Photo: Evanoco · CC BY-SA 4.0Summer arrives in force in Scranton, hotter than in 88% of U.S. towns
On a normal January night the air cools to about 35°. The seasons are far apart: from a winter night to a summer afternoon the average spans 57°. In January, nights here are milder than in 80% of U.S. towns. Picnics, hikes and garden evenings come into their own from March to May and October to November, with highs of 67–83°.
A year in Scranton at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Scranton’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Scranton’s place in South Carolina beside it.
What a year in Scranton feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 240 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 20 and the first by November 13. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Lake City 2 Se, SC, 4 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Scranton’s center in zone 8b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 17°. 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 48 inches of rain a year
August is the wettest month and November the driest. Rain falls on about 105 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.4" in a normal year at Effingham, SC, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Scranton
53% of the work is heating. Months averaging under 55° run from November through February.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Lake City 2 Se, SC.
Living with Scranton’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
240 frost-free days in zone 8b. The last frost comes by Mar 20 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 13.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: March, April, May, October and November. 0.0 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Scranton from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (31%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 7%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Scranton and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Scranton yet.
Climates most like Scranton’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scranton, SC | 35° | 92° | 48" | 0.4" |
| Sandersville, GA | 35° | 92° | 47" | 0.5" |
| Henderson, TX | 37° | 93° | 49" | 0.6" |
| Phenix City, AL | 36° | 92° | 51" | 0.0" |
| Texarkana, AR | 34° | 93° | 52" | 2.1" |
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 Scranton averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.2°).
A smaller shift than in 76% 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 Scranton compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Scranton’s place among South Carolina’s.
Scranton weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Scranton’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Effingham, SC. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 57° | 35° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 41° – 53° |
| February | 61° | 38° | 3.2" | 0.2" | 8 | 0 | 42° – 59° |
| March | 68° | 43° | 3.4" | 0.1" | 9 | 0 | 50° – 64° |
| April | 77° | 51° | 3.3" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 59° – 68° |
| May | 83° | 59° | 3.7" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 66° – 76° |
| June | 89° | 67° | 4.9" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 74° – 82° |
| July | 92° | 71° | 5.3" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 78° – 85° |
| August | 90° | 70° | 5.6" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 77° – 85° |
| September | 85° | 64° | 5.0" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 72° – 80° |
| October | 77° | 52° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 60° – 70° |
| November | 67° | 42° | 3.0" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 51° – 60° |
| December | 60° | 37° | 3.7" | 0.1" | 9 | 0 | 38° – 61° |
| Year | 76° | 52° | 48.1" | 0.4" | 105 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 38° to 61°. July is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Scranton’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 Scranton’s center.
- Snow: Effingham, SC.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Lake City 2 Se, SC, 4 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 Scranton’s climate
What is the weather like in Scranton?
A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 35°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 80% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 88% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Scranton in winter?
January nights average 35°. About 53 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 41°.
How much snow does Scranton get?
About 0.4 inches in a normal winter at Effingham, SC, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Scranton?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 71°. About 72 days a year reach 90° and 2 reach 100° (Lake City 2 Se, SC).
When is the first and last frost in Scranton?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 20 and the first fall frost by November 13, about 240 frost-free days, at Lake City 2 Se, SC.
What growing zone is Scranton in?
Zone 8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 17°.
What is the best time of year to visit Scranton?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), March, April, May, October and November. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Scranton getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.0° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 76% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Scranton.
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.