Climate Comfort Score
73/100
Good
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 56°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Philadelphia, PA Climate
Annual temperature, rainfall, and a comfort score, sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 normals →
- 56°F
- Avg annual temp
- 73/100
- Comfort score
- 44.1"
- Annual precip
- 222d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania averages 56°F a year and scores 73/100 on the comfort index - good, milder than 68% of U.S. cities.
- 56°F
- annual average temperature (NOAA normal)
- 73/100
- comfort score, milder than 68% of U.S. cities
- 44.1"
- annual precipitation · 23" snow
- 222 days
- frost-free growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
56°F (13°C)
Avg High
65°F
Avg Low
47°F
Annual Precip
44.1"
Annual Snow
23.1"
Comfort Score
73/100
Good
Avg Annual Temperature
56°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
44.1"
Plus 23.1" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Philadelphia) 73.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Good for the Philadelphia area.
How Philadelphia compares to every U.S. city
Philadelphia's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
73 Top 32% higher than 68% 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 Philadelphia
MethodologyZooming out from Philadelphia's own normal, the chart below shows how the U.S. land temperature anomaly has tracked the global mean since 1900 - the most recent decade sits warmer than the 30-year mean shown here.
- 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 | 41°F (5°C) | 26°F (-3°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 3.1" | 7.1" | 22.5 | 0.0 |
| February | 44°F (7°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 2.8" | 8.4" | 19.6 | 0.0 |
| March | 53°F (12°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 44°F (6°C) | 4.0" | 3.6" | 11.8 | 0.0 |
| April | 65°F (18°C) | 44°F (7°C) | 55°F (13°C) | 3.5" | 0.3" | 0.8 | 0.2 |
| May | 74°F (24°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 64°F (18°C) | 3.3" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 1.7 |
| June | 83°F (28°C) | 64°F (18°C) | 74°F (23°C) | 4.0" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 5.8 |
| July | 88°F (31°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 79°F (26°C) | 4.4" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 12.5 |
| August | 86°F (30°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 77°F (25°C) | 4.3" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 7.5 |
| September | 79°F (26°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 4.4" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 1.9 |
| October | 67°F (20°C) | 49°F (10°C) | 58°F (15°C) | 3.5" | 0.0" | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| November | 56°F (13°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 47°F (9°C) | 2.9" | 0.2" | 5.4 | 0.0 |
| December | 46°F (8°C) | 31°F (0°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 4.0" | 3.5" | 17.2 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 3.1"
Snow: 7.1"
11.0 days with precipitation
February 2.8"
Snow: 8.4"
9.7 days with precipitation
March 4.0"
Snow: 3.6"
10.9 days with precipitation
April 3.5"
Snow: 0.3"
10.9 days with precipitation
May 3.3"
11.0 days with precipitation
June 4.0"
10.3 days with precipitation
July 4.4"
10.1 days with precipitation
August 4.3"
8.9 days with precipitation
September 4.4"
9.3 days with precipitation
October 3.5"
9.1 days with precipitation
November 2.9"
Snow: 0.2"
8.6 days with precipitation
December 4.0"
Snow: 3.5"
11.0 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
November 10
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 2
50% probability date
Growing Season
222 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
4,510
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
1,358
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 | 60% | 9.9 | 21% | 36% |
| February | 58% | 10.8 | 18% | 39% |
| March | 56% | 10.5 | 18% | 37% |
| April | 57% | 9.5 | 15% | 31% |
| May | 64% | 8.6 | 14% | 29% |
| June | 63% | 8.4 | 14% | 20% |
| July | 65% | 8.0 | 12% | 20% |
| August | 66% | 8.0 | 19% | 21% |
| September | 68% | 8.4 | 25% | 26% |
| October | 64% | 9.1 | 24% | 30% |
| November | 63% | 9.4 | 22% | 36% |
| December | 63% | 9.8 | 21% | 38% |
What Philadelphia's climate means for you
Philadelphia runs 56°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 222 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near April 2 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 4,510 heating and 1,358 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: Philadelphia, PA
Based on station USW00013739 feeding NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania averages 56°F a year, ranging from a mean daily high of 65°F to a mean daily low of 47°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.
Beyond temperature, Philadelphia averages 44.1 inches of precipitation annually, with 23.1 inches typically falling as snow - a real factor for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. The frost-free season averages 222 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near April 2 and the first fall freeze near November 10. Turning to energy use, 4,510 heating degree days and 1,358 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Philadelphia scores 73/100 (Good), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. The monthly tables above are the practical planning tool: mild highs and lows land in the shoulder seasons, July-driven heat peaks in summer, and January-driven cold sets in over deep winter. These are thirty-year averages, not a forecast - any single year can run warmer, wetter, drier, or cooler than the normal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Philadelphia, PA? ▼
The average annual temperature in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is 56°F. The warmest month averages 88°F (31°C) and the coldest averages 26°F (-3°C).
How much rain does Philadelphia get? ▼
Philadelphia receives 44.1 inches of precipitation annually, including 23.1 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Philadelphia? ▼
Philadelphia has a climate comfort score of 73/100 (Good), milder than 68% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Philadelphia? ▼
Philadelphia has approximately 222 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around April 2 and the first fall freeze around November 10.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Philadelphia? ▼
Philadelphia has 4,510 heating degree days and 1,358 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 Philadelphia climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USW00013739 near Philadelphia.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00013739. 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.