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Baumgardner's Mill Covered BridgeBaumgardner's Mill Covered Bridge · Photo: Photo by and (c)2006 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man) · CC BY-SA 2.5
Climate in Pequea Township · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Pequea Township’s winters are milder and less snowy than most of the U.S.

A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 22°, and about 21 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

Milder January nights than 52% of U.S. towns#168Mildest winters  of 1,005 in PA
Less snow than 50% of U.S. towns#167Least snow  of 993 in PA
All PA rankings →

A year in Pequea Township at a glance

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

Jan39°22° 6" snow
Feb42°24° 7" snow
Mar51°31° 3" snow
Apr64°41° Last frost ~Apr 19
May74°51° 1 day 90°+
Jun82°60° 4 days 90°+
Jul86°65° 9 days 90°+
Aug84°63° 5 days 90°+
Sep78°56° 1 day 90°+Wettest
Oct66°44° First frost ~Oct 24
Nov now54°34°
Dec44°27° 3" snow

What stands out about Pequea Township’s climate

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

A normal year

What a year in Pequea Township feels like

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

Winter
42° / 24°
6 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
63° / 41°
Last frost around Apr 19
Summer
84° / 63°
20 days reach 90°
Fall
66° / 45°
First frost around Oct 24
Best months to be outsideAprMayJunSepOctHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 186 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 19 and the first by October 24. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Lancaster 2ne Fltr Plt, PA, 6 miles from the town’s center, 140 ft lower.

111
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
211th fewest of 1,005 in Pennsylvania
Fewer freezing nights than 52% of U.S. towns
<1
nights at or below 0°
171st fewest of 1,005 in Pennsylvania
Fewer nights at or below 0° than 58% of U.S. towns
20
days that reach 90°
229th most of 1,005 in Pennsylvania
More 90° days than 51% of U.S. towns
<1
days that reach 100°
202nd most of 1,005 in Pennsylvania
More 100° days than 52% of U.S. towns
7aUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 7a

The 2023 USDA map puts Pequea Township’s center in zone 7a: 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°

26
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

8.8
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 21 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Lancaster 2ne Fltr Plt, PA, falls mostly in February. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 45 inches a year; September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 124 days a year.

45"
Rain + melted snow a year
545th wettest of 1,005 in Pennsylvania
Wetter than 59% of U.S. towns
21"
Snow in a normal winter
167th least snowy of 993 in Pennsylvania
Less snow than 50% of U.S. towns
22 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
658th most of 821 in Pennsylvania
More days with snow on the ground than 51% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

4.6"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

7"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Pequea Township

83% of the work is heating. Months averaging under 55° run from November through April.

5,129 heating degree daysLess heating than 54% of U.S. towns
1,030 cooling degree daysMore cooling than 57% 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 Lancaster 2ne Fltr Plt, PA.

Living here

Living with Pequea Township’s climate

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

The garden window

186 frost-free days in zone 7a. The last frost comes by Apr 19 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 24.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: April, May, June, September and October. 5.9 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Pequea Township from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (65%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 9%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Pequea Township and its neighbors

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

Lancaster: January low 22°, July high 86°East Hempfield Township: January low 22°, July high 86°East Lampeter Township: January low 22°, July high 86°Manheim Township: January low 22°, July high 86°Drumore Township: January low 23°, July high 86°Eden Township: January low 22°, July high 85°East Drumore Township: January low 22°, July high 85°Lower Chanceford Township: January low 22°, July high 85°Chanceford Township: January low 22°, July high 85°Lower Windsor Township: January low 22°, July high 86°West Hempfield Township: January low 22°, July high 86°Mountville: January low 22°, July high 86°Hellam Township: January low 22°, July high 85°Columbia: January low 22°, July high 86°Paradise Township: January low 22°, July high 85°Lampeter: January low 22°, July high 86°Lancaster Township: January low 22°, July high 86°Providence Township: January low 22°, July high 85°Martic Township: January low 22°, July high 85°Conestoga Township: January low 22°, July high 86°Manor Township: January low 22°, July high 86°West Lampeter Township: January low 22°, July high 86°Millersville: January low 22°, July high 86°Refton: January low 22°, July high 86°Strasburg Township: January low 22°, July high 86°Willow Street: January low 22°, July high 86°Pequea Township: January low 22°, July high 86°Pequea TownshipLancaster TownshipProvidence TownshipMartic TownshipConestoga TownshipManor TownshipWest Lampeter TownshipMillersvilleReftonStrasburg TownshipWillow Street
ColderMilder22° to 23°
Providence Township22.0° about the same
Manor Township22.0° about the same
Millersville22.0° about the same
Pequea Township22.2°
Lancaster Township22.2° about the same
Martic Township22.2° about the same
Conestoga Township22.3° about the same
West Lampeter Township22.3° about the same
Refton22.3° about the same
Strasburg Township22.3° about the same
Willow Street22.3° about the same

