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Weather & Climate in Chester, PA
Temperature, precipitation, air quality, natural hazards, and monthly weather data.
Chester enjoys a temperate climate with an average annual temperature of 57°F (14°C). Winters average 35°F in January while summers reach 80°F in July. The area gets 293 sunny days per year, well above the U.S. average of 205 / making it one of the sunnier locations in the country. Annual precipitation totals 41.7 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 41. 73% of days have good air quality. The city sits at an elevation of 56 feet.
Temperature
35°F Jan (2°C)
80°F Jul (26°C)
| Annual Average | 57.1°F |
| 6% above US avg | |
| January Average | 35°F (2°C) |
| July Average | 80°F (26°C) |
| Sunny Days | 293 days/yr |
Geography
| Elevation | 56 ft (17 m) |
| Area | 6.0 sq mi (15.6 km²) |
| Population Density | 6,876/sq mi |
| Coordinates | 39.8456°N, 75.3719°W |
| Timezone | America/New_York |
| County | Delaware County County |
| Nearest Airport | Philadelphia International (PHL) 7 miles away |
Precipitation & Snow
Air Quality
| AQI Median | 41.0 |
| Rating | Good |
| Good Days % | 72.7% |
| Unhealthy Days | 3 |
Natural Hazard Risk
| Overall Risk | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk Score | 92.9 / 100 |
| Social Vulnerability | 33.0 / 100 |
| Community Resilience | 84.3 / 100 |
Hazard Breakdown
| Tornado | Relatively High |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate |
| Wildfire | Very Low |
| Flood | Relatively High |
| Hail | Very Low |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High |
| Winter Weather | Very High |
| Lightning | Relatively High |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High |
| Drought | Relatively Low |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High |
| Landslide | Very Low |
| Coastal Flood | Relatively Moderate |
| Avalanche | Very Low |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (Dec 2025)
Earthquake History
35 earthquakes (M2.5+) recorded within 150 km since 1990. Strongest on record: M4.8.
| Apr 5, 2024 | 2024 Tewksbury, New Jersey Earthquake | M4.8 | 108 km | 3 km |
| Jan 16, 1994 | 2 km W of Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania | M4.6 | 78 km | 5 km |
| Jan 16, