Best time to visit Lake Placid
The best time to visit Lake Placid is September, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Lake Placid, New York, United States
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -4.8 °C / 23 °F | -13.4 °C / 8 °F | 76 mm / 3 in | neither best nor good |
| February | -3.9 °C / 25 °F | -12.6 °C / 9 °F | 76 mm / 3 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 1.4 °C / 35 °F | -7.4 °C / 19 °F | 89 mm / 3.5 in | neither best nor good |
| April | 9 °C / 48 °F | -0.4 °C / 31 °F | 108 mm / 4.2 in | neither best nor good |
| May | 16.8 °C / 62 °F | 6.7 °C / 44 °F | 110 mm / 4.3 in | good month |
| June | 20.5 °C / 69 °F | 11.2 °C / 52 °F | 134 mm / 5.3 in | good month |
| July | 23.5 °C / 74 °F | 14.1 °C / 57 °F | 122 mm / 4.8 in | good month |
| August | 22.2 °C / 72 °F | 12.9 °C / 55 °F | 103 mm / 4.1 in | good month |
| September | 18.9 °C / 66 °F | 8.9 °C / 48 °F | 80 mm / 3.2 in | best month |
| October | 11.7 °C / 53 °F | 3 °C / 37 °F | 120 mm / 4.7 in | neither best nor good |
| November | 4.3 °C / 40 °F | -3.6 °C / 26 °F | 85 mm / 3.3 in | neither best nor good |
| December | -1.8 °C / 29 °F | -9.6 °C / 15 °F | 99 mm / 3.9 in | neither best nor good |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: neither
- MMay: good
- JJune: good
- JJuly: good
- AAugust: good
- SSeptember: best
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- September
- Good
- May–August
Why these months
May · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 15 °C / 59 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 68%, average daily high 16.8 °C / 62 °F, precipitation 110 mm / 4.3 in, relative humidity 69%, days with heavy rain 4.2 days, average daily low 6.7 °C / 44 °F.
Against: wet days 13.8 days.
June · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 20.2 °C / 68 °F, average daily high 20.5 °C / 69 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 69%, average daily low 11.2 °C / 52 °F, days with heavy rain 4.2 days, relative humidity 75%.
Against: wet days 15.5 days, precipitation 134 mm / 5.3 in.
July · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 24.2 °C / 76 °F, average daily high 23.5 °C / 74 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 78%, precipitation 122 mm / 4.8 in, average daily low 14.1 °C / 57 °F.
Against: wet days 14.3 days, days with heavy rain 4.6 days, relative humidity 77%.
August · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 22.6 °C / 73 °F, average daily high 22.2 °C / 72 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 80%, precipitation 103 mm / 4.1 in, days with heavy rain 2.7 days, average daily low 12.9 °C / 55 °F.
Against: wet days 13.7 days, relative humidity 79%.
September · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 18.1 °C / 65 °F, average daily high 18.9 °C / 66 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 73%, precipitation 80 mm / 3.2 in, days with heavy rain 2.5 days, wet days 9.9 days, average daily low 8.9 °C / 48 °F.
Against: relative humidity 80%.
Hiking and trekking
Cool enough to climb in, dry enough to enjoy, long enough days.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: neither
- MMay: good
- JJune: good
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: best
- SSeptember: best
- OOctober: good
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- August–September
- Good
- May–June, October
Why these months
May · good
In its favour: average daily high 16.8 °C / 62 °F, precipitation 110 mm / 4.3 in, feels like (high) 15 °C / 59 °F, average daily low 6.7 °C / 44 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 68%, daylight per day 14.8 h, wind (daily max) 15 km/h / 9 mph.
Against: wet days 13.8 days, days with heavy rain 4.2 days.
June · good
In its favour: average daily high 20.5 °C / 69 °F, feels like (high) 20.2 °C / 68 °F, average daily low 11.2 °C / 52 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 69%, daylight per day 15.5 h, precipitation 134 mm / 5.3 in, wind (daily max) 14 km/h / 9 mph.
Against: wet days 15.5 days, days with heavy rain 4.2 days.
August · best
In its favour: average daily high 22.2 °C / 72 °F, precipitation 103 mm / 4.1 in, average daily low 12.9 °C / 55 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 80%, daylight per day 14 h, days with heavy rain 2.7 days, feels like (high) 22.6 °C / 73 °F, wind (daily max) 13 km/h / 8 mph.
Against: wet days 13.7 days.
September · best
In its favour: average daily high 18.9 °C / 66 °F, precipitation 80 mm / 3.2 in, days with heavy rain 2.5 days, feels like (high) 18.1 °C / 65 °F, average daily low 8.9 °C / 48 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 73%, daylight per day 12.5 h, wet days 9.9 days, wind (daily max) 13 km/h / 8 mph.
October · good
In its favour: average daily high 11.7 °C / 53 °F, precipitation 120 mm / 4.7 in, share of daylight that is sunny 62%, average daily low 3 °C / 37 °F, feels like (high) 9 °C / 48 °F, daylight per day 11 h, days with heavy rain 4 days, wind (daily max) 15 km/h / 9 mph.
Against: wet days 13.8 days.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Whiteface Mountain Ski Center, 10 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | -9.4 °C | -8.6 °C | -3 °C | 5.4 °C | 15 °C | 20.2 °C | 24.2 °C | 22.6 °C | 18.1 °C | 9 °C | 0.5 °C | -6.1 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 1.9 days | 2.7 days | 2.5 days | 3.8 days | 4.2 days | 4.2 days | 4.6 days | 2.7 days | 2.5 days | 4 days | 2.8 days | 2.7 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 9 am | 6 pm | 9 pm | 2 pm | 4 pm | 3 pm | 4 pm | 5 pm | 1 pm | 4 pm | 10 pm | 8 am |
| Sunshine per day | 5.5 h | 6.7 h | 7.9 h | 8.8 h | 10.1 h | 10.7 h | 11.7 h | 11.1 h | 9.1 h | 6.8 h | 5.8 h | 4.4 h |
| Relative humidity | 80% | 76% | 71% | 67% | 69% | 75% | 77% | 79% | 80% | 81% | 78% | 82% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 2.7 µg/m³ | 3.9 µg/m³ | 5.3 µg/m³ | 5.7 µg/m³ | 6.4 µg/m³ | 13.1 µg/m³ | 9.7 µg/m³ | 8 µg/m³ | 5.3 µg/m³ | 3.6 µg/m³ | 2.9 µg/m³ | 2.6 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 5.3 µg/m³ | 7.4 µg/m³ | 10 µg/m³ | 10.6 µg/m³ | 11.9 µg/m³ | 22.3 µg/m³ | 15.9 µg/m³ | 12.7 µg/m³ | 9.4 µg/m³ | 6.6 µg/m³ | 6 µg/m³ | 5.6 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.