Climates most like Pequea 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
Pequea Township, PA22°86°45"21"
Lawrenceburg, IN23°86°45"23"
Highland Heights, KY23°86°45"23"
Forestville, OH23°86°45"23"
Clarksburg, WV23°85°47"24"

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 Pequea Township averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.4°).

+1.8°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A bigger shift than in 78% of U.S. towns.

Winter+2.5°now 33°, was 31°
Spring+1.7°now 52°, was 50°
Summer+1.4°now 73°, was 72°
Fall+1.5°now 55°, was 54°

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 Pequea Township compares

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

Summer heat86° July high
Hotter July afternoons than 56% of U.S. towns204th hottest of 1,005 in Pennsylvania
Winter cold22° January low
Milder January nights than 52% of U.S. towns168th mildest of 1,005 in Pennsylvania
Precipitation45" a year
Wetter than 59% of U.S. towns545th wettest of 1,005 in Pennsylvania
Snow21" a winter
Less snow than 50% of U.S. towns167th least snowy of 993 in Pennsylvania
Hot days20 days at 90°+
More 90° days than 51% of U.S. towns229th most of 1,005 in Pennsylvania
Freezing nights111 a year
Fewer freezing nights than 52% of U.S. towns211th fewest of 1,005 in Pennsylvania
Growing season186 frost-free days
A longer frost-free season than 51% of U.S. towns321st longest of 1,005 in Pennsylvania
Month by month

Pequea Township weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Pequea Township’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Lancaster 2ne Fltr Plt, PA. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January39°22°3.0"6.1"10722° – 39°
February42°24°2.6"7.4"9921° – 41°
March51°31°3.8"3.4"11335° – 51°
April64°41°3.6"0.2"11047° – 57°
May74°51°3.7"0.0"13058° – 68°
June82°60°4.2"0.0"11067° – 74°
July86°65°4.4"0.0"10071° – 79°
August84°63°4.0"0.0"10070° – 77°
September78°56°4.6"0.0"10064° – 70°
October66°44°4.2"0.3"10050° – 62°
November54°34°3.1"0.6"10038° – 49°
December44°27°3.6"3.4"11227° – 46°
Year64°43°44.8"21.4"12422
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 21° to 41°. September is the most reliable, staying within 6°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Pequea 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 Pequea Township’s center.
  • Snow: Lancaster 2ne Fltr Plt, PA.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Lancaster 2ne Fltr Plt, PA, 6 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 Pequea Township’s climate

What is the weather like in Pequea Township?

A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 22°, and about 21 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 52% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 56% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Pequea Township in winter?

January nights average 22°. About 111 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 22°.

How much snow does Pequea Township get?

About 21 inches in a normal winter at Lancaster 2ne Fltr Plt, PA, most of it in February, with snow on the ground about 22 days a year.

How hot does it get in Pequea Township?

July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 65°. About 20 days a year reach 90° (Lancaster 2ne Fltr Plt, PA).

When is the first and last frost in Pequea Township?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 19 and the first fall frost by October 24, about 186 frost-free days, at Lancaster 2ne Fltr Plt, PA.

What growing zone is Pequea Township in?

Zone 7a 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 Pequea Township?

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

Is Pequea Township getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.8° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 78% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

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