Saranac Lake Weather Records (USC00307472)

Record envelope, standing records and threshold days for Saranac Lake (USC00307472), New York, United States, with 74 years of record.

Key Facts for Saranac Lake

Saranac Lake (USC00307472) is a weather station in New York, United States at 44.33 latitude and -74.13 longitude, 482 m (1,581 ft) above sea level.
The station reports from 1893 to 1966, 74 years of record.
1,464 records set at Saranac Lake still stand.
Records are tracked for tmax, tmin, prcp: an element needs 30 years of data to be eligible.
Saranac Lake set a daily record low maximum temperature of 2.8 C (37.0 F) on 28 April 1966.

About the Station

Location: New York, United States, 44.33 latitude, -74.13 longitude.
Elevation: 482 m (1,581 ft).
Period of record: 1893 to 1966, 74 years.
Eligible elements: tmax, tmin, prcp.

Daily Record Envelope and 2026

0 days at or beyond a record

The band shows the record high and record low for each calendar day at Saranac Lake. The lines show the 2026 daily maximum and minimum. 0 days in 2026 matched or passed a record. Temperatures are in degrees Celsius.

Daily record high and record low at Saranac Lake, with 2026 drawn through them
Month	Highest record high	Lowest record low	2026 highest maximum	2026 lowest minimum
Jan	18.3 C (64.9 F)	-40.0 C (-40.0 F)	n/a	n/a
Feb	17.2 C (63.0 F)	-40.0 C (-40.0 F)	n/a	n/a
Mar	24.4 C (75.9 F)	-36.7 C (-34.1 F)	n/a	n/a
Apr	28.9 C (84.0 F)	-23.3 C (-9.9 F)	n/a	n/a
May	32.8 C (91.0 F)	-11.1 C (12.0 F)	n/a	n/a
Jun	35.6 C (96.1 F)	-3.9 C (25.0 F)	n/a	n/a
Jul	36.1 C (97.0 F)	0.6 C (33.1 F)	n/a	n/a
Aug	33.9 C (93.0 F)	-1.1 C (30.0 F)	n/a	n/a
Sep	32.8 C (91.0 F)	-7.2 C (19.0 F)	n/a	n/a
Oct	29.4 C (84.9 F)	-11.7 C (10.9 F)	n/a	n/a
Nov	23.3 C (73.9 F)	-25.6 C (-14.1 F)	n/a	n/a
Dec	16.7 C (62.1 F)	-37.8 C (-36.0 F)	n/a	n/a

Which Years Hold Standing Records

1,464 standing records

1,464 records at Saranac Lake still stand. 1895 holds the most, with 70.

Standing records at Saranac Lake by the year they were set
Year set	Standing records
1893	16
1894	55
1895	70
1896	60
1897	63
1898	46
1899	53
1900	30
1901	39
1902	30
1903	56
1904	38
1905	26
1906	48
1907	36
1908	31
1909	24
1910	6
1912	4
1948	33
1949	51
1950	61
1951	41
1952	36
1953	62
1954	44
1955	47
1956	55
1957	44
1958	31
1959	54
1960	18
1961	28
1962	32
1963	28
1964	30
1965	33
1966	5

Wettest Day of Each Month

Oct: 67.3 mm (2.6 in)

The wettest day on record for each calendar month at Saranac Lake. The most was 67.3 mm (2.6 in) on 21 October 1904.

Record daily precipitation for each month at Saranac Lake
Month	Record daily precipitation (mm)	Date
Jan	39.6 mm (1.6 in)	23 January 1957
Feb	49.5 mm (1.9 in)	16 February 1909
Mar	34.3 mm (1.4 in)	1 March 1900
Apr	28.2 mm (1.1 in)	20 April 1893
May	37.3 mm (1.5 in)	9 May 1964
Jun	64.8 mm (2.6 in)	24 June 1894
Jul	63.0 mm (2.5 in)	12 July 1951
Aug	59.7 mm (2.4 in)	29 August 1949
Sep	52.3 mm (2.1 in)	4 September 1907
Oct	67.3 mm (2.6 in)	21 October 1904
Nov	57.2 mm (2.3 in)	12 November 1900
Dec	57.2 mm (2.3 in)	31 December 1948

Period of Record Coverage

1893 to 1966

38 years of record at Saranac Lake, 1893 to 1966. 5 years have data for under 90 percent of days and are left out of rankings: 1893, 1909, 1910, 1912, 1966.

