Preston Township’s winters are colder and snowier than most of the U.S.
A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 13°, and about 69 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Preston Township at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Preston Township’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Preston Township’s place in Pennsylvania beside it.
What a year in Preston Township feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 140 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 14 and the first by October 1. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Pleasant Mt 1 W, PA, 8 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Preston Township’s center in zone 5b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −11°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
About 69 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Pleasant Mt 1 W, PA, is heaviest from January through February, about 18 inches a month. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 49 inches a year; June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 147 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Preston Township
97% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through May.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Pleasant Mt 1 W, PA.
Living with Preston Township’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
140 frost-free days in zone 5b. The last frost comes by May 14 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 1.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 15 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Preston Township from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (79%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 9%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Preston Township and its neighbors
Buckingham Township the hottest July afternoons (81°, 3° 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 Preston 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preston Township, PA | 13° | 78° | 49" | 69" |
| Brunswick, ME | 13° | 78° | 48" | 67" |
| Gilford, NH | 11° | 79° | 50" | 62" |
| Gardner, MA | 14° | 80° | 49" | 75" |
| Brattleboro, VT | 13° | 81° | 51" | 60" |
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 Preston Township averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.8°).
A smaller shift than in 55% 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 Preston Township compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Preston Township’s place among Pennsylvania’s.
Preston Township weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Preston Township’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Pleasant Mt 1 W, PA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 30° | 13° | 3.4" | 17.3" | 13 | 13° – 29° |
| February | 33° | 15° | 2.9" | 17.7" | 11 | 11° – 30° |
| March | 41° | 22° | 3.6" | 13.0" | 12 | 24° – 43° |
| April | 55° | 32° | 4.2" | 1.3" | 12 | 38° – 49° |
| May | 66° | 43° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 15 | 49° – 60° |
| June | 74° | 52° | 4.8" | 0.0" | 13 | 60° – 67° |
| July | 78° | 56° | 4.5" | 0.0" | 12 | 63° – 71° |
| August | 76° | 56° | 4.5" | 0.0" | 12 | 62° – 70° |
| September | 70° | 49° | 4.6" | 0.0" | 11 | 56° – 64° |
| October | 58° | 38° | 4.7" | 0.4" | 12 | 44° – 55° |
| November | 45° | 29° | 3.6" | 4.9" | 11 | 31° – 42° |
| December | 35° | 20° | 3.7" | 14.6" | 13 | 19° – 39° |
| Year | 55° | 35° | 48.8" | 69.2" | 147 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 19° to 39°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where Preston 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 Preston Township’s center.
- Snow: Pleasant Mt 1 W, PA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Pleasant Mt 1 W, PA, 8 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 Preston Township’s climate
What is the weather like in Preston Township?
A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 13°, and about 69 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 89% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Preston Township in winter?
January nights average 13°. About 169 nights a year reach 32° or below and 12 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 13°.
How much snow does Preston Township get?
About 69 inches in a normal winter at Pleasant Mt 1 W, PA, heaviest from January through February, about 18 inches a month.
How hot does it get in Preston Township?
July, with a typical high of 78°. 90° days are rare: none in a normal year at Pleasant Mt 1 W, PA.
When is the first and last frost in Preston Township?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 14 and the first fall frost by October 1, about 140 frost-free days, at Pleasant Mt 1 W, PA.
What growing zone is Preston Township in?
Zone 5b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −11°.
What is the best time of year to visit Preston 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 Preston Township getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.3° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 55% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Preston 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.