville: January low 20°, July high 85°Pohatcong Township: January low 20°, July high 86°Wind Gap: January low 19°, July high 83°Washington Township: January low 19°, July high 84°Bushkill Township: January low 19°, July high 84°Hamilton Township: January low 18°, July high 84°Ross Township: January low 18°, July high 83°Upper Mount Bethel Township: January low 19°, July high 84°Belvidere: January low 19°, July high 85°Palmer Township: January low 20°, July high 85°Tatamy: January low 19°, July high 85°Chestnut Hill: January low 19°, July high 85°Easton: January low 20°, July high 86°Harmony Township: January low 19°, July high 84°Lopatcong Township: January low 19°, July high 85°Stockertown: January low 19°, July high 85°Plainfield Township: January low 19°, July high 84°Lower Mount Bethel Township: January low 19°, July high 84°Forks Township: January low 19°, July high 85°Forks TownshipPalmer TownshipTatamyChestnut HillEastonHarmony TownshipLopatcong TownshipStockertownPlainfield TownshipLower Mount Bethel Township
ColderMilder18° to 20°
Harmony Township18.8° about the same
Plainfield Township18.9° about the same
Lower Mount Bethel Township18.9° about the same
Stockertown19.2° about the same
Forks Township19.4°
Tatamy19.4° about the same
Chestnut Hill19.4° about the same
Lopatcong Township19.4° about the same
Palmer Township19.5° about the same
Easton19.7° about the same

Climates most like Forks Township’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
Forks Township, PA19°85°48"23"
Bloomington, IN21°85°47"18"
Clarksburg, WV23°85°47"24"
Elsmere, KY23°85°47"23"
Delhi Hills, OH23°86°46"23"

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 Forks Township averaged 2.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+4.0°).

+2.2°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A bigger shift than in 96% of U.S. towns.

Winter+3.3°now 31°, was 28°
Spring+1.9°now 50°, was 48°
Summer+1.8°now 71°, was 70°
Fall+1.9°now 53°, was 52°

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 Forks Township compares

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

Summer heat85° July high
Hotter July afternoons than 52% of U.S. towns347th hottest of 1,005 in Pennsylvania
Winter cold19° January low
Colder January nights than 62% of U.S. towns298th coldest of 1,005 in Pennsylvania
Precipitation48" a year
Wetter than 75% of U.S. towns258th wettest of 1,005 in Pennsylvania
Snow23" a winter
More snow than 52% of U.S. towns745th snowiest of 993 in Pennsylvania
Hot days21 days at 90°+
More 90° days than 52% of U.S. towns208th most of 1,005 in Pennsylvania
Freezing nights119 a year
More freezing nights than 55% of U.S. towns641st most of 1,005 in Pennsylvania
Growing season188 frost-free days
A longer frost-free season than 54% of U.S. towns269th longest of 1,005 in Pennsylvania
Month by month

Forks Township weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Forks Township’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Belvidere Brg, NJ. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet days30-yr range
January38°19°3.4"9.9"1119° – 36°
February41°21°2.7"5.2"919° – 38°
March50°28°3.7"3.5"1133° – 49°
April63°38°3.8"0.3"1146° – 55°
May72°48°4.0"0.0"1455° – 65°
June80°57°4.5"0.0"1265° – 72°
July85°62°4.9"0.0"1169° – 78°
August83°60°4.8"0.0"1167° – 75°
September76°53°4.5"0.0"962° – 69°
October65°41°4.4"0.0"1048° – 60°
November53°32°3.2"0.4"1037° – 47°
December42°25°4.1"4.0"1226° – 45°
Year62°40°47.8"23.3"131
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 19° to 38°. June is the most reliable, staying within 6°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Forks 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 Forks Township’s center.
  • Snow: Belvidere Brg, NJ.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Phillipsburg-easton Brg, NJ, 3 miles from the town’s center, 140 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 Forks Township’s climate

What is the weather like in Forks Township?

A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 19°, and about 23 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 62% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 52% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Forks Township in winter?

January nights average 19°. About 119 nights a year reach 32° or below and 1 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 19°.

How much snow does Forks Township get?

About 23 inches in a normal winter at Belvidere Brg, NJ, most of it in January.

How hot does it get in Forks Township?

July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 62°. About 21 days a year reach 90° (Phillipsburg-easton Brg, NJ).

When is the first and last frost in Forks Township?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 18 and the first fall frost by October 25, about 188 frost-free days, at Phillipsburg-easton Brg, NJ.

What growing zone is Forks Township in?

Zone 7a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 1°.

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

By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June, August, September and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.

Is Forks Township getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 2.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 96% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

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