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Thornhurst TownshipPhoto: Nicholas · CC BY 2.0
Climate in Thornhurst Township · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Thornhurst Township’s winters are colder than most of the U.S.; July afternoons average 77°

A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 15°.

Colder January nights than 85% of U.S. towns#5 coldest of 1,006 in PA
Cooler July afternoons than 97% of U.S. towns#2Coolest summers  of 1,006 in PA
All PA rankings →
July high
77°
Cooler than 97% of U.S. towns
2nd coolest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
January low
15°
Colder than 85% of U.S. towns
5th coldest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Rain + melted snow
49"
Wetter than 80% of U.S. towns
128th wettest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Frost-free days
153
May 7 to Oct 6
Shorter than 90% of U.S. towns
90° days
4
Fewer than 93% of U.S. towns
84th fewest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania

A year in Thornhurst Township at a glance

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

Jan30°15°
Feb33°16°
Mar41°23°
Apr55°34°
May65°45° Last frost ~May 7
Jun73°53° 1 day 90°+Wettest
Jul77°57° 2 days 90°+
Aug76°56° 1 day 90°+
Sep69°49°
Oct57°38° First frost ~Oct 6
Nov now45°29°
Dec35°21°

What stands out about Thornhurst Township’s climate

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

Cooler July afternoons than 97% of U.S. townsJuly afternoons average 77°; about 4 days a year reach 90°. 2nd coolest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania.Fewer 90° days than 93% of U.S. townsAbout 4 days a year reach 90°, most of them in July. 84th fewest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania.A shorter frost-free season than 90% of U.S. townsAbout 153 frost-free days, from May 7 to Oct 6 in half of years. 44th shortest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania.Growing zone 6aThe 2023 USDA plant hardiness zone at Thornhurst Township’s center: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −7°.
A normal year

What a year in Thornhurst Township feels like

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

Winter
33° / 17°
Snow is rare
Spring
54° / 34°
Last frost around May 7
Summer
75° / 55°
4 days reach 90°
Fall
57° / 39°
First frost around Oct 6
Best months to be outsideMayJunJulAugSepHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

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, 9 miles from the town’s center, 350 ft lower.

163
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
25th most of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
More freezing nights than 93% of U.S. towns
9
nights at or below 0°
32nd most of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
More nights at or below 0° than 82% of U.S. towns
4
days that reach 90°
84th fewest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Fewer 90° days than 93% of U.S. towns
0
days that reach 100°
None in a normal year
6aUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 6a

The 2023 USDA map puts Thornhurst Township’s center in zone 6a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −7°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

29
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

1.5
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 49 inches of rain a year

June is the wettest month and February the driest.

49"
Rain + melted snow a year
128th wettest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Wetter than 80% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

4.9"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Thornhurst 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 May.

7,024 heating degree daysMore heating than 87% of U.S. towns
345 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 93% 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 Francis E Walter Dam, PA.

Living here

Living with Thornhurst Township’s climate

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

The garden window

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.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August and September. 52 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Thornhurst Township from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (75%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 13%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Thornhurst Township and its neighbors

Jenkins Township the hottest July afternoons (82°, 4° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.

Dreher Township: January low 15°, July high 79°Lehigh Township: January low 15°, July high 77°Mount Pocono: January low 16°, July high 79°Gouldsboro: January low 15°, July high 77°Greene Township: January low 15°, July high 78°Kidder Township: January low 15°, July high 78°Big Bass Lake: January low 15°, July high 78°Covington Township: January low 15°, July high 78°Pocono Township: January low 17°, July high 81°Tunkhannock Township: January low 15°, July high 78°Pittston Township: January low 18°, July high 82°Moscow: January low 16°, July high 79°Scranton: January low 17°, July high 83°Penn Lake Park: January low 17°, July high 81°Dennison Township: January low 17°, July high 80°Fairview Township: January low 15°, July high 78°Plains Township: January low 18°, July high 84°Laurel Run: January low 18°, July high 83°Hanover Township: January low 18°, July high 82°Laflin: January low 18°, July high 84°Yatesville: January low 18°, July high 84°Pittston: January low 18°, July high 84°Wyoming: January low 18°, July high 85°Exeter: January low 18°, July high 85°Coolbaugh Township: January low 15°, July high 77°Buck Township: January low 15°, July high 77°Clifton Township: January low 15°, July high 78°Tobyhanna Township: January low 16°, July high 79°Spring Brook Township: January low 16°, July high 80°Bear Creek Township: January low 15°, July high 78°Jenkins Township: January low 17°, July high 82°Thornhurst Township: January low 15°, July high 77°Thornhurst TownshipCoolbaugh TownshipBuck TownshipClifton TownshipTobyhanna TownshipSpring Brook TownshipBear Creek TownshipJenkins Township
ColderMilder15° to 18°
Thornhurst Township14.8°
Coolbaugh Township14.8° about the same
Buck Township14.9° about the same
Bear Creek Township15.1° about the same
Clifton Township15.3° about the same
Tobyhanna Township15.6° about the same
Spring Brook Township16.1° +1.3°
Jenkins Township17.2° +2.4°

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 Thornhurst Township averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.5°).

+1.8°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A bigger shift than in 77% of U.S. towns.

Winter+2.8°now 25°, was 22°
Spring+1.5°now 44°, was 42°
Summer+1.3°now 65°, was 64°
Fall+1.4°now 48°, was 47°

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 Thornhurst Township compares

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

Summer heat77° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 97% of U.S. towns2nd coolest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Winter cold15° January low
Colder January nights than 85% of U.S. towns5th coldest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Precipitation49" a year
Wetter than 80% of U.S. towns128th wettest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Hot days4 days at 90°+
Fewer 90° days than 93% of U.S. towns84th fewest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Freezing nights163 a year
More freezing nights than 93% of U.S. towns25th most of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
Growing season153 frost-free days
A shorter frost-free season than 90% of U.S. towns44th shortest of 1,006 in Pennsylvania
#2Coolest summers  of 1,006 in PAAll PA rankings →
Month by month

Thornhurst Township weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Thornhurst Township’s center. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + melt30-yr range
January30°15°3.6"13° – 31°
February33°16°2.8"13° – 32°
March41°23°3.7"25° – 44°
April55°34°4.0"39° – 49°
May65°45°4.2"50° – 61°
June73°53°4.9"60° – 67°
July77°57°4.3"63° – 71°
August76°56°4.4"62° – 69°
September69°49°4.8"56° – 63°
October57°38°4.8"43° – 55°
November45°29°3.6"31° – 42°
December35°21°3.7"19° – 40°
Year55°36°48.8"
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 19° to 40°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Thornhurst 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 Thornhurst Township’s center.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Francis E Walter Dam, PA, 9 miles from the town’s center, 350 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 Thornhurst Township’s climate

What is the weather like in Thornhurst Township?

A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 15°. Colder January nights than 85% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 97% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Thornhurst Township in winter?

January nights average 15°. 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 13°.

How hot does it get in Thornhurst Township?

July, with a typical high of 77° and a low of 57°. About 4 days a year reach 90° (Francis E Walter Dam, PA).

When is the first and last frost in Thornhurst 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 Thornhurst Township in?

Zone 6a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −7°.

What is the best time of year to visit Thornhurst 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 Thornhurst Township getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.8° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 77% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

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