Pennsylvania Weather: Four Seasons With Extra Personality
Is it going to thunder, sleet, or maybe something worse? The summers are Hershey bar melty and humid, while the winters have lake effect snow plus icy commutes. Here's what else is going on around Pennsylvania that will impact the time you spend outside.
Alyssa, Our Local Expert Guiding Your Move
Alyssa is a PA lifer who has moved so often she's learned to never give away boxes after a move. After 12 moves throughout the state, she's learned that every Pennsylvania town has opinions, mostly about hoagies, traffic, which gas station chain you are loyal to, and how to properly use the second person plural pronoun to address a group of people (hint: it is NOT "you all"). She knows the cultural borders between Philly, Pittsburgh, and the Central T and can pronounce Wilkes-Barre, Schuylkill, and Duquesne without tripping over her tongue. She spends her free time threading yarn, tearing through novels (200/year), and feeding a house full of Star Wars loving kids. At Snappy Scout, Alyssa converts a lifetime of Pennsylvania knowledge into usable PA wisdom... so youse need to listen up!
Read moreWritten with local insight from Snappy Scout relocation experts
What's the Weather Really Like in Pennsylvania?
The forecast, the fashion, and the fine print locals wish someone had told them sooner.
Summer temps be like
Philly subway sauna vibes (sticky 90s with humidity that makes it feel like 100°). The mountain evenings are merciful in the Poconos.
Winter lows are
choose your own chill. Lake Erie flurries can go blizzard mode, Philly gets slush usually right after you shovel, and the Poconos snow pack gets real cold.
The humidity makes me
regret cotton and all choices especially in July and August when the air is basically soup.
Unique weather patterns
nor'easters, Lake Erie lake effect, valley fog that swallows skylines, Appalachian cold air damming, and sudden boomers out of nowhere marching the Turnpike.
Local weather fashion tip
waterproof boots with office attire
Bugs be like
spotted lanternflies doing parkour on patios, ticks in every fern, stink bugs plotting on window screens, river mosquitoes at dusk
You're stuck indoors again today because
freezing rain turned your street into a skating rink and PennDOT's still three towns away.
Green thumb enthusiasts love
tomatoes that taste like July, sweet corn bragging rights, peonies the size of cabbages, rhododendrons in shade, black raspberries on every fence, deer proof experiments that almost work. Spoiler alert—nothing is actually deet proof.
Your friend with allergies is always saying
ragweed and maple are ruining my entire face and my car is coated in yellow.
My Favorite Thing About Winter/Spring/Summer/Fall in Pennsylvania
Winter: The smell of snow on the air. Warm cozy fires. Christkindle Markets.
Spring: Blooming daffodils and tulips. Hiking through the waking woods. Rainy days, reading inside.
Summer: Farmer's markets, outdoor music, small town art shows, festivals every weekend.
Fall: Gorgeous foliage, coffeehouse tours, Halloween parades
— Alyssa Kruse
Pennsylvania Local Expert
Ready to See If Pennsylvania Fits You?
Compare cities, check the routes, or head back to the full Pennsylvania guide for the bigger picture.