Days with data per year at Saranac Lake
Year	Days with data	Share of year	Complete
1893	247	68%	No
1894	365	100%	Yes
1895	364	100%	Yes
1896	366	100%	Yes
1897	365	100%	Yes
1898	365	100%	Yes
1899	351	96%	Yes
1900	354	97%	Yes
1901	357	98%	Yes
1902	362	99%	Yes
1903	365	100%	Yes
1904	358	98%	Yes
1905	361	99%	Yes
1906	362	99%	Yes
1907	329	90%	Yes
1908	332	91%	Yes
1909	178	49%	No
1910	111	30%	No
1912	27	7%	No
1948	337	92%	Yes
1949	365	100%	Yes
1950	363	99%	Yes
1951	365	100%	Yes
1952	365	100%	Yes
1953	365	100%	Yes
1954	363	99%	Yes
1955	361	99%	Yes
1956	366	100%	Yes
1957	364	100%	Yes
1958	364	100%	Yes
1959	363	99%	Yes
1960	363	99%	Yes
1961	364	100%	Yes
1962	365	100%	Yes
1963	365	100%	Yes
1964	366	100%	Yes
1965	364	100%	Yes
1966	119	33%	No

Latest Records

Latest records at Saranac Lake
Date	Station	Record	Value	Beat old record by	Old record stood	Significance
28 April 1966	Saranac Lake, US	daily low max	2.8 C (37.0 F)	3.9 C (7.0 F)	12 years	16 of 100 (Routine)
27 April 1966	Saranac Lake, US	daily low min	-11.7 C (10.9 F)	5.0 C (9.0 F)	56 years	33 of 100 (Routine)
28 March 1966	Saranac Lake, US	daily low max (Tie)	-6.7 C (19.9 F)	tie	11 years	2 of 100 (Routine)
25 March 1966	Saranac Lake, US	daily rain	16.5 mm (0.6 in)	9.4 mm (0.37 in)	1 year	20 of 100 (Routine)
24 March 1966	Saranac Lake, US	daily high min (Tie)	6.1 C (43.0 F)	tie	12 years	2 of 100 (Routine)
18 March 1966	Saranac Lake, US	daily high max (Tie)	18.3 C (64.9 F)	tie	71 years	7 of 100 (Routine)
5 March 1966	Saranac Lake, US	daily high min (Tie)	1.7 C (35.1 F)	tie	1 year	1 of 100 (Routine)
2 March 1966	Saranac Lake, US	daily rain	12.2 mm (0.5 in)	2.0 mm (0.08 in)	65 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
20 February 1966	Saranac Lake, US	daily low min	-30.6 C (-23.1 F)	1.7 C (3.1 F)	16 years	12 of 100 (Routine)
20 February 1966	Saranac Lake, US	daily low max (Tie)	-15.6 C (3.9 F)	tie	7 years	2 of 100 (Routine)
10 February 1966	Saranac Lake, US	daily high max	9.4 C (48.9 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	11 years	10 of 100 (Routine)
31 January 1966	Saranac Lake, US	daily rain	15.2 mm (0.6 in)	0.2 mm (0.01 in)	63 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
26 January 1966	Saranac Lake, US	daily low min (Tie)	-30.0 C (-22.0 F)	tie	7 years	2 of 100 (Routine)
1 January 1966	Saranac Lake, US	daily high max	11.1 C (52.0 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	14 years	11 of 100 (Routine)
31 December 1965	Saranac Lake, US	daily high min	5.0 C (41.0 F)	6.1 C (11.0 F)	59 years	31 of 100 (Routine)
31 December 1965	Saranac Lake, US	daily high max	11.7 C (53.1 F)	4.5 C (8.1 F)	59 years	30 of 100 (Routine)
30 December 1965	Saranac Lake, US	daily high min	0.0 C (32.0 F)	1.7 C (3.1 F)	14 years	13 of 100 (Routine)
24 December 1965	Saranac Lake, US	daily rain	6.9 mm (0.27 in)	1.6 mm (0.06 in)	64 years	20 of 100 (Routine)
13 December 1965	Saranac Lake, US	daily high min	-0.6 C (30.9 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	12 years	10 of 100 (Routine)
5 December 1965	Saranac Lake, US	daily rain	15.2 mm (0.6 in)	0.5 mm (0.02 in)	67 years	20 of 100 (Routine)

