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

Reading, Pennsylvania Weather

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

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

Reading, PA
Sunday, August 2 at 10:57 AM
84
°
Overcast
Feels like
86°
Humidity
57%
Wind
10 mph
Sunrise
2:02 AM
Sunset
4:17 PM
Reading, PA
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastReading, PA: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 75 to 87 degrees Fahrenheit with a 49% chance of precipitation at 2 AM.
L 75°H 87°
Reading, PA
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Aug 2
    Light Showers
    41%
    0.06″
    87°74°—
  2. Monday
    Aug 3
    Heavy Showers
    49%
    1.0″
    91°75°+4°
  3. Tuesday
    Aug 4
    Overcast
    —
    —
    82°66°-9°
  4. Wednesday
    Aug 5
    Thunderstorm
    30%
    —
    84°66°+2°
  5. Thursday
    Aug 6
    Drizzle
    62%
    —
    88°72°+4°
  6. Friday
    Aug 7
    Showers
    53%
    0.65″
    95°71°+7°
  7. Saturday
    Aug 8
    Light Drizzle
    56%
    —
    91°71°-4°
Reading, PA
Next 24 hours · Warm now
HOT 90°72°81°90°12p6p12a6anow 82°high 87°low 75°PRECIP %
Reading, PA
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
SSE
147° · steady
Direction
SSE
147°
Sustained
10
mph
Gust
15
mph
Peak 24h
28
avg 7 mph
Beaufort · 3 · GENTLE 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 7 mph · pk 28 mph @ 12:00a
0102030MPHB1B2B3B4B5B6-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 237SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Light breeze holding from the sse.
Reading, PA
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
1003.5
+0.7 mb in 3h · rising · 29.63 inHg
Now
1003.5
mb
3h
+0.7
mb
12h
+0.7
mb
24h
-1.2
mb
Regime · RAIN
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 1003–1005
9951000STORM|RAIN10051010RAIN|CHG1015CHG|FAIR10201025FAIR|DRY1030-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW1005.21002.71004.0
Damp, unsettled regime — wet weather lingers nearby.
Reading, PA
Air quality
52
AQI
Moderate
↓-6 in 6h

AQI 52 (Moderate), driven by PM2.5. AQI down 6 over the last 6 hours (gradual decline). PM2.5 at 7.5 µg/m³, PM10 at 9.7 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.

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

PM 2.5DRIVERGood
7.5μg/m³
PM 10Good
10μg/m³
NO₂Good
3μg/m³
OzoneModerate
87μg/m³
UV IndexModerate
3.0

What's driving it

Ozone × UV × Sky

Ozone at AQI 41. Overcast through the UV peak window (cloud cover ~100%) — afternoon ozone should stay flat.

Present
AQI 41
UV peak
4.2 at 1 PM
Sky at peak
overcast
Projected peak
AQI 12

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 7.5 µg/m³, PM10 at 9.7 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.

PM2.5/PM10
0.77
Wind
breezy
Recent rain
0h in last 6h
Pattern
background

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/m³500
Reading, PA
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
95%
OVERCAST
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
62.8mi
UNLIMITED
97 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
14:57 UTC · Reading, PA · 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
14:57 UTC · Reading, PA · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Reading, PA
Satellite · infrared · animated
Reading, PA
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Reading, PA
Almanac · Sunday, August 2
Red sky at night, sailor's delight.
Civil dawn
5:32 AM
Sunrise
2:02 AM
Daylight
14h 15m
Sunset
4:17 PM
Civil dusk
8:49 PM
Planting note
Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.
Reading, PA
The moon
Waning Gibbous
84% illuminated
Moonrise
9:46 PM
Moonset
10:06 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Reading, PA
Microseason
Aug 1–5

Night falls a minute earlier

celestial
Jan 159% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Reading at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 22°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: April 18 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Aug 1–5
  • Planting window: Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.

