Rochester, NY Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of 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.
Climate quick facts
- 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%
Temperatures through the year
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.
Rain, sun and snow
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.
How Rochester compares
- 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.
Ranked against every city in our dataset, each measured on the same ten-year window.
Monthly climate table
| 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% |
Rochester month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Rochester's year (left is the coldest night, right is the 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
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons 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.
Climate questions, answered
How hot does Rochester get in summer?
What should I wear in Rochester?
How sunny is Rochester?
How humid does Rochester get?
Is Rochester warmer or cooler than most cities?
Does it freeze in Rochester?
Best time to visit Rochester
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.
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).
Rochester temperature records (2015-2024)
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need the precipitation in other units? The mm-to-inches rainfall converter handles it.