Sullivan House · Photo: Bill Fitzpatrick · CC BY-SA 3.0Summer arrives in force in Princeton, hotter than in 81% of U.S. towns
Midwinter brings lows of about 33°. In January, nights here are milder than in 77% of U.S. towns. Since 1901–2000, the year has warmed by 0.9°, most of all in December. Garden planting can start around March 29; autumn frost returns near November 5.
A year in Princeton at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Princeton’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Princeton’s place in South Carolina beside it.
What a year in Princeton feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 222 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 29 and the first by November 5. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Fountain Inn 2 Sw, SC, 13 miles from the town’s center, 150 ft higher.
The 2023 USDA map puts Princeton’s center in zone 8a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 14°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 46 inches of rain a year
March is the wettest month and October the driest. Rain falls on about 101 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.7" in a normal year at Ware Shoals 2, SC, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Princeton
67% of the work is heating. Months averaging under 55° run from November through March.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Fountain Inn 2 Sw, SC.
Living with Princeton’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
222 frost-free days in zone 8a. The last frost comes by Mar 29 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Nov 5.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: March, April, May, September, October and November.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Princeton from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (42%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 39%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Princeton and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Princeton yet.
Climates most like Princeton’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Princeton, SC | 33° | 91° | 46" | 0.7" |
| Spring Lake, NC | 32° | 91° | 47" | 1.1" |
| Rockmart, GA | 32° | 90° | 50" | 0.7" |
| Stuttgart, AR | 33° | 91° | 50" | 3.3" |
| Emporia, VA | 29° | 90° | 48" | 1.4" |
Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Princeton averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.2°).
A smaller shift than in 85% 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 Princeton compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Princeton’s place among South Carolina’s.
Princeton weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Princeton’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Ware Shoals 2, SC. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 53° | 33° | 4.2" | 0.2" | 10 | 0 | 37° – 49° |
| February | 57° | 35° | 3.8" | 0.1" | 9 | 0 | 39° – 55° |
| March | 65° | 41° | 4.6" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 47° – 63° |
| April | 74° | 49° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 57° – 65° |
| May | 81° | 57° | 3.7" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 64° – 74° |
| June | 88° | 66° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 73° – 81° |
| July | 91° | 70° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 77° – 84° |
| August | 89° | 69° | 3.9" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 76° – 84° |
| September | 83° | 62° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 70° – 78° |
| October | 74° | 51° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 58° – 67° |
| November | 63° | 40° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 47° – 57° |
| December | 56° | 35° | 4.4" | 0.4" | 10 | 0 | 36° – 55° |
| Year | 73° | 51° | 46.3" | 0.7" | 101 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 36° to 55°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Princeton’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 Princeton’s center.
- Snow: Ware Shoals 2, SC.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Fountain Inn 2 Sw, SC, 13 miles from the town’s center, 150 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 Princeton’s climate
What is the weather like in Princeton?
A typical July afternoon reaches 91°, a January night drops to 33°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 77% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 81% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Princeton in winter?
January nights average 33°. About 61 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 37°.
How much snow does Princeton get?
About 0.7 inches in a normal winter at Ware Shoals 2, SC, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Princeton?
July, with a typical high of 91° and a low of 70°. About 54 days a year reach 90° (Fountain Inn 2 Sw, SC).
When is the first and last frost in Princeton?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 29 and the first fall frost by November 5, about 222 frost-free days, at Fountain Inn 2 Sw, SC.
What growing zone is Princeton in?
Zone 8a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 14°.
What is the best time of year to visit Princeton?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), March, April, May, September, October and November. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Princeton getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.9° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 85% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Princeton.
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.