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Trinity HallTrinity Hall · Photo: Wjmoore17 · CC BY 3.0
Climate in North Franklin Township · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

No extremes in North Franklin Township: its weather tracks the middle of U.S. towns

Sunny July days climb to about 83°. Summers stay cool: July afternoons here are cooler than in 68% of U.S. towns. Warming shows here too: 1.1° more than in 1901–2000, led by December. The heating season runs November to March: each of those months averages under 50°.

More snow than 64% of U.S. towns#347Snowiest  of 904 in PA
Colder January nights than 55% of U.S. towns#440 coldest of 914 in PA
All PA rankings →

A year in North Franklin Township at a glance

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

Jan38°21° 10" snow
Feb41°23° 8" snow
Mar50°30° 6" snow
Apr63°39° Last frost ~Apr 24
May73°48° Wettest
Jun80°57° 1 day 90°+
Jul83°61° 3 days 90°+
Aug82°60° 2 days 90°+
Sep76°53° 1 day 90°+
Oct64°42° First frost ~Oct 23
Nov now52°33°
Dec42°26° 6" snow

What stands out about North Franklin Township’s climate

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

A normal year

What a year in North Franklin Township feels like

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

Winter
40° / 23°
10 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
62° / 39°
Last frost around Apr 24
Summer
82° / 59°
6 days reach 90°
Fall
64° / 43°
First frost around Oct 23
Best months to be outsideMayJunJulAugSepOctHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 181 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 24 and the first by October 23. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Washington 3 Ne, PA, 4 miles from the town’s center, 110 ft higher.

122
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
420th most of 914 in Pennsylvania
More freezing nights than 59% of U.S. towns
3
nights at or below 0°
310th most of 914 in Pennsylvania
More nights at or below 0° than 56% of U.S. towns
6
days that reach 90°
155th fewest of 914 in Pennsylvania
Fewer 90° days than 86% of U.S. towns
0
days that reach 100°
None in a normal year
6bUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 6b

The 2023 USDA map puts North Franklin Township’s center in zone 6b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −4°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

27
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

2.6
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 32 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Washington 3 Ne, PA, falls mostly in January. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 42 inches a year; May is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 154 days a year.

42"
Rain + melted snow a year
158th driest of 914 in Pennsylvania
Drier than 52% of U.S. towns
32"
Snow in a normal winter
347th snowiest of 904 in Pennsylvania
More snow than 64% of U.S. towns
41 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
234th most of 744 in Pennsylvania
More days with snow on the ground than 67% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

4.3"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

10"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in North Franklin Township

88% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.

5,674 heating degree daysMore heating than 58% of U.S. towns
762 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 63% 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 Washington 3 Ne, PA.

Living here

Living with North Franklin Township’s climate

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

The garden window

181 frost-free days in zone 6b. The last frost comes by Apr 24 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 23.

Get outside

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 →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in North Franklin Township from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (84%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 2%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

North Franklin Township and its neighbors

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

East Washington: January low 21°, July high 83°Chartiers Township: January low 21°, July high 83°Hopewell Township: January low 20°, July high 83°Mount Pleasant Township: January low 20°, July high 83°West Bethlehem Township: January low 21°, July high 84°Morris Township: January low 21°, July high 83°Washington Township: January low 21°, July high 83°North Bethlehem Township: January low 21°, July high 83°Laboratory: January low 21°, July high 83°East Finley Township: January low 20°, July high 83°Green Hills: January low 21°, July high 83°Somerset Township: January low 21°, July high 83°North Strabane Township: January low 21°, July high 83°Meadowlands: January low 21°, July high 84°Blaine Township: January low 21°, July high 84°Donegal Township: January low 21°, July high 84°Washington: January low 21°, July high 83°Canton Township: January low 20°, July high 83°Amwell Township: January low 21°, July high 83°South Franklin Township: January low 21°, July high 83°South Strabane Township: January low 21°, July high 83°Buffalo Township: January low 20°, July high 83°North Franklin Township: January low 21°, July high 83°North Franklin TownshipWashingtonCanton TownshipAmwell TownshipSouth Franklin TownshipSouth Strabane TownshipBuffalo Township
ColderMilder20° to 21°
Canton Township20.4° about the same
Buffalo Township20.4° about the same
South Franklin Township20.5° about the same
North Franklin Township20.8°
Washington20.8° about the same
Amwell Township20.8° about the same
South Strabane Township20.8° about the same

Climates most like North Franklin 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
North Franklin Township, PA21°83°42"32"
Hartford City, IN19°84°41"32"
Wilmington, OH21°84°44"27"
Brookhaven, NY23°83°46"32"
Branford, CT23°84°46"34"

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 North Franklin Township averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.6°).

+1.1°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A smaller shift than in 67% of U.S. towns.

Winter+1.8°now 32°, was 30°
Spring+1.2°now 50°, was 49°
Summer+0.6°now 71°, was 70°
Fall+0.9°now 54°, was 53°

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 North Franklin Township compares

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

Summer heat83° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 68% of U.S. towns259th coolest of 914 in Pennsylvania
Winter cold21° January low
Colder January nights than 55% of U.S. towns440th coldest of 914 in Pennsylvania
Precipitation42" a year
Drier than 52% of U.S. towns158th driest of 914 in Pennsylvania
Snow32" a winter
More snow than 64% of U.S. towns347th snowiest of 904 in Pennsylvania
Hot days6 days at 90°+
Fewer 90° days than 86% of U.S. towns155th fewest of 914 in Pennsylvania
Freezing nights122 a year
More freezing nights than 59% of U.S. towns420th most of 914 in Pennsylvania
Growing season181 frost-free days
A shorter frost-free season than 55% of U.S. towns488th shortest of 914 in Pennsylvania
Month by month

North Franklin Township weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at North Franklin Township’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Washington 3 Ne, PA. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January38°21°3.3"9.9"161421° – 39°
February41°23°2.7"7.5"131219° – 41°
March50°30°3.5"6.1"13633° – 51°
April63°39°3.7"0.6"14046° – 56°
May73°48°4.3"0.0"14054° – 67°
June80°57°4.3"0.0"13064° – 71°
July83°61°4.1"0.0"12068° – 76°
August82°60°3.7"0.0"10067° – 76°
September76°53°3.4"0.0"10062° – 69°
October64°42°3.0"0.0"11050° – 59°
November52°33°2.9"1.8"12236° – 48°
December42°26°3.2"6.0"15823° – 45°
Year62°41°42.1"31.9"15441
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 23° to 45°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where North Franklin 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 North Franklin Township’s center.
  • Snow: Washington 3 Ne, PA.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Washington 3 Ne, PA, 4 miles from the town’s center, 110 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 North Franklin Township’s climate

What is the weather like in North Franklin Township?

A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 21°, and about 32 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 55% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 68% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in North Franklin Township in winter?

January nights average 21°. About 122 nights a year reach 32° or below and 3 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 21°.

How much snow does North Franklin Township get?

About 32 inches in a normal winter at Washington 3 Ne, PA, most of it in January, with snow on the ground about 41 days a year.

How hot does it get in North Franklin Township?

July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 61°. About 6 days a year reach 90° (Washington 3 Ne, PA).

When is the first and last frost in North Franklin Township?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 24 and the first fall frost by October 23, about 181 frost-free days, at Washington 3 Ne, PA.

What growing zone is North Franklin Township in?

Zone 6b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −4°.

What is the best time of year to visit North Franklin Township?

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 North Franklin Township getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.1° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 67% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in North Franklin 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.