Climate Trend

30 complete years, 1894 to 1965

One stripe for each of 30 complete years at Saranac Lake, 1894 to 1965. Blue stripes are years cooler than the station's own mean of 5.3 C (41.5 F); red stripes are warmer. The coolest year was 1904, at 3.7 C (38.7 F), and the warmest was 1953, at 6.7 C (44.0 F). The strongest colour marks a difference of 1.6 C (2.9 F).

Annual mean temperature at Saranac Lake as warming stripes, 1894 to 1965
Year	Annual mean temperature	Difference from the station mean
1894	5.8 C	+0.50 C
1895	4.7 C	-0.58 C
1896	4.8 C	-0.46 C
1897	5.2 C	-0.08 C
1898	6.3 C	+1.04 C
1899	5.5 C	+0.19 C
1900	4.8 C	-0.45 C
1901	5.2 C	-0.09 C
1902	5.4 C	+0.13 C
1903	5.3 C	+0.03 C
1904	3.7 C	-1.55 C
1905	4.7 C	-0.60 C
1906	5.2 C	-0.07 C
1949	6.6 C	+1.28 C
1950	5.3 C	-0.03 C
1951	5.5 C	+0.24 C
1952	6.0 C	+0.70 C
1953	6.7 C	+1.37 C
1954	5.2 C	-0.06 C
1955	5.2 C	-0.08 C
1956	4.4 C	-0.84 C
1957	5.2 C	-0.06 C
1958	4.2 C	-1.10 C
1959	5.7 C	+0.46 C
1960	5.5 C	+0.20 C
1961	5.8 C	+0.56 C
1962	4.9 C	-0.39 C
1963	4.8 C	-0.48 C
1964	5.7 C	+0.37 C
1965	5.0 C	-0.26 C

The fitted trend in annual mean temperature here over 1894 to 1965 is 0.03 C (-0.05 to 0.12) per decade. The interval includes zero, so the trend is not clearly different from zero. In Fahrenheit: 0.1 F (-0.1 to 0.2) per decade. The slope is a straight line fitted to 30 complete years; the brackets give its 95 percent interval.

Fitted temperature trends per decade at Saranac Lake
Measure	Per decade (C)	Per decade (F)	Period	Complete years	Reading
Annual mean temperature	0.03 C (-0.05 to 0.12) per decade	0.1 F (-0.1 to 0.2) per decade	1894 to 1965	30	Not clearly different from zero
Mean daily maximum	0.1 C (-0.1 to 0.2) per decade	0.1 F (-0.1 to 0.3) per decade	1894 to 1965	30	Not clearly different from zero
Mean daily minimum	0.01 C (-0.08 to 0.09) per decade	0.01 F (-0.14 to 0.17) per decade	1894 to 1965	30	Not clearly different from zero

A year is complete when all 12 months have at least 20 days of both daily maximum and daily minimum readings. The annual mean is the mean of the monthly means. The trend describes this one station over this period; it does not say what caused the change.

