January kicked off 2025 on a record setting note – but not in the fashion that many would assume of the typically cold, snowy month. Instead, Rochester experienced its driest start on record with only 2 days of measurable precipitation amounting to only 0.02”. That was the least amount in any January for Rochester while the number of days with measurable precipitation tied previous lowest in a January (average is 8 days). Further, snowfall for the month was only 0.3”, least in a January and only the second time that less than an inch had fallen for the entire month (0.8” in 2006). The lack of snow resulted in no more than a trace of snow on the ground throughout the month – this first time this has occurred in a January in Rochester (on average there are 26 such days). The average temperature for the month was right around its normal - but doesn’t paint the full picture of the variability in the day-to-day temps. For instance, highs never warmed above 20 degrees on 10 days while warming to 40 degrees or greater on 4 days.  Two of those days even had highs reached or exceeded 50 degrees – which has only occurred on 14 other days in a January in Rochester.

April was another wet month, helping to make up for the very dry start to 2025. Nearly 5” fell through the month, 1 1/3” above normal and 11^th most in an April. Of the 12 days with measurable precipitation, 11 of those recorded 1/10” or more – tied for 2^nd most in an April – while 3 registered ¾” or more. The last measurable snows of the 2024-25 winter season would fly on the 1^st – a little over a week earlier than average. Temperatures for the month were a bit over 1 degree above normal but didn’t have the dramatic day to day swings that some of the previous months of 2025 had. The last freezing day of the spring came on the 16^th with 28 degrees.

Looking back at the 2024-25 snowfall season, only 23.6” fell – making it the 4^th least snowy season on record for Rochester.

May was a tale of 2 halves when it came to temperatures – a mild start and a cool end. Highs topped 80 degrees 7 times over the first 2 weeks while failing to warm out of the 50s on 4 days over the last 2 weeks. On the whole, the warm period was enough to have May finish a little over 1 degree above normal. Rain was a rare quantity for May with measurable precipitation falling on only 8 days, most of which dropped during the second half of the month. Additionally, 1 day accounted for nearly 75% of the 1.92” monthly total (1.42” on the 20^th), Prior to that day, less than 2/10ths of an inch fell from the 1^st through the 19^th. It was the 16^th driest May on record for Rochester. 

Looking back at the spring months of March-April-May, the average temperature was 48.0 degrees, tying it for the 8^th warmest spring on record in Rochester.

The faucet turned back on in June with measurable rains falling on almost 60% of the days (18 – tied for 3^rd most in a June). On 8 of those days ¼” or more fell, 5 of which accumulated more than ½”. The average temperature for the month was around 2 degrees above normal, but for the most part, day to day temps hovered within a few degrees of a typical June.

July was a comparatively drier month to June and its own normal, but measurable rains still fell half the time (15 days – tied for 4^th most in a June and well above the average of 10). Additionally, no more than 5 days separated days with measurable rain. Temperatures were above normal for the 5^th consecutive month, but like June, most days were within a few degrees of normal.

It was a very warm start to October with 80+ degree high temperatures through the first 5 days of the month. The 71.8 degree average over that span made it the warmest start for an October on record.  Temperatures were more variable after that but generally trended above normal. Overall, the month finished nearly 5 degrees above normal and just missed finishing in the top 10 for warmest Octobers (14^th). There were 9 days with measurable precipitation in October. However, 7 of those days recorded around 1/10” or less. The total of 1.15” was almost 1 ¼” below normal. No measurable snow, or flurries for that matter, flew during the month.