Weather StoryAlmanac, microseasons, and the day's weather story.

Rochester, New York Weather

Night falls a minute earlier. Day 43 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Rochester weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar

Rochester, NY
Sunday, August 2 at 10:59 AM
71
°
Heavy Rain
Feels like
76°
Humidity
96%
Wind
6 mph
Sunrise
2:02 AM
Sunset
4:31 PM
Rochester, NY
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastRochester, NY: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 67 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit with a 68% chance of precipitation at 7 PM.
L 67°H 79°
Rochester, NY
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Aug 2
    Heavy Rain
    68%
    0.48″
    79°70°—
  2. Monday
    Aug 3
    Light Drizzle
    40%
    0.02″
    77°66°-2°
  3. Tuesday
    Aug 4
    Overcast
    —
    —
    81°60°+4°
  4. Wednesday
    Aug 5
    Drizzle
    41%
    —
    87°66°+6°
  5. Thursday
    Aug 6
    Thunderstorm
    28%
    —
    91°69°+4°
  6. Friday
    Aug 7
    Showers
    31%
    0.35″
    79°70°-12°
  7. Saturday
    Aug 8
    Heavy Drizzle
    25%
    —
    87°67°+8°
Rochester, NY
Next 24 hours · Mild now
64°73°82°12p6p12a6anow 72°high 79°low 67°PRECIP %
Rochester, NY
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
N
351° · veering 133°
Direction
N
351°
Sustained
6
mph
Gust
7
mph
Peak 24h
20
avg 4 mph
Beaufort · 2 · LIGHT BRZ
0
CALM
<1
1
LIGHT AIR
1–3
2
LIGHT BRZ
4–7
3
GENTLE BRZ
8–12
4
MOD BRZ
13–18
5
FRESH BRZ
19–24
6
STRONG BRZ
25–31
7
NEAR GALE
32–38
24h · sust vs gust · mph
avg 4 mph · pk 20 mph @ 10:00a
0102030MPHB1B2B3B4B5B6-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 268SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
A whisper of wind — leaves barely shift on the trees.
Rochester, NY
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
991.4
+0.4 mb in 3h · steady · 29.28 inHg
Now
991.4
mb
3h
+0.4
mb
12h
-0.9
mb
24h
-2.7
mb
Regime · STORM
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 991–995
9859909951000STORM|RAIN-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW994.6990.8991.8
Deep low — expect rough seas, strong wind, and persistent rain.
Rochester, NY
Air quality
50
AQI
Good
↑+5 in 6h

AQI 50 (Good), driven by Ozone. AQI up 5 over the last 6 hours (gradual rise). Ozone at AQI 36. Overcast through the UV peak window (cloud cover ~99%) — afternoon ozone should stay flat.

OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.

PM 2.5Good
5.6μg/m³
PM 10Good
6μg/m³
NO₂Good
3μg/m³
OzoneDRIVERModerate
76μg/m³
UV IndexLow
1.0

What's driving it

Ozone × UV × Sky

Ozone at AQI 36. Overcast through the UV peak window (cloud cover ~99%) — afternoon ozone should stay flat.

Present
AQI 36
UV peak
1.4 at 1 PM
Sky at peak
overcast
Projected peak
AQI 4

PM × Wind × Precip

PM scrubbed by 3 hours of recent rain — PM2.5 down to 5.6 µg/m³, PM10 to 5.7 µg/m³.

PM2.5/PM10
0.98
Wind
light
Recent rain
3h in last 6h
Pattern
washed out

Trends

Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.

Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).

7-DAY AQI TREND50100SUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³510
Rochester, NY
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
100%
OVERCAST
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
2.4mi
MIST/HAZE
70 mi0 mi−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Earth · GOES-19 ABI
Full Disk · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 full disk Visible · GeoColor
True-color daytime, blue/IR sandwich at night
14:59 UTC · Rochester, NY · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · up to 10848 px
Continental US · GOES-19 ABI
CONUS Sector · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 CONUS Visible · GeoColor
Daytime true-color, blue-light/IR sandwich at night
14:59 UTC · Rochester, NY · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Rochester, NY
Satellite · infrared · animated
Rochester, NY
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Rochester, NY
Almanac · Sunday, August 2
Red sky at night, sailor's delight.
Civil dawn
5:30 AM
Sunrise
2:02 AM
Daylight
14h 29m
Sunset
4:31 PM
Civil dusk
9:05 PM
Planting note
Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.
Rochester, NY
The moon
Waning Gibbous
84% illuminated
Moonrise
9:54 PM
Moonset
10:13 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Rochester, NY
Microseason
Aug 1–5

Night falls a minute earlier

celestial
Jan 159% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Rochester at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 12°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: May 5 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Aug 1–5
  • Planting window: Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.

ZIP codes: 14604, 14605, 14606, 14607, 14608, 14609, 14610, 14611 +17 more

16-Day Forecast — Rochester

  1. Sun79°70°71%
  2. Mon77°66°40%
  3. Tue81°60°7%
  4. Wed87°66°17%
  5. Thu91°69°49%
  6. Fri79°70°30%
  7. Sat87°67°22%
  8. Sun87°69°24%
  9. Mon84°70°22%
  10. Tue74°63°19%
  11. Wed76°58°20%
  12. Thu83°65°32%
  13. Fri81°68°26%
  14. Sat96°72°23%
  15. Sun77°65°26%
  16. Mon82°61°37%

Forecast data from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0).