Extremes by Year

1893 to 1966

Yearly extremes at Saranac Lake: the record and the median year
Measure	Record	Year of the record	Median year	Years with a value
Hottest day (TXx)	36.1 C (97.0 F)	1953	31.7 C (89.1 F)	38
Coldest night (TNn)	-40.0 C (-40.0 F)	1950	-32.8 C (-27.0 F)	38
Wettest day (Rx1day)	67.3 mm (2.6 in)	1904	40.9 mm (1.6 in)	38
Wettest five days (Rx5day)	105.7 mm (4.2 in)	1897	67.7 mm (2.7 in)	38
Longest dry spell (CDD)	45 days	1903	13 days	38

Hottest day (TXx)

The hottest day of the year at Saranac Lake, 1893 to 1966. The record is 36.1 C (97.0 F) in 1953, marked on the chart; the median year is 31.7 C (89.1 F).

Hottest day (TXx) at Saranac Lake by year
Year	Hottest day (TXx)
1893	32.8 C (91.0 F)
1894	32.8 C (91.0 F)
1895	33.3 C (91.9 F)
1896	32.2 C (90.0 F)
1897	35.0 C (95.0 F)
1898	32.8 C (91.0 F)
1899	33.3 C (91.9 F)
1900	31.1 C (88.0 F)
1901	34.4 C (93.9 F)
1902	30.0 C (86.0 F)
1903	31.7 C (89.1 F)
1904	31.7 C (89.1 F)
1905	30.0 C (86.0 F)
1906	31.7 C (89.1 F)
1907	32.8 C (91.0 F)
1908	32.8 C (91.0 F)
1909	26.1 C (79.0 F)
1910	25.0 C (77.0 F)
1912	25.6 C (78.1 F)
1948	33.9 C (93.0 F)
1949	33.3 C (91.9 F)
1950	31.7 C (89.1 F)
1951	29.4 C (84.9 F)
1952	33.3 C (91.9 F)
1953	36.1 C (97.0 F)
1954	30.0 C (86.0 F)
1955	32.8 C (91.0 F)
1956	31.7 C (89.1 F)
1957	32.8 C (91.0 F)
1958	28.9 C (84.0 F)
1959	32.2 C (90.0 F)
1960	30.0 C (86.0 F)
1961	30.0 C (86.0 F)
1962	31.7 C (89.1 F)
1963	31.7 C (89.1 F)
1964	31.7 C (89.1 F)
1965	30.6 C (87.1 F)
1966	21.1 C (70.0 F)

Coldest night (TNn)

The coldest night of the year at Saranac Lake, 1893 to 1966. The record is -40.0 C (-40.0 F) in 1950, marked on the chart; the median year is -32.8 C (-27.0 F).

Coldest night (TNn) at Saranac Lake by year
Year	Coldest night (TNn)
1893	-35.0 C (-31.0 F)
1894	-35.6 C (-32.1 F)
1895	-34.4 C (-29.9 F)
1896	-38.9 C (-38.0 F)
1897	-33.3 C (-27.9 F)
1898	-35.6 C (-32.1 F)
1899	-37.2 C (-35.0 F)
1900	-30.0 C (-22.0 F)
1901	-31.1 C (-24.0 F)
1902	-30.6 C (-23.1 F)
1903	-31.1 C (-24.0 F)
1904	-39.4 C (-38.9 F)
1905	-31.7 C (-25.1 F)
1906	-33.3 C (-27.9 F)
1907	-33.3 C (-27.9 F)
1908	-37.8 C (-36.0 F)
1909	-31.1 C (-24.0 F)
1910	-32.8 C (-27.0 F)
1912	-2.2 C (28.0 F)
1948	-36.1 C (-33.0 F)
1949	-32.8 C (-27.0 F)
1950	-40.0 C (-40.0 F)
1951	-37.8 C (-36.0 F)
1952	-30.6 C (-23.1 F)
1953	-30.0 C (-22.0 F)
1954	-39.4 C (-38.9 F)
1955	-38.9 C (-38.0 F)
1956	-31.7 C (-25.1 F)
1957	-40.0 C (-40.0 F)
1958	-32.2 C (-26.0 F)
1959	-31.1 C (-24.0 F)
1960	-28.9 C (-20.0 F)
1961	-32.8 C (-27.0 F)
1962	-32.8 C (-27.0 F)
1963	-32.8 C (-27.0 F)
1964	-29.4 C (-20.9 F)
1965	-34.4 C (-29.9 F)
1966	-30.6 C (-23.1 F)

Wettest day (Rx1day)

The wettest day of the year at Saranac Lake, 1893 to 1966. The record is 67.3 mm (2.6 in) in 1904, marked on the chart; the median year is 40.9 mm (1.6 in).

