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Swoyersville, PA municipal building, Sept. 2023Photo: Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page, my Commons user talk page, or my English Wikipedia user talk page; I'll know about it a lot faster) · CC BY-SA 4.0
Climate in Swoyersville · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Swoyersville has cooler summers than 81% of U.S. towns

In January the night’s low is typically 18°. The year swings widely: the coldest month’s nights and the warmest month’s afternoons are 64° apart. Winter nights are cold: in January they are colder than in 72% of U.S. towns. Picnics, hikes and garden evenings come into their own from May to September, with highs of 70–82°.

More snow than 79% of U.S. towns#128Snowiest  of 905 in PA
Colder January nights than 72% of U.S. towns#122 coldest of 915 in PA
All PA rankings →

A year in Swoyersville at a glance

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

Jan33°18° 12" snow
Feb37°19° 11" snow
Mar45°26° 10" snow
Apr59°36° Last frost ~Apr 23
May70°47° 1 day 90°+
Jun77°56° 2 days 90°+
Jul82°61° 6 days 90°+
Aug80°59° 3 days 90°+
Sep73°52° 1 day 90°+Wettest
Oct61°41° First frost ~Oct 20
Nov now48°32° 3" snow
Dec38°24° 8" snow

What stands out about Swoyersville’s climate

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

A normal year

What a year in Swoyersville feels like

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

Winter
36° / 20°
14 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
58° / 36°
Last frost around Apr 23
Summer
80° / 58°
12 days reach 90°
Fall
61° / 41°
First frost around Oct 20
Best months to be outsideMayJunJulAugSepHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 178 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 23 and the first by October 20. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Wilkes-barre International Airport, 8 miles from the town’s center, 340 ft higher.

122
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
454th most of 915 in Pennsylvania
More freezing nights than 58% of U.S. towns
3
nights at or below 0°
310th most of 915 in Pennsylvania
More nights at or below 0° than 56% of U.S. towns
12
days that reach 90°
309th fewest of 915 in Pennsylvania
Fewer 90° days than 69% 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 Swoyersville’s center in zone 6b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −1°. 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

5.6
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 45 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Wilkes-barre International Airport, is heaviest from January through February, about 11 inches a month. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 43 inches a year; September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 139 days a year.

43"
Rain + melted snow a year
686th wettest of 915 in Pennsylvania
Wetter than 52% of U.S. towns
45"
Snow in a normal winter
128th snowiest of 905 in Pennsylvania
More snow than 79% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

4.3"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

12"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Swoyersville

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.

5,740 heating degree daysMore heating than 60% of U.S. towns
791 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 61% 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 Wilkes-barre International Airport.

Living here

Living with Swoyersville’s climate

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

The garden window

178 frost-free days in zone 6b. The last frost comes by Apr 23 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 20.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 1.8 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Swoyersville from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (68%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 19%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Swoyersville and its neighbors

Forty Fort the hottest July afternoons (85°, 3° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.

Courtdale: January low 18°, July high 85°Dallas Township: January low 17°, July high 81°Shavertown: January low 17°, July high 82°Franklin Township: January low 17°, July high 82°Luzerne: January low 18°, July high 85°Jackson Township: January low 17°, July high 81°Plains Township: January low 18°, July high 84°Kingston: January low 18°, July high 85°Wyoming: January low 18°, July high 85°Kingston Township: January low 18°, July high 82°Forty Fort: January low 18°, July high 85°West Wyoming: January low 18°, July high 85°Swoyersville: January low 18°, July high 82°SwoyersvilleKingston TownshipForty FortWest Wyoming
ColderMilder17° to 18°
Swoyersville17.6°
Kingston Township17.6° about the same
Forty Fort18.3° about the same
West Wyoming18.3° about the same

Climates most like Swoyersville’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
Swoyersville, PA18°82°43"45"
Aurora, OH19°82°42"45"
Brunswick, NY15°82°43"53"
Belchertown, MA16°83°46"43"
Mishawaka, IN17°83°40"50"

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 Swoyersville averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.3°).

+1.7°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A bigger shift than in 70% of U.S. towns.

Winter+2.7°now 28°, was 25°
Spring+1.4°now 47°, was 46°
Summer+1.2°now 69°, was 68°
Fall+1.3°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 Swoyersville compares

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

Summer heat82° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 81% of U.S. towns158th coolest of 915 in Pennsylvania
Winter cold18° January low
Colder January nights than 72% of U.S. towns122nd coldest of 915 in Pennsylvania
Precipitation43" a year
Wetter than 52% of U.S. towns686th wettest of 915 in Pennsylvania
Snow45" a winter
More snow than 79% of U.S. towns128th snowiest of 905 in Pennsylvania
Hot days12 days at 90°+
Fewer 90° days than 69% of U.S. towns309th fewest of 915 in Pennsylvania
Freezing nights122 a year
More freezing nights than 58% of U.S. towns454th most of 915 in Pennsylvania
Growing season178 frost-free days
A shorter frost-free season than 59% of U.S. towns400th shortest of 915 in Pennsylvania
Month by month

Swoyersville weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Swoyersville’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Wilkes-barre International Airport. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet days30-yr range
January33°18°3.1"11.7"1316° – 34°
February37°19°2.4"10.9"1116° – 35°
March45°26°3.3"10.1"1229° – 47°
April59°36°3.8"0.8"1243° – 53°
May70°47°3.6"0.0"1353° – 65°
June77°56°4.1"0.0"1363° – 71°
July82°61°3.9"0.0"1166° – 76°
August80°59°4.1"0.0"1165° – 73°
September73°52°4.3"0.0"1059° – 67°
October61°41°4.2"0.7"1146° – 58°
November48°32°3.1"3.2"1033° – 45°
December38°24°3.3"7.7"1222° – 43°
Year59°39°43.0"45.1"139
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 22° to 43°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Swoyersville’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 Swoyersville’s center.
  • Snow: Wilkes-barre International Airport.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Wilkes-barre International Airport, 8 miles from the town’s center, 340 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 Swoyersville’s climate

What is the weather like in Swoyersville?

A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 45 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 72% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 81% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Swoyersville in winter?

January nights average 18°. 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 16°.

How much snow does Swoyersville get?

About 45 inches in a normal winter at Wilkes-barre International Airport, heaviest from January through February, about 11 inches a month.

How hot does it get in Swoyersville?

July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 61°. About 12 days a year reach 90° (Wilkes-barre International Airport).

When is the first and last frost in Swoyersville?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 23 and the first fall frost by October 20, about 178 frost-free days, at Wilkes-barre International Airport.

What growing zone is Swoyersville in?

Zone 6b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −1°.

What is the best time of year to visit Swoyersville?

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 Swoyersville getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.7° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 70% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

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

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.