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Climate in Tell Township · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

A middle-of-the-road climate: Tell Township is close to most U.S. towns on every count

High summer brings afternoon highs near 85°. Expect the heaviest rain or snow in September and the lightest in February. Garden planting can start around April 19; autumn frost returns near October 24.

More snow than 67% of U.S. towns#324Snowiest  of 994 in PA
Colder January nights than 54% of U.S. towns#497 coldest of 1,006 in PA
All PA rankings →

A year in Tell Township at a glance

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

Jan37°21° 10" snow
Feb40°23° 10" snow
Mar50°29° 7" snow
Apr63°39° Last frost ~Apr 19
May72°49° 2 days 90°+
Jun80°58° 6 days 90°+
Jul85°62° 11 days 90°+
Aug83°61° 8 days 90°+
Sep76°53° 2 days 90°+Wettest
Oct64°42° First frost ~Oct 24
Nov now52°33°
Dec41°26° 5" snow

What stands out about Tell Township’s climate

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

A normal year

What a year in Tell Township feels like

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

Winter
39° / 23°
8 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
61° / 39°
Last frost around Apr 19
Summer
83° / 60°
30 days reach 90°
Fall
64° / 43°
First frost around Oct 24
Best months to be outsideMayJunAugSepOctHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 188 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 Shippensburg, PA, 19 miles from the town’s center, 400 ft lower.

111
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
205th fewest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Fewer freezing nights than 53% of U.S. towns
<1
nights at or below 0°
112th fewest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Fewer nights at or below 0° than 60% of U.S. towns
30
days that reach 90°
33rd most of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
More 90° days than 62% of U.S. towns
<1
days that reach 100°
50th most of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
More 100° days than 67% of U.S. towns
7aUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 7a

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

26
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

11
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Rain & snow

About 34 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Shippensburg, PA, is heaviest from January through February, about 10 inches a month. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 42 inches a year; September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 126 days a year.

42"
Rain + melted snow a year
183rd driest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Drier than 51% of U.S. towns
34"
Snow in a normal winter
324th snowiest of 994 in Pennsylvania
More snow than 67% of U.S. towns
35 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
356th most of 822 in Pennsylvania
More days with snow on the ground than 62% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

4.3"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

10"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Tell Township

84% of the work is heating. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.

5,267 heating degree daysLess heating than 51% of U.S. towns
1,014 cooling degree daysMore cooling than 56% 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 Shippensburg, PA.

Living here

Living with Tell Township’s climate

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

The garden window

188 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: May, June, August, September and October. 4.1 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Tell Township from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (66%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 2%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Tell Township and its neighbors

Cromwell Township the hottest July afternoons (86°, 1° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.

Cass Township: January low 20°, July high 84°Springfield Township: January low 21°, July high 85°Clay Township: January low 21°, July high 85°Wayne Township: January low 21°, July high 85°Mount Union: January low 21°, July high 85°Allenport: January low 21°, July high 86°Union Township: January low 20°, July high 83°Brady Township: January low 21°, July high 84°Toboyne Township: January low 21°, July high 83°Lurgan Township: January low 22°, July high 86°Letterkenny Township: January low 22°, July high 86°Hopewell Township: January low 22°, July high 87°Metal Township: January low 21°, July high 85°Bratton Township: January low 20°, July high 83°Tuscarora Township: January low 22°, July high 85°Dublin Township: January low 21°, July high 85°Cromwell Township: January low 21°, July high 86°Shirley Township: January low 21°, July high 86°Fannett Township: January low 21°, July high 84°Lack Township: January low 21°, July high 84°Dublin Township: January low 21°, July high 84°Tell Township: January low 21°, July high 85°Tell TownshipCromwell TownshipShirley TownshipFannett TownshipLack TownshipDublin Township
ColderMilder20° to 22°
Fannett Township20.9° about the same
Dublin Township20.9° about the same
Tell Township21.0°
Cromwell Township21.0° about the same
Shirley Township21.2° about the same
Lack Township21.2° about the same

Climates most like Tell 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
Tell Township, PA21°85°42"34"
Reynoldsburg, OH21°84°43"28"
Hartford City, IN19°84°41"32"
Wappinger, NY19°85°44"36"
Middletown, CT20°85°46"39"

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 Tell Township averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.4°).

+1.3°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A smaller shift than in 52% of U.S. towns.

Winter+2.0°now 31°, was 29°
Spring+1.1°now 50°, was 49°
Summer+1.1°now 71°, was 70°
Fall+1.1°now 53°, was 52°

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 Tell Township compares

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

Summer heat85° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 55% of U.S. towns498th coolest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Winter cold21° January low
Colder January nights than 54% of U.S. towns497th coldest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Precipitation42" a year
Drier than 51% of U.S. towns183rd driest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Snow34" a winter
More snow than 67% of U.S. towns324th snowiest of 994 in Pennsylvania
Hot days30 days at 90°+
More 90° days than 62% of U.S. towns33rd most of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Freezing nights111 a year
Fewer freezing nights than 53% of U.S. towns205th fewest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Growing season188 frost-free days
A longer frost-free season than 54% of U.S. towns269th longest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Month by month

Tell Township weather by month

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

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January37°21°2.9"9.8"111120° – 37°
February40°23°2.5"10.3"101220° – 39°
March50°29°3.6"6.7"11534° – 50°
April63°39°3.7"0.4"12047° – 56°
May72°49°4.1"0.0"13055° – 66°
June80°58°4.1"0.0"12065° – 72°
July85°62°3.7"0.0"11069° – 78°
August83°61°3.6"0.0"10067° – 76°
September76°53°4.3"0.0"10062° – 68°
October64°42°3.6"0.2"9049° – 60°
November52°33°3.1"0.8"9137° – 48°
December41°26°3.3"5.4"10525° – 42°
Year62°41°42.3"33.6"12635
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 20° to 39°. September is the most reliable, staying within 6°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Tell 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 Tell Township’s center.
  • Snow: Shippensburg, PA.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Shippensburg, PA, 19 miles from the town’s center, 400 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 Tell Township’s climate

What is the weather like in Tell Township?

A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 21°, and about 34 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 54% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 55% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Tell Township in winter?

January nights average 21°. About 111 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 20°.

How much snow does Tell Township get?

About 34 inches in a normal winter at Shippensburg, PA, heaviest from January through February, about 10 inches a month, with snow on the ground about 35 days a year.

How hot does it get in Tell Township?

July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 62°. About 30 days a year reach 90° (Shippensburg, PA).

When is the first and last frost in Tell Township?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 19 and the first fall frost by October 24, about 188 frost-free days, at Shippensburg, PA.

What growing zone is Tell Township in?

Zone 7a 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 Tell Township?

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

Is Tell Township getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.3° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 52% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

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