Wettest day (Rx1day) at Saranac Lake by year
Year	Wettest day (Rx1day)
1893	43.2 mm (1.7 in)
1894	64.8 mm (2.6 in)
1895	33.0 mm (1.3 in)
1896	43.4 mm (1.7 in)
1897	50.8 mm (2.0 in)
1898	34.5 mm (1.4 in)
1899	40.6 mm (1.6 in)
1900	57.2 mm (2.3 in)
1901	27.4 mm (1.1 in)
1902	31.8 mm (1.3 in)
1903	39.4 mm (1.6 in)
1904	67.3 mm (2.6 in)
1905	43.2 mm (1.7 in)
1906	33.3 mm (1.3 in)
1907	52.3 mm (2.1 in)
1908	35.6 mm (1.4 in)
1909	49.5 mm (1.9 in)
1910	16.0 mm (0.6 in)
1912	36.8 mm (1.4 in)
1948	57.2 mm (2.3 in)
1949	59.7 mm (2.4 in)
1950	51.3 mm (2.0 in)
1951	63.0 mm (2.5 in)
1952	54.4 mm (2.1 in)
1953	56.4 mm (2.2 in)
1954	45.5 mm (1.8 in)
1955	53.8 mm (2.1 in)
1956	33.0 mm (1.3 in)
1957	39.6 mm (1.6 in)
1958	34.0 mm (1.3 in)
1959	41.1 mm (1.6 in)
1960	29.7 mm (1.2 in)
1961	38.1 mm (1.5 in)
1962	51.1 mm (2.0 in)
1963	34.5 mm (1.4 in)
1964	37.3 mm (1.5 in)
1965	38.9 mm (1.5 in)
1966	16.5 mm (0.6 in)

Wettest five days (Rx5day)

The wettest five days of the year at Saranac Lake, 1893 to 1966. The record is 105.7 mm (4.2 in) in 1897, marked on the chart; the median year is 67.7 mm (2.7 in).

Wettest five days (Rx5day) at Saranac Lake by year
Year	Wettest five days (Rx5day)
1893	69.8 mm (2.7 in)
1894	93.5 mm (3.7 in)
1895	59.7 mm (2.4 in)
1896	82.1 mm (3.2 in)
1897	105.7 mm (4.2 in)
1898	61.3 mm (2.4 in)
1899	55.9 mm (2.2 in)
1900	65.6 mm (2.6 in)
1901	73.7 mm (2.9 in)
1902	61.0 mm (2.4 in)
1903	67.4 mm (2.7 in)
1904	72.7 mm (2.9 in)
1905	85.9 mm (3.4 in)
1906	44.0 mm (1.7 in)
1907	86.0 mm (3.4 in)
1908	41.2 mm (1.6 in)
1909	63.8 mm (2.5 in)
1910	37.6 mm (1.5 in)
1912	59.9 mm (2.4 in)
1948	95.3 mm (3.8 in)
1949	101.3 mm (4.0 in)
1950	65.3 mm (2.6 in)
1951	69.8 mm (2.7 in)
1952	99.1 mm (3.9 in)
1953	61.7 mm (2.4 in)
1954	77.9 mm (3.1 in)
1955	79.7 mm (3.1 in)
1956	53.3 mm (2.1 in)
1957	57.2 mm (2.3 in)
1958	62.2 mm (2.4 in)
1959	71.5 mm (2.8 in)
1960	54.1 mm (2.1 in)
1961	61.0 mm (2.4 in)
1962	74.4 mm (2.9 in)
1963	68.0 mm (2.7 in)
1964	71.9 mm (2.8 in)
1965	71.6 mm (2.8 in)
1966	39.1 mm (1.5 in)

Longest dry spell (CDD)

The longest dry spell of the year at Saranac Lake, 1893 to 1966. The record is 45 days in 1903, marked on the chart; the median year is 13 days.

