Photo: Nyttend · Public domainJefferson Township gets about 96 inches of snow a winter, more than 97% of U.S. towns
Peak summer warmth arrives in July, with afternoons near 77°. From frosty January to warm July, readings climb 60°. Summers stay cool: July afternoons here are cooler than in 98% of U.S. towns. Homes need heating from October to April, the months averaging under 50°.
A year in Jefferson Township at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Jefferson Township’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Jefferson Township’s place in Pennsylvania beside it.
What a year in Jefferson Township feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 168 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 2 and the first by October 17. Day counts come from NOAA’s station at Laurel Summit, PA, 9 miles from the town’s center, 400 ft higher; frost dates and degree days from Hidden Valley, PA, 2.2 miles away.
The 2023 USDA map puts Jefferson Township’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°
About 96 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Somerset, PA, falls mostly in January. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 55 inches a year; June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 179 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Jefferson 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.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Hidden Valley, PA.
Living with Jefferson Township’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
168 frost-free days in zone 6a. The last frost comes by May 2 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 and September. 54 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Jefferson Township from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (81%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 2%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Jefferson Township and its neighbors
Cook Township the hottest July afternoons (83°, 6° 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 Jefferson 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.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Township, PA | 16° | 77° | 55" | 96" |
| Harpswell, ME | 15° | 78° | 49" | 84" |
| Liberty, NY | 14° | 78° | 53" | 70" |
| Paxton, MA | 15° | 80° | 51" | 73" |
| New Ipswich, NH | 14° | 80° | 50" | 75" |
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 Jefferson Township averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.4°).
A smaller shift than in 82% 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 Jefferson Township compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Jefferson Township’s place among Pennsylvania’s.
Jefferson Township weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Jefferson Township’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Somerset, PA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 32° | 16° | 4.4" | 27.6" | 19 | 21 | 17° – 34° |
| February | 36° | 18° | 3.8" | 23.6" | 16 | 19 | 14° – 36° |
| March | 44° | 25° | 4.6" | 15.4" | 16 | 10 | 28° – 45° |
| April | 57° | 35° | 4.6" | 3.1" | 16 | 2 | 41° – 52° |
| May | 66° | 45° | 5.2" | 0.0" | 16 | 0 | 49° – 63° |
| June | 73° | 53° | 5.4" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 | 59° – 66° |
| July | 77° | 58° | 5.2" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 63° – 72° |
| August | 75° | 56° | 4.5" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 62° – 70° |
| September | 69° | 50° | 4.4" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 56° – 64° |
| October | 58° | 39° | 3.9" | 0.9" | 13 | 0 | 45° – 54° |
| November | 47° | 30° | 3.9" | 5.9" | 14 | 4 | 32° – 44° |
| December | 37° | 22° | 4.6" | 19.7" | 18 | 14 | 19° – 40° |
| Year | 56° | 37° | 54.5" | 96.2" | 179 | 70 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 14° to 36°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Jefferson 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 Jefferson Township’s center.
- Snow: Somerset, PA.
- Frost dates, heating and cooling: Hidden Valley, PA, 2.2 miles away.
- Freezing nights, 90° and 100° days: Laurel Summit, PA, 9 miles from the town’s center, 400 ft higher; 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 Jefferson Township’s climate
What is the weather like in Jefferson Township?
A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 16°, and about 96 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 79% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 98% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Jefferson Township in winter?
January nights average 16°. About 146 nights a year reach 32° or below and 8 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 17°.
How much snow does Jefferson Township get?
About 96 inches in a normal winter at Somerset, PA, most of it in January, with snow on the ground about 70 days a year.
How hot does it get in Jefferson Township?
July, with a typical high of 77°. 90° days are rare: none in a normal year at Hidden Valley, PA.
When is the first and last frost in Jefferson Township?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 2 and the first fall frost by October 17, about 168 frost-free days, at Hidden Valley, PA.
What growing zone is Jefferson Township 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 Jefferson 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 Jefferson Township getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.9° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 82% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Jefferson Township.
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.