Climate Comfort Score
58/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 49°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Buffalo, NY Climate
Explore average temperature, rainfall, and comfort score sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 climate normals →
- 49°F
- Avg annual temp
- 58/100
- Comfort score
- 40.7"
- Annual precip
- 185d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Buffalo
Buffalo, New York averages 49°F a year and scores 58/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 38% of U.S. cities.
- 49°F
- average temperature, NOAA 1991-2020 normal
- 58/100
- comfort score, milder than 38% of U.S. cities
- 40.7"
- annual precipitation · 95" snow
- 185 days
- growing season, frost-free days
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
49°F (9°C)
Avg High
57°F
Avg Low
41°F
Annual Precip
40.7"
Annual Snow
95.4"
Comfort Score
58/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
49°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
40.7"
Plus 95.4" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Buffalo) 58.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Buffalo area.
How Buffalo compares to every U.S. city
Buffalo's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
58 Top 62% higher than 38% of 6,915 US cities
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Warming context for Buffalo
MethodologyBuffalo's NOAA 1991-2020 normal sits inside a longer story: U.S. land temperatures have been tracking (and drifting from) the global mean since 1900, and the chart below shows that spread, with the most recent decade running warmer than the 30-year mean.
- United States land mean (NOAA NCEI) +0.11 °C/decade
- Global anomaly (NASA GISTEMP) +0.11 °C/decade
- Paris Agreement thresholds 1.5°C / 2.0°C
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Snow | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 32°F (0°C) | 19°F (-7°C) | 26°F (-4°C) | 3.4" | 26.7" | 27.1 | 0.0 |
| February | 33°F (1°C) | 20°F (-7°C) | 26°F (-3°C) | 2.5" | 18.1" | 25.3 | 0.0 |
| March | 42°F (5°C) | 26°F (-3°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 2.9" | 14.1" | 22.7 | 0.0 |
| April | 55°F (13°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 3.4" | 2.5" | 9.3 | 0.0 |
| May | 67°F (20°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 58°F (14°C) | 3.4" | 0.0" | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| June | 76°F (24°C) | 58°F (15°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 3.4" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 0.7 |
| July | 80°F (27°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 72°F (22°C) | 3.2" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 1.5 |
| August | 79°F (26°C) | 62°F (17°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 3.2" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 0.7 |
| September | 72°F (22°C) | 55°F (13°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 4.1" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 0.3 |
| October | 60°F (15°C) | 44°F (7°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 4.0" | 0.9" | 2.0 | 0.0 |
| November | 48°F (9°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 3.5" | 7.8" | 13.1 | 0.0 |
| December | 37°F (3°C) | 26°F (-4°C) | 31°F (0°C) | 3.8" | 25.3" | 24.0 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 3.4"
Snow: 26.7"
19.2 days with precipitation
February 2.5"
Snow: 18.1"
15.8 days with precipitation
March 2.9"
Snow: 14.1"
14.8 days with precipitation
April 3.4"
Snow: 2.5"
13.4 days with precipitation
May 3.4"
12.8 days with precipitation
June 3.4"
11.9 days with precipitation
July 3.2"
10.8 days with precipitation
August 3.2"
10.0 days with precipitation
September 4.1"
10.9 days with precipitation
October 4.0"
Snow: 0.9"
14.1 days with precipitation
November 3.5"
Snow: 7.8"
14.4 days with precipitation
December 3.8"
Snow: 25.3"
17.7 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 26
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 24
50% probability date
Growing Season
185 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
6,466
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
608
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
Humidity & Wind
Monthly averages from hourly observations
| Month | Humidity | Wind (mph) | Clear Sky % | Overcast % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 74% | 11.8 | 5% | 62% |
| February | 73% | 11.2 | 9% | 54% |
| March | 67% | 10.6 | 14% | 46% |
| April | 61% | 10.0 | 17% | 35% |
| May | 67% | 9.4 | 13% | 30% |
| June | 68% | 9.2 | 12% | 19% |
| July | 69% | 8.3 | 11% | 21% |
| August | 70% | 8.1 | 16% | 19% |
| September | 73% | 9.1 | 18% | 29% |
| October | 70% | 10.2 | 11% | 46% |
| November | 73% | 11.2 | 3% | 59% |
| December | 75% | 11.7 | 4% | 65% |
What Buffalo's climate means for you
Buffalo runs 49°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 185 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near April 24 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 6,466 heating and 608 cooling degree days a year, higher means the furnace or AC runs more.
- Comparing places to live? Line this city up against nearby cities and the national rankings. See rankings
These are 30-year NOAA normals (1991–2020) - the typical year, not a forecast for any specific season.
Climate Guides
Climate Insight: Buffalo, NY
Based on station USW00014733 feeding NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals, Buffalo, New York averages 49°F a year, ranging from a mean daily high of 57°F to a mean daily low of 41°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. Because these figures are thirty-year averages rather than any single year's readings, they describe the typical month, not a forecast for it.
Precipitation patterns matter as much as temperature for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. Buffalo receives roughly 40.7 inches of precipitation each year, with 95.4 inches typically falling as snow. The frost-free season averages 185 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near April 24 and the first fall freeze near October 26. For energy use, 6,466 heating degree days and 608 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Buffalo scores 58/100 (Moderate), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. Use the monthly tables above to plan around specific windows, shoulder seasons for mild highs and lows, peak summer for July-driven heat, or deep winter for January-driven cold. All figures here are thirty-year averages: any single year may run warmer, wetter, drier, or cooler than the normal, so treat them as planning guidance rather than forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Buffalo, NY? ▼
The average annual temperature in Buffalo, New York is 49°F. The warmest month averages 80°F (27°C) and the coldest averages 19°F (-7°C).
How much rain does Buffalo get? ▼
Buffalo receives 40.7 inches of precipitation annually, including 95.4 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Buffalo? ▼
Buffalo has a climate comfort score of 58/100 (Moderate), milder than 38% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Buffalo? ▼
Buffalo has approximately 185 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around April 24 and the first fall freeze around October 26.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Buffalo? ▼
Buffalo has 6,466 heating degree days and 608 cooling degree days annually, a heating-dominated climate. See our <a href="/guides/reading-weather-data/" class="underline hover:text-brand-600">guide to reading weather data</a> for what these figures mean.
Where does this Buffalo climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USW00014733 near Buffalo.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00014733. For informational purposes only.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainClimate Editorial
Every figure on PlainClimate is rendered directly from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.