July in Penn Forest Township stays fresher than in 93% of U.S. towns
The coldest hours of a January night bottom out at 16° on average. By precipitation alone, it ranks wetter than 92% of U.S. towns. December has warmed most since 1901–2000, part of a 1.8° rise. Warm coats and heating bills mark the months from October to April, when means dip under 50°.
A year in Penn Forest Township at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Penn Forest Township’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Penn Forest Township’s place in Pennsylvania beside it.
What a year in Penn Forest Township feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 153 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 7 and the first by October 6. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Francis E Walter Dam, PA, 12 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Penn Forest Township’s center in zone 6a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −5°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 54 inches of rain a year
September is the wettest month and February the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Penn Forest Township
95% 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 Francis E Walter Dam, PA.
Living with Penn Forest Township’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
153 frost-free days in zone 6a. The last frost comes by May 7 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 6.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 75 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Penn Forest Township from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (39%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 33%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Penn Forest Township and its neighbors
Franklin Township the hottest July afternoons (84°, 5° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
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 Penn Forest Township averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.6°).
A bigger shift than in 79% 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 Penn Forest Township compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Penn Forest Township’s place among Pennsylvania’s.
Penn Forest Township weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Penn Forest Township’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 33° | 16° | 4.0" | 15° – 33° |
| February | 36° | 18° | 3.0" | 14° – 34° |
| March | 44° | 25° | 4.2" | 27° – 45° |
| April | 57° | 35° | 4.3" | 41° – 51° |
| May | 68° | 46° | 4.3" | 52° – 63° |
| June | 75° | 54° | 5.3" | 61° – 68° |
| July | 80° | 59° | 5.1" | 65° – 73° |
| August | 78° | 58° | 4.8" | 64° – 71° |
| September | 71° | 51° | 5.5" | 58° – 65° |
| October | 60° | 40° | 5.0" | 45° – 58° |
| November | 48° | 30° | 4.1" | 34° – 44° |
| December | 37° | 22° | 4.5" | 21° – 41° |
| Year | 57° | 38° | 53.8" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 21° to 41°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Penn Forest 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 Penn Forest Township’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Francis E Walter Dam, PA, 12 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 Penn Forest Township’s climate
What is the weather like in Penn Forest Township?
A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 16°. Colder January nights than 80% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 93% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Penn Forest Township in winter?
January nights average 16°. About 163 nights a year reach 32° or below and 9 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 15°.
How hot does it get in Penn Forest Township?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 59°. About 4 days a year reach 90° (Francis E Walter Dam, PA).
When is the first and last frost in Penn Forest Township?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 7 and the first fall frost by October 6, about 153 frost-free days, at Francis E Walter Dam, PA.
What growing zone is Penn Forest Township in?
Zone 6a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −5°.
What is the best time of year to visit Penn Forest 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 Penn Forest Township getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.8° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 79% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Penn Forest 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.