Live wind & temperature near Rochester

Right now in the garden

Peak growing season

As of August 2, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.

SPC Convective Outlook

Storm Prediction Center — Rochester

SPC has placed Rochester in the Marginal Risk category for severe thunderstorms today.

  • TODAYMRGLMarginal Risk
  • TOMORROWTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
  • DAY 3NONENo severe risk

Isolated severe storms possible. Limited threat for hail or damaging wind.

Source: NOAA / NWS Storm Prediction Center categorical convective outlook. Outlooks are re-issued multiple times per day; this page reflects the most recent SPC polygons covering the city’s coordinates.

Sun & seasons in Rochester

Rochester sits in Monroe County, where the year’s longest day runs 15h 23m of daylight and its shortest just 8h 59m — a swing of +6h 24m between the June and December solstices. Clocks spring forward on Sunday, March 8, 2026 and fall back on Sunday, November 1, 2026.

New York, the state’s largest city, lies about 255 miles to the SE. The nearest town Rochester tracks is Buffalo, roughly 65 miles to the WSW.

Air quality in Rochester’s county has trended cleaner since 2020; its cleanest year on record was 2024 (median AQI 38). See the full air-quality history for Rochester.

January 1–5: The year turns in silence.January 6–10: Ice thickens on still water.January 11–15: Shortest shadows lengthen.January 16–20: Pheasants begin to call.January 21–25: Springs begin to thaw.January 26–31: Chickadees announce dawn.February 1–5: East wind softens the frost.February 6–10: Sap begins to rise.February 11–15: First snowdrops appear.February 16–20: Red-winged blackbirds return.February 21–25: Rain begins to replace snow.February 26–28: Skunk cabbage pushes through ice.March 1–5: Ice withdraws from the reservoir.March 6–10: Crocuses open to weak sun.March 11–15: Peepers call from the marsh.March 16–20: Woodcocks spiral at dusk.March 21–25: Equinox — light overtakes dark.March 26–31: Forsythia opens along the fences.April 1–5: Cherry blossoms drift like snow.April 6–10: Warblers appear in the understory.April 11–15: Magnolias bloom and fall in a day.April 16–20: Dogwoods float above the forest.April 21–25: Lilacs perfume the evening.April 26–30: Last frost releases the garden.May 1–5: Warblers flood the Ramble.May 6–10: Tulip poplars light their candles.May 11–15: Shad run up the rivers.May 16–20: Roses open along the stoops.May 21–25: Firefly scouts appear at dusk.May 26–31: Strawberries ripen in the sun.June 1–5: Fireflies rise from the lawn.June 6–10: Elderflowers open in hedgerows.June 11–15: Solstice approaches — longest light.June 16–20: Honeysuckle sweetens the night.June 21–25: Solstice — the sun stands still.June 26–30: Lightning bugs drift through oaks.July 1–5: Cicadas claim the afternoon.July 6–10: Queen Anne's lace lines the roads.July 11–15: Thunder builds each afternoon.July 16–20: Corn reaches for the tassels.July 21–25: Dog days settle in the haze.July 26–31: Katydids begin their chorus.August 1–5: Night falls a minute earlier.August 6–10: Sunflowers face the morning.August 11–15: Goldenrod begins to bloom.August 16–20: Crickets pulse through warm nights.August 21–25: First cool morning surprises.August 26–31: Monarchs stage for flight.September 1–5: School buses reappear.September 6–10: Asters purple the roadsides.September 11–15: Hawk migration over the Hudson.September 16–20: Equinox — dark overtakes light.September 21–25: Apples hang heavy on the branch.September 26–30: Geese begin to chevron south.October 1–5: Witch hazel blooms as others fade.October 6–10: Maples begin to blaze.October 11–15: Frost paints the garden black.October 16–20: Oaks turn bronze and russet.October 21–25: Leaves rattle down the gutters.October 26–31: Clocks fall back — dusk at five.November 1–5: Ginkgos drop overnight.November 6–10: Last leaves cling stubbornly.November 11–15: Juncos arrive from the north.November 16–20: Bare branches reveal the sky.November 21–25: First flurries dust the rooftops.November 26–30: Woodsmoke curls through the block.December 1–5: Darkness settles before dinner.December 6–10: Holly and winterberry persist.December 11–15: Shortest day approaches.December 16–20: Ice begins to form at the edges.December 21–25: Solstice — the sun begins return.December 26–31: The year turns in silence.🌱February 14 — First skunk-cabbage spathes thaw their way up☀️March 20 — Spring equinox — day and night balance🌸April 5 — Cherry blossoms peak in the parks🐦May 10 — Warbler migration peaks along the coast✨May 25 — First fireflies scout the meadows at dusk🌞June 21 — Summer solstice — longest day🦗July 25 — Peak cicada chorus in the afternoons🌊August 18 — Warmest sea-surface temperatures of the year🍂September 22 — Autumn equinox — the slow turn❄️October 25 — First widespread frost in the suburbs🍁November 10 — Peak leaf color across the Hudson Valley🌙December 21 — Winter solstice — longest night

Microseason · August 1–5

Night falls a minute earlier

Sunset retreats perceptibly — daylight shortening speeds up.