ZIP codes: 19601, 19602, 19604, 19605, 19606, 19607, 19608, 19609 +2 more

16-Day Forecast — Reading

  1. Sun87°74°41%
  2. Mon91°75°49%
  3. Tue82°66°5%
  4. Wed84°66°30%
  5. Thu88°72°62%
  6. Fri95°71°53%
  7. Sat91°71°56%
  8. Sun94°72°32%
  9. Mon96°71°21%
  10. Tue87°69°21%
  11. Wed84°64°17%
  12. Thu86°68°39%
  13. Fri92°73°42%
  14. Sat93°74°26%
  15. Sun94°73°25%
  16. Mon91°71°23%

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

Live wind & temperature near Reading

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 — Reading

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

  • TODAYMRGLMarginal Risk
  • TOMORROWMRGLMarginal Risk
  • DAY 3TSTMGeneral Thunderstorms

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 Reading

Reading sits in Berks County, where the year’s longest day runs 15h 3m of daylight and its shortest just 9h 17m — a swing of +5h 46m between the June and December solstices. Clocks spring forward on Sunday, March 8, 2026 and fall back on Sunday, November 1, 2026.

Philadelphia, the state’s largest city, lies about 48 miles to the ESE. The nearest town Reading tracks is Lancaster, roughly 29 miles to the SW.

Air quality in Reading’s county has held roughly steady since 2020; its cleanest year on record was 2024 (median AQI 43). See the full air-quality history for Reading.

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——
Aprillettuce, peas, spinach, radishes—
Maylettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Junetomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Julytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashtomatoes, beans, summer squash
August—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
Septemberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotstomatoes, beans, summer squash
Octoberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotswinter squash, tomatoes (last)
November——
December——

A year in weather

The year in Reading tops out in July (~76°F) and dips lowest in January (~29°F), with May wettest at 4.0 inches and February driest at 2.8 inches.

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January29°3.2″14
February32°2.8″13
March40°3.5″16
April52°3.8″17
May61°4.0″18
June70°3.9″17
July76°3.3″17
August75°3.8″17
September68°3.6″14
October57°3.0″12
November43°3.6″14
December34°4.0″14

Regional context

In Reading, NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals put January near 29°F and July near 76°F — a 47°F seasonal arc — with about 42.6 inches of precipitation over 183 rainy or snowy days.

Rainfall in Reading stays even across the calendar: May tops out at 4.0 inches over 18.4 rainy days, and February still logs 2.8 inches across 13.4 — a narrow range for Reading. That even rhythm groups Reading with places like West Reading, PA, Mount Penn, PA and Greenfields, PA.

Around mid-April, Reading sheds its freezing nights — kale, peas, spinach, and parsnips go into Reading's beds. Reading's heat-lovers — tomatoes, peppers, squash — hold off until Reading's frost risk clears, 10-14 days on. Frost returns to Reading near mid-November, ending the tender-crop season. A creek-bottom lot in Reading can lag Reading's last frost 7-10 days behind a south slope.

Similar climates: West Reading, PA, Mount Penn, PA, Greenfields, PA, Wyomissing, PA, Hyde Park, PA.

Naturalist notes

Late May brings the distinctive calls of wood thrushes returning to Reading's woodlands, their flute-like songs echoing through the canopy.

Sugar maples begin their spring leaf emergence in early May, their tiny red flowers appearing just before the leaves unfurl.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Reading?
In Reading, expect the last spring frost near mid-April; Reading's first autumn frost comes around mid-November.
What is the rainy season in Reading?
Rainfall in Reading peaks in May near 4.0 inches, out of about 43 inches annually.
What is the warmest month in Reading?
Reading peaks in July, when the mean runs near 76°F.
What is the coldest month in Reading?
January is Reading's coldest month, averaging about 29°F.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Reading?
In Reading, sow peas and hardy greens around mid-April; Reading's tomatoes and peppers wait two weeks more.
How many rainy days does Reading get?
Reading records around 183 days of measurable precipitation annually.
What hardiness zone is Reading?
Since January in Reading averages 29°F, Reading's USDA zone follows that floor — confirm it by ZIP.
What is the 10-day forecast for Reading?
Reading'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 Reading?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Reading in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Reading?
Current conditions for Reading and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Reading forecast updated?
The Reading forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Reading?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Reading 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 Reading?
The next few days in Reading's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

In Reading, Pennsylvania, the warm-summer humid continental climate runs from about 29°F in January to 76°F in July, a 47°F seasonal range.

In a typical year Reading records about 43 inches of precipitation on around 183 days.

From 40.3°N, Reading sees a 47°F seasonal swing that governs Reading's planting and frost windows.

All cities in Pennsylvania →

Philadelphia, PA weather →

ZIP codes in Reading

  • 19601
  • 19604
  • 19602
  • 19611
  • 19603
  • 19612

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.