Climate Comfort Score
59/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 51°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Wilkes-barre, PA Climate
Temperature, precipitation, and comfort score from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →
- 51°F
- Avg annual temp
- 59/100
- Comfort score
- 38.7"
- Annual precip
- 180d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Wilkes-barre
Wilkes-barre, Pennsylvania averages 51°F a year and scores 59/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 39% of U.S. cities.
- 51°F
- average temperature, NOAA 1991-2020 normal
- 59/100
- comfort score, milder than 39% of U.S. cities
- 38.7"
- annual precipitation · 45" snow
- 180 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
51°F (11°C)
Avg High
61°F
Avg Low
42°F
Annual Precip
38.7"
Annual Snow
45.1"
Comfort Score
59/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
51°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
38.7"
Plus 45.1" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Wilkes-barre) 59.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Wilkes-barre area.
How Wilkes-barre compares to every U.S. city
Wilkes-barre's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
59 Top 61% higher than 39% 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 Wilkes-barre
MethodologyThe chart below traces how the U.S. land temperature anomaly has moved against the global mean since 1900. For Wilkes-barre, the NOAA 1991-2020 normal captures average conditions across that spread - notably, the most recent decade runs warmer than the 30-year mean itself.
- 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 | 36°F (2°C) | 20°F (-6°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 2.6" | 11.7" | 26.7 | 0.0 |
| February | 39°F (4°C) | 22°F (-6°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 2.1" | 10.9" | 24.0 | 0.0 |
| March | 48°F (9°C) | 29°F (-2°C) | 38°F (3°C) | 2.8" | 10.1" | 21.0 | 0.0 |
| April | 61°F (16°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 3.3" | 0.8" | 7.3 | 0.1 |
| May | 72°F (22°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 3.3" | 0.0" | 0.6 | 0.7 |
| June | 80°F (27°C) | 58°F (15°C) | 69°F (21°C) | 3.8" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 1.6 |
| July | 85°F (29°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 74°F (23°C) | 3.6" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 5.6 |
| August | 82°F (28°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 72°F (22°C) | 3.9" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 2.7 |
| September | 75°F (24°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 4.2" | 0.0" | 0.1 | 1.0 |
| October | 63°F (17°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 3.7" | 0.7" | 3.8 | 0.0 |
| November | 51°F (11°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 2.9" | 3.2" | 14.4 | 0.0 |
| December | 40°F (5°C) | 26°F (-3°C) | 33°F (1°C) | 2.8" | 7.7" | 23.9 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 2.6"
Snow: 11.7"
12.6 days with precipitation
February 2.1"
Snow: 10.9"
11.4 days with precipitation
March 2.8"
Snow: 10.1"
11.8 days with precipitation
April 3.3"
Snow: 0.8"
12.2 days with precipitation
May 3.3"
12.9 days with precipitation
June 3.8"
12.9 days with precipitation
July 3.6"
11.1 days with precipitation
August 3.9"
11.1 days with precipitation
September 4.2"
10.0 days with precipitation
October 3.7"
Snow: 0.7"
10.7 days with precipitation
November 2.9"
Snow: 3.2"
10.3 days with precipitation
December 2.8"
Snow: 7.7"
12.1 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 20
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 23
50% probability date
Growing Season
180 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
5,740
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
791
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 | 65% | 7.4 | 33% | 45% |
| February | 62% | 8.0 | 32% | 48% |
| March | 58% | 7.9 | 40% | 41% |
| April | 56% | 7.3 | 44% | 31% |
| May | 67% | 6.2 | 44% | 26% |
| June | 69% | 5.8 | 48% | 17% |
| July | 70% | 5.3 | 48% | 18% |
| August | 71% | 5.4 | 51% | 21% |
| September | 74% | 5.8 | 47% | 29% |
| October | 67% | 6.5 | 40% | 39% |
| November | 69% | 7.2 | 32% | 48% |
| December | 69% | 7.4 | 30% | 51% |
What Wilkes-barre's climate means for you
Wilkes-barre runs 51°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 180 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near April 23 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 5,740 heating and 791 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: Wilkes-barre, PA
An annual average temperature of 51°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 61°F to a mean daily low of 42°F is what the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals report for Wilkes-barre, Pennsylvania. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. That baseline comes from station USW00014777 and thirty years of averaging, so it reflects a typical month rather than any one year's swings.
Wilkes-barre averages 38.7 inches of precipitation a year, with 45.1 inches typically falling as snow, and that matters as much to daily life here as temperature does. The frost-free season averages 180 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near April 23 and the first fall freeze near October 20. As for energy demand, 5,740 heating degree days and 791 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Wilkes-barre scores 59/100 (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 Wilkes-barre, PA? ▼
The average annual temperature in Wilkes-barre, Pennsylvania is 51°F. The warmest month averages 85°F (29°C) and the coldest averages 20°F (-6°C).
How much rain does Wilkes-barre get? ▼
Wilkes-barre receives 38.7 inches of precipitation annually, including 45.1 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Wilkes-barre? ▼
Wilkes-barre has a climate comfort score of 59/100 (Moderate), milder than 39% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Wilkes-barre? ▼
Wilkes-barre has approximately 180 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around April 23 and the first fall freeze around October 20.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Wilkes-barre? ▼
Wilkes-barre has 5,740 heating degree days and 791 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 Wilkes-barre climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USW00014777 near Wilkes-barre.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00014777. 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.