Ithaca weather in February

In February, Ithaca sees average daytime highs of 33°F and overnight lows near 19°F, with 2.5 in of precipitation across 10.4 wet days and about 10.3 hours of daylight. It is the 11th-warmest and 12th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 31°F in the first days to 36°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 13% of the time in February, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 42 min at the start of February to 10 h 54 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, February is Ithaca's 10th-clearest and 3rd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Ithaca's year-round climate.

Daytime high
33°
11th warmest
Overnight low
19°
2nd coldest
Precipitation
2.5 in
10.4 wet days
Daylight
10 h 18 min
7:12 AM – 5:29 PM
Cloud cover
76%
10th clearest
Wind
8 mph
3rd windiest
Solar energy
2.61 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Ithaca is city in Tompkins County, New York, USA, enclosed by the town of the same name.

Density
1,958/km²
people per km²
Founded
1888

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in February

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 31°F in the first days to 36°F by the end.

A typical February day in Ithaca reaches about 33°F in the afternoon and slips back to 19°F overnight — a 14°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 20°F and 46°F. Set against its neighbours, February runs about 2°F warmer than January and about 9°F cooler than March.

20°40°60°151015202528
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
13117
23117
33117
43117
53117
63117
73117
83117
93117
103217
113217
123218
133218
143218
153318
163318
173319
183319
193419
203419
213420
223520
233520
243520
253521
263621
273621
283621

How February really feels in Ithaca

Once humidity and wind are folded in, February averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 28 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
28
28 feel bitter (≤ 14°F)

The story in February is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Ithaca weather by month

How February compares with the rest of the year at a glance. February is the 11th-warmest and 12th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan31° / 18°2.81210.89.20.0
Feb33° / 19°2.510.48.410.30.0
Mar42° / 26°3.512.37.111.60.4
Apr55° / 37°3.913.32.613.13.2
May66° / 48°3.613.20.114.45.6
Jun75° / 57°3.911.70156.5
Jul79° / 62°3.812.4014.86.3
Aug77° / 60°3.411.3013.76.7
Sep70° / 53°3.810.4012.36.4
Oct58° / 43°4.113.10.510.84.0
Nov46° / 33°3.312.24.19.61.2
Dec36° / 25°3.412.59.18.90.0

Cloud cover in February

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 13% of the time in February.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 10% of February, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 77%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202528
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12179
22179
32377
42377
52377
62377
72476
82476
92377
102377
112377
122377
132377
142377
152377
162377
172377
182377
192377
202377
212377
222476
232476
242476
252575
262575
272674
282674

Chance of precipitation in February

Any precipitationSnow

Ithaca gets around 2.5 in of rain and snow over 10.4 wet days in February, the driest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 37% and peaks near 40% on the wettest days, and about 8 days bring snow. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202528
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
13430
23430
33430
43430
53430
63430
73531
83531
93531
103632
113632
123732
133732
143832
153832
163932
173932
183931
193931
203930
214030
224029
234029
244028
254028
264028
274028
284028

Humidity in February

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of February feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, February lands in the dry band about 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202528
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100

Wind in February

Winds average 8 mph in February.

Across February, daily wind ranges from about 8 mph on the calmest days to 8 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

0246810151015202528
Wind speed (mph)Feels
18light breeze
28light breeze
38light breeze
48light breeze
58light breeze
68light breeze
78light breeze
88light breeze
98light breeze
108light breeze
118light breeze
128light breeze
138light breeze
148light breeze
158light breeze
168light breeze
178light breeze
188light breeze
198light breeze
208light breeze
218light breeze
228light breeze
238light breeze
248light breeze
258light breeze
268light breeze
278light breeze
288light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in February

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 42 min at the start of February to 10 h 54 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 72 minutes over February. Sunrise moves from 7:28 AM to 6:53 AM, and sunset from 5:11 PM to 5:46 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202528
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.77:285:11
29.87:275:12
39.87:265:14
49.87:255:15
59.97:245:16
69.97:235:17
79.97:225:19
810.07:215:20
910.07:205:21
1010.17:185:23
1110.17:175:24
1210.27:165:25
1310.27:155:26
1410.27:135:28
1510.37:125:29
1610.37:115:30
1710.47:095:32
1810.47:085:33
1910.57:075:34
2010.57:055:35
2110.57:045:37
2210.67:025:38
2310.67:015:39
2410.76:595:41
2510.76:585:42
2610.86:565:43
2710.86:555:44
2810.96:535:46

Solar energy in February

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in February, about 2.61 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.31 kWh/m² to a high of 5.99 kWh/m² in June across the year — February's 2.61 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

01234151015202528
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.2Moderate
22.2Moderate
32.2Moderate
42.3Moderate
52.3Moderate
62.3Moderate
72.4Moderate
82.4Moderate
92.4Moderate
102.5Moderate
112.5Moderate
122.5Moderate
132.6Moderate
142.6Moderate
152.6Moderate
162.7Moderate
172.7Moderate
182.7Moderate
192.8Moderate
202.8Moderate
212.8Moderate
222.9Moderate
232.9Moderate
242.9Moderate
253.0Moderate
263.0Moderate
273.0Moderate
283.1Moderate
Planning a trip in February

Is February a good time to visit Ithaca?

Our two travel scores rate February for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

0.0
Sightseeing
10th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
8th-best month of the year

February is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Ithaca.

What to pack for Ithaca in February

From February's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In February, Ithaca sees daytime highs around 33°F and nights near 19°F. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 10 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

UV index in Ithaca in February

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in February peaks around 2. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Ithaca peaks around July 11 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighModerateLowJul 11UV 9Jan 1UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr5High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug6High
Sep6High
Oct3Moderate
Nov2Moderate
Dec2Low
Location & terrain

Where is Ithaca?

Ithaca sits at 42.4°N, 76.5°W, 410 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Cortland, 19 mi away.

Topography around Ithaca

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Ithaca.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Ithaca has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 919 ft around an average of 686 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,772 ft; within 50 miles, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,060 ft.

The land around Ithaca is covered by trees (59%) within 2 miles, trees (65%) and grassland (20%) within 10 miles, and trees (66%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
919 ft
10 miles
1,772 ft
50 miles
2,060 ft
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
February weather nearby: Cortland 19 mi · Elmira 29 mi · Vestal 34 mi · Auburn 34 mi · Binghamton 38 mi · Syracuse 45 mi · Clay 54 mi · Cicero 54 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Ithaca (42.4406°, -76.4966°, elevation 410 ft), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).