Day 214 of 365 · Wedge 43 of 72

The solar year drawn as a wheel of 72 five-day windows. Each wedge is one microseason; the four colored arcs mark winter, spring, summer, and autumn; the small icons sit at notable phenological events. The crimson pointer creeps clockwise as the year turns.

Planting calendar

MonthPlantHarvest
January——
February——
March——
April——
Maylettuce, peas, spinach, radisheslettuce, peas, radishes
Junelettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Julytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashtomatoes, beans, summer squash
Augusttomatoes, peppers, beans, squash, fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotstomatoes, beans, summer squash
Septemberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotstomatoes, beans, summer squash
October—winter squash, tomatoes (last)
November——
December——

A year in weather

The year in Rochester tops out in July (~72°F) and dips lowest in January (~26°F), with July wettest at 3.6 inches and February driest at 2.1 inches.

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January26°2.5″7
February27°2.1″6
March35°2.5″6
April47°3.0″7
May59°2.9″7
June68°3.4″7
July72°3.6″6
August71°3.3″6
September64°3.2″7
October52°3.2″8
November42°2.8″6
December32°2.7″8

Regional context

Drawing on NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals, Rochester's January averages 26°F and July 72°F — 46°F apart — while precipitation totals roughly 35.1 inches over some 81 days.

Rainfall in Rochester stays even across the calendar: July tops out at 3.6 inches over 6.4 rainy days, and February still logs 2.1 inches across 6.3 — a narrow range for Rochester. That lines Rochester up with places like North Gates, NY, Saint John Fisher College, NY and Rochester Institute of Technology, NY, fed by overlapping storm tracks.

The cool-season window in Rochester starts at late-May, when nights stop freezing — think kale, peas, spinach, and parsnips. In Rochester, warm-season transplants — tomatoes, peppers, basil — wait two weeks past Rochester's frost date. Rochester's window closes around early-October as overnight lows return below freezing. Within Rochester, cold-air pooling chills low spots by 5-10°F, shifting Rochester's local frost dates.

Similar climates: North Gates, NY, Saint John Fisher College, NY, Rochester Institute of Technology, NY, Nazareth College, NY, East Rochester, NY.

Naturalist notes

Late May brings the emergence of ruby-throated hummingbirds as they return from southern wintering grounds to establish territories around Rochester's gardens and woodland edges.

Apple blossoms typically peak in early May across the region, their white and pink flowers signaling the transition from spring's cool nights to warmer growing season temperatures.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Rochester?
In Rochester, expect the last spring frost near mid-May; Rochester's first autumn frost comes around mid-October.
What is the rainy season in Rochester?
July is the wettest month in Rochester, about 3.6 inches on average; the year totals roughly 35 inches.
What is the warmest month in Rochester?
The warmest stretch in Rochester comes in July, around 72°F on average.
What is the coldest month in Rochester?
On average January is the chilliest month in Rochester, about 26°F.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Rochester?
Frost-hardy sowings begin at mid-May in Rochester; warm-season starts follow two weeks on.
How many rainy days does Rochester get?
Rochester records around 81 days of measurable precipitation annually.
What hardiness zone is Rochester?
Rochester's hardiness zone tracks its winter low; with January near 26°F, check the USDA ZIP map for the exact zone.
What is the 10-day forecast for Rochester?
Rochester's extended outlook — daily high and low temperatures and precipitation chances for each upcoming day — is in the daily forecast above.
Will it rain this week in Rochester?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Rochester in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Rochester?
Current conditions for Rochester and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Rochester forecast updated?
The Rochester forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Rochester?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Rochester are in the Almanac section above, along with civil dawn, civil dusk, and day length. Day length is longest near the summer solstice and shortest near the winter solstice.
How accurate is the weather forecast for Rochester?
The next few days in Rochester's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

Rochester's warm-summer humid continental climate in New York pairs 26°F Januarys with 72°F Julys, 46°F apart across the seasons.

Rochester sees close to 35 inches of precipitation annually, falling across some 81 wet days.

The 46°F gap between Rochester's summer and winter, at 43.2°N, shapes Rochester's frost calendar.

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ZIP codes in Rochester

  • 14608
  • 14609
  • 14606
  • 14607
  • 14604
  • 14605
  • 14627
  • 14620
  • 14621
  • 14619
  • 14615
  • 14614
  • 14617
  • 14611
  • 14610
  • 14613
  • 14612
  • 14642
  • 14602
  • 14603
  • 14638
  • 14639
  • 14643
  • 14644
  • 14646
  • 14647
  • 14649
  • 14650
  • 14651
  • 14653

Climate normals from the Open-Meteo Climate API. Köppen approximation from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Regions. See methodology for data sources, editorial rules, and corrections. Maintainer: Brian Tighe.