Climate Comfort Score
64/100
Good
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 45°F annual avg 2 stations
Watertown, NY Climate
Average temperature, precipitation, and a comfort score, drawn from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →
- 45°F
- Avg annual temp
- 64/100
- Comfort score
- 37.1"
- Annual precip
- 143d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 2 weather stations (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Watertown
Watertown, New York averages 45°F a year and scores 64/100 on the comfort index - good, milder than 51% of U.S. cities.
- 45°F
- average temperature, NOAA 1991-2020 normal
- 64/100
- comfort score, milder than 51% of U.S. cities
- 37.1"
- annual precipitation
- 143 days
- frost-free days per growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
45°F (7°C)
Avg High
55°F
Avg Low
35°F
Annual Precip
37.1"
Comfort Score
64/100
Good
Avg Annual Temperature
45°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
37.1"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Watertown) 64.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Good for the Watertown area.
How Watertown compares to every U.S. city
Watertown's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
64 Top 49% higher than 51% 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 Watertown
MethodologyZooming out from Watertown'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 | 30°F (-1°C) | 10°F (-12°C) | 20°F (-7°C) | 2.9" | N/A | 28.2 | 0.0 |
| February | 31°F (0°C) | 11°F (-12°C) | 21°F (-6°C) | 2.2" | N/A | 26.0 | 0.0 |
| March | 40°F (4°C) | 21°F (-6°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 2.4" | N/A | 25.3 | 0.0 |
| April | 54°F (12°C) | 33°F (0°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 3.1" | N/A | 15.6 | 0.0 |
| May | 66°F (19°C) | 44°F (7°C) | 55°F (13°C) | 3.0" | N/A | 2.9 | 0.0 |
| June | 75°F (24°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 64°F (18°C) | 3.1" | N/A | 0.0 | 0.5 |
| July | 79°F (26°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 69°F (21°C) | 3.0" | N/A | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| August | 78°F (26°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 3.2" | N/A | 0.0 | 0.7 |
| September | 71°F (22°C) | 49°F (9°C) | 60°F (16°C) | 3.6" | N/A | 1.2 | 0.1 |
| October | 58°F (15°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 49°F (9°C) | 4.2" | N/A | 8.3 | 0.0 |
| November | 47°F (8°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 38°F (3°C) | 3.4" | N/A | 18.1 | 0.0 |
| December | 36°F (2°C) | 19°F (-7°C) | 27°F (-3°C) | 3.1" | N/A | 25.7 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 2.9"
16.4 days with precipitation
February 2.2"
13.7 days with precipitation
March 2.4"
12.5 days with precipitation
April 3.1"
13.0 days with precipitation
May 3.0"
13.0 days with precipitation
June 3.1"
12.3 days with precipitation
July 3.0"
10.6 days with precipitation
August 3.2"
10.5 days with precipitation
September 3.6"
10.8 days with precipitation
October 4.2"
14.4 days with precipitation
November 3.4"
14.4 days with precipitation
December 3.1"
16.3 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 1
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 11
50% probability date
Growing Season
143 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
7,524
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
386
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 | 73% | 8.9 | N/A | N/A |
| February | 71% | 9.1 | N/A | N/A |
| March | 67% | 8.9 | N/A | N/A |
| April | 64% | 8.3 | 44% | 33% |
| May | 72% | 7.2 | 45% | 26% |
| June | 72% | 6.9 | 52% | 17% |
| July | 74% | 6.6 | 48% | 15% |
| August | 75% | 6.4 | 54% | 18% |
| September | 76% | 7.3 | 45% | 33% |
| October | 72% | 8.5 | N/A | N/A |
| November | 75% | 8.9 | N/A | N/A |
| December | 75% | 9.3 | N/A | N/A |
What Watertown's climate means for you
Watertown runs 45°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 143 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 11 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 7,524 heating and 386 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: Watertown, NY
The NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals describe Watertown, New York as a location with an annual average temperature of 45°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 55°F to a mean daily low of 35°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. These thirty-year averages, computed from 2 weather stations, smooth out year-to-year variability and give a baseline expectation for typical conditions in any given month.
Beyond temperature, Watertown averages 37.1 inches of precipitation annually, with seasonal snowfall possible - a real factor for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. The frost-free season averages 143 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 11 and the first fall freeze near October 1. Turning to energy use, 7,524 heating degree days and 386 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Watertown scores 64/100 (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 Watertown, NY? ▼
The average annual temperature in Watertown, New York is 45°F. The warmest month averages 79°F (26°C) and the coldest averages 10°F (-12°C).
How much rain does Watertown get? ▼
Watertown receives 37.1 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Watertown? ▼
Watertown has a climate comfort score of 64/100 (Good), milder than 51% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Watertown? ▼
Watertown has approximately 143 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 11 and the first fall freeze around October 1.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Watertown? ▼
Watertown has 7,524 heating degree days and 386 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 Watertown climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from 2 weather stations near Watertown.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00094790. 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.