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View of Orange Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania looking southeastPhoto: Jakec · CC BY-SA 4.0
Climate in Orange Township · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Orange Township’s winters are colder and snowier than most of the U.S.

A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 46 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

More snow than 79% of U.S. towns#125Snowiest  of 994 in PA
Colder January nights than 70% of U.S. towns#159 coldest of 1,006 in PA
All PA rankings →

A year in Orange Township at a glance

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

Jan34°18° 12" snow
Feb37°19° 13" snow
Mar46°26° 9" snow
Apr60°36°
May71°47° Last frost ~May 4
Jun78°56°
Jul83°61° 2 days 90°+
Aug81°59° 2 days 90°+
Sep74°52° Wettest
Oct62°40° First frost ~Oct 11
Nov now49°31°
Dec39°24° 8" snow

What stands out about Orange Township’s climate

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

A normal year

What a year in Orange Township feels like

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

Winter
37° / 21°
12 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
59° / 36°
Last frost around May 4
Summer
81° / 59°
4 days reach 90°
Fall
62° / 41°
First frost around Oct 11
Best months to be outsideMayJunJulAugSepHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 159 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 4 and the first by October 11. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Benton 3 Ne, PA, 11 miles from the town’s center, 290 ft higher.

145
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
99th most of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
More freezing nights than 81% of U.S. towns
8
nights at or below 0°
65th most of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
More nights at or below 0° than 80% of U.S. towns
4
days that reach 90°
103rd fewest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Fewer 90° days than 92% 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 Orange Township’s center in zone 6b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −2°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

29
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

1.8
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 46 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Benton 3 Ne, PA, is heaviest from January through February, about 13 inches a month. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 47 inches a year; September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 131 days a year.

47"
Rain + melted snow a year
405th wettest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Wetter than 67% of U.S. towns
46"
Snow in a normal winter
125th snowiest of 994 in Pennsylvania
More snow than 79% of U.S. towns
52 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
148th most of 822 in Pennsylvania
More days with snow on the ground than 74% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

4.8"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

13"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Orange Township

94% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.

6,703 heating degree daysMore heating than 82% of U.S. towns
406 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 91% 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 Benton 3 Ne, PA.

Living here

Living with Orange Township’s climate

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

The garden window

159 frost-free days in zone 6b. The last frost comes by May 4 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 11.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 0.3 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Orange Township from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (82%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 6%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Orange Township and its neighbors

Scott Township the hottest July afternoons (84°, 1° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.

Hemlock Township: January low 18°, July high 83°Madison Township: January low 18°, July high 83°Bloomsburg: January low 19°, July high 84°Lightstreet: January low 19°, July high 84°South Centre Township: January low 19°, July high 84°Briar Creek Township: January low 18°, July high 82°Benton Township: January low 18°, July high 82°Huntington Township: January low 18°, July high 83°New Columbus: January low 18°, July high 83°Main Township: January low 19°, July high 83°Espy: January low 19°, July high 84°Almedia: January low 19°, July high 84°Pine Township: January low 17°, July high 82°Iola: January low 18°, July high 83°Millville: January low 18°, July high 83°Eyers Grove: January low 18°, July high 83°Jackson Township: January low 17°, July high 81°Mount Pleasant Township: January low 18°, July high 83°North Centre Township: January low 18°, July high 84°Fishing Creek Township: January low 18°, July high 83°Scott Township: January low 19°, July high 84°Greenwood Township: January low 18°, July high 83°Orange Township: January low 18°, July high 83°Orange TownshipMount Pleasant TownshipNorth Centre TownshipFishing Creek TownshipScott TownshipGreenwood Township
ColderMilder17° to 19°
Fishing Creek Township17.7° about the same
Greenwood Township17.7° about the same
Orange Township17.9°
Mount Pleasant Township18.1° about the same
North Centre Township18.3° about the same
Scott Township18.5° about the same

Climates most like Orange 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
Orange Township, PA18°83°47"46"
Ellington, CT18°83°48"52"
Middleton, MA18°82°48"48"
Woonsocket, RI18°83°50"42"
Pawling, NY17°83°47"58"

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 Orange Township averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.9°).

+1.3°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A smaller shift than in 56% of U.S. towns.

Winter+2.3°now 29°, was 26°
Spring+0.9°now 48°, was 47°
Summer+0.9°now 70°, was 69°
Fall+1.0°now 51°, was 50°

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 Orange Township compares

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

Summer heat83° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 71% of U.S. towns223rd coolest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Winter cold18° January low
Colder January nights than 70% of U.S. towns159th coldest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Precipitation47" a year
Wetter than 67% of U.S. towns405th wettest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Snow46" a winter
More snow than 79% of U.S. towns125th snowiest of 994 in Pennsylvania
Hot days4 days at 90°+
Fewer 90° days than 92% of U.S. towns103rd fewest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Freezing nights145 a year
More freezing nights than 81% of U.S. towns99th most of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Growing season159 frost-free days
A shorter frost-free season than 85% of U.S. towns91st shortest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Month by month

Orange Township weather by month

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

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January34°18°3.3"12.3"121716° – 34°
February37°19°2.6"12.9"91716° – 36°
March46°26°3.5"8.6"10829° – 47°
April60°36°4.0"1.4"12143° – 54°
May71°47°4.1"0.0"13053° – 64°
June78°56°4.4"0.0"13064° – 70°
July83°61°4.6"0.0"11067° – 76°
August81°59°4.1"0.0"11066° – 73°
September74°52°4.8"0.0"9060° – 67°
October62°40°4.3"0.6"10046° – 58°
November49°31°3.3"2.2"9134° – 45°
December39°24°3.6"8.0"11823° – 42°
Year59°39°46.5"46.0"13152
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 16° to 36°. June is the most reliable, staying within 6°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Orange 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 Orange Township’s center.
  • Snow: Benton 3 Ne, PA.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Benton 3 Ne, PA, 11 miles from the town’s center, 290 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 Orange Township’s climate

What is the weather like in Orange Township?

A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 46 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 70% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 71% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Orange Township in winter?

January nights average 18°. About 145 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 16°.

How much snow does Orange Township get?

About 46 inches in a normal winter at Benton 3 Ne, PA, heaviest from January through February, about 13 inches a month, with snow on the ground about 52 days a year.

How hot does it get in Orange Township?

July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 61°. About 4 days a year reach 90° (Benton 3 Ne, PA).

When is the first and last frost in Orange Township?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 4 and the first fall frost by October 11, about 159 frost-free days, at Benton 3 Ne, PA.

What growing zone is Orange Township in?

Zone 6b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −2°.

What is the best time of year to visit Orange 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 Orange Township getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.3° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 56% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

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