Longest dry spell (CDD) at Saranac Lake by year
Year	Longest dry spell (CDD)
1893	11 days
1894	13 days
1895	12 days
1896	16 days
1897	12 days
1898	15 days
1899	11 days
1900	16 days
1901	16 days
1902	12 days
1903	45 days
1904	17 days
1905	17 days
1906	12 days
1907	11 days
1908	13 days
1909	7 days
1910	8 days
1912	18 days
1948	16 days
1949	13 days
1950	12 days
1951	15 days
1952	19 days
1953	15 days
1954	13 days
1955	12 days
1956	16 days
1957	18 days
1958	13 days
1959	16 days
1960	11 days
1961	12 days
1962	10 days
1963	20 days
1964	11 days
1965	21 days
1966	9 days

Each chart shows one value per year; the dot marks the record year. TXx is the hottest daily maximum, TNn the coldest daily minimum, Rx1day and Rx5day the largest one-day and five-day rain totals, and CDD the longest run of days with less than 1 mm of rain. A year with missing days can understate an extreme.

Frost Dates and Growing Season

30 years with a frost

Across 30 years with a frost, the median last spring frost at Saranac Lake falls on 1 June and the median first autumn frost on 8 September, which leaves a median of 104 days between them.

Fitted over all years, the growing season changes by -2.7 days per decade at this station.

Frost dates and growing season at Saranac Lake
Measure	Median, all years	Earliest period	Recent period (1894 to 1965)	Recent against earliest	Fitted trend
Last spring frost	1 June	n/a	1 June	n/a	+1.5 days per decade
First autumn frost	8 September	n/a	8 September	n/a	-1.2 days per decade
Growing days	104 days	n/a	104 days	n/a	-2.7 days per decade

A frost day is a day with a daily minimum at or below 0 C (32 F). The last spring frost and the first autumn frost are the last and first such days of the cold season, and growing days are the days between them. A negative trend for the last spring frost means it comes earlier.

Rainfall Return Levels

32 years, 1894 to 1965

A day with at least 42.7 mm (1.7 in) of rain is expected about once in 2 years. A day with at least 79.8 mm (3.1 in) of rain is expected about once in 100 years.

Rainfall return levels at Saranac Lake: the daily rain expected about once in a given number of years
Expected about once in	A day with at least	Note
2 years	42.7 mm (1.7 in)
5 years	53.3 mm (2.1 in)
10 years	60.0 mm (2.4 in)
25 years	68.2 mm (2.7 in)
50 years	74.1 mm (2.9 in)	Longer than the 32 years of record
100 years	79.8 mm (3.1 in)	Longer than the 32 years of record

The levels come from a generalised extreme value (GEV) distribution fitted by L-moments to the wettest-day total of each year, 32 years of values from 1894 to 1965.

A return level is an estimate. It is least reliable for the long periods, 50 and 100 years, and for any period longer than the record behind the fit, where the fit has to reach past the largest day actually observed. It is not a forecast.

The largest wettest-day totals in the fit: 67.3 mm (2.6 in) in 1904; 64.8 mm (2.6 in) in 1894; 63.0 mm (2.5 in) in 1951.

Download the Data

Data for Saranac Lake standing records by year: CSV or JSON. Field meanings are on the data page.
Data for Saranac Lake threshold days by year: CSV or JSON. Field meanings are on the data page.

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Climatology Network Daily (GHCN-Daily). Records are computed by World Extreme Weather Monitor and are not official NOAA products. (US Government open data (NOAA NCEI)) Data as of 2026-10-17 (17 October 2026). Records are computed by this site and are not official.

Data as of 2025-12-31. Last revised 31 December 2025 (2025-12-31).