Rochester, NY Climate & Monthly Averages
Rochester has a humid subtropical climate. July is the hottest month, averaging 81° by day; January is the coldest at 33°.
Winter sets the pace in Rochester
Rochester runs one of the wider annual swings in our dataset: 25°C separates the average July from the average January. Afternoons reach 81°F (27°C) at the peak of summer and 33°F (1°C) at the depth of winter, with 156 days of measurable precipitation through the year.
July
81° by day 65° at nightJanuary
33° by day 21° at nightThe cold-weather pattern in numbers
Overnight lows average at or below freezing for 4 months, December through March. Warmth peaks in July: highs of 81°F (27°C), lows of 65°F (18°C). January is the coolest month, with highs of 33°F (1°C) and lows near 21°F (-6°C). Across the gridded 2015-2024 daily record, the highest daily maximum for this location was 94°F (35°C) and the lowest daily minimum -5°F (-21°C).
Three of the twelve months pair mild highs with fewer than twelve wet days; the longest unbroken run is May through June.
Sunshine averages 8.1 hours a day over the year - duller than about 81% of the cities we track, peaking in July at 12.3 hours. Snow falls on roughly 31 days a year, mostly November through April.
More climate facts for Rochester
- Hottest month: July - highs near 81°F (27°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 33°F (1°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 94°F (35°C) high · -5°F (-21°C) low
- Wettest month: October (13 rainy days) · Sunniest: July (12.3 h sun/day)
- Climate type: humid subtropical
- Annual swing: 25°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 8°C
- Snow: about 31 days a year
- Months with freezing average lows: 4
- Average humidity: 72%
From snow season to the warmest stretch in Rochester
Spring (March through May)
Spring in Rochester is crisp but comfortable, with daytime highs averaging 54°F (12°C) and nights around 38°F (3°C); rain falls on around 38 of the 90 days, plus about 6 snowy days.
Summer (June through August)
Summer is mild and warm here - highs near 78°F (26°C), nights near 62°F (17°C), and rain falls on around 37 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.8 hours of sun a day.
Fall (September through November)
Fall is mild here - highs near 61°F (16°C), nights near 47°F (9°C), and rain falls on around 35 of the 90 days, plus about 3 snowy days.
Winter (December through February)
Winter brings deep cold here - highs near 36°F (2°C), nights near 24°F (-5°C), and rain falls on around 46 of the 90 days, plus about 22 snowy days. Wind sharpens cold like this considerably; pair the forecast winds with the wind speed converter to judge exposed conditions.
The coldest and warmest values in the dataset
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need another precipitation unit? Use the rainfall converter.
Planning around winter in Rochester
The easier weather window
Aim for May to October if you get the choice: these are the warmest and brightest weeks of the year, and highs average 72°F (22°C) against roughly 12 wet days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in May.
Cold-weather packing
Pack for Rochester with light clothing for the warm months, a heavy insulated coat, hat and gloves for winter and proper waterproofs rather than an umbrella - wet days are the norm here. Note the gap between afternoon and night: July pairs 81°F (27°C) with 65°F (18°C).
Monthly highs, lows and seasonal change
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 33° | 21° | 15 | 3.1 in | 3.9 h/day | 9.3 h | 48% | 74% |
| February | 36° | 21° | 14 | 3.1 in | 5.5 h/day | 10.5 h | 49% | 71% |
| March | 43° | 28° | 12 | 2.9 in | 7.2 h/day | 11.8 h | 39% | 70% |
| April | 53° | 37° | 15 | 4.0 in | 8.5 h/day | 13.3 h | 49% | 70% |
| May | 65° | 49° | 12 | 3.1 in | 10.7 h/day | 14.6 h | 37% | 72% |
| June | 74° | 58° | 12 | 3.4 in | 11.7 h/day | 15.4 h | 40% | 70% |
| July | 81° | 65° | 12 | 3.8 in | 12.3 h/day | 15.1 h | 39% | 71% |
| August | 79° | 64° | 12 | 3.8 in | 11.4 h/day | 13.9 h | 40% | 73% |
| September | 74° | 58° | 10 | 3.2 in | 9.9 h/day | 12.4 h | 32% | 74% |
| October | 61° | 48° | 13 | 4.8 in | 6.6 h/day | 10.9 h | 42% | 74% |
| November | 48° | 36° | 12 | 3.1 in | 5.5 h/day | 9.6 h | 40% | 72% |
| December | 39° | 29° | 17 | 3.6 in | 3.8 h/day | 9.0 h | 55% | 76% |
The route from winter to summer, month by month
Each card shows the average high and low. The bar places that month between Rochester's coldest night and warmest afternoon.
January
- Rain
- 15 days
- Sunshine
- 3.9 h
- Daylight
- 9.3 h
- Snow
- 8 days
February
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 5.5 h
- Daylight
- 10.5 h
- Snow
- 7 days
March
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 7.2 h
- Daylight
- 11.8 h
- Snow
- 4 days
April
- Rain
- 15 days
- Sunshine
- 8.5 h
- Daylight
- 13.3 h
- Snow
- 2 days
May
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 10.7 h
- Daylight
- 14.6 h
June
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 11.7 h
- Daylight
- 15.4 h
July
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 12.3 h
- Daylight
- 15.1 h
August
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 11.4 h
- Daylight
- 13.9 h
September
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 9.9 h
- Daylight
- 12.4 h
October
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 6.6 h
- Daylight
- 10.9 h
November
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 5.5 h
- Daylight
- 9.6 h
- Snow
- 2 days
December
- Rain
- 17 days
- Sunshine
- 3.8 h
- Daylight
- 9.0 h
- Snow
- 7 days
Looking for warmer alternatives? Browse warm places by month, or compare Rochester's coolest part of the year: January, February, December.
Where Rochester sits among other climates
- 28% of the year's precipitation falls in its wettest three months - more evenly spread than almost every other city we track.
- Rochester averages 50°F (10°C) across the year - cooler than all but 10% of the 3496 cities we track.
These comparisons use the same ten-year window for every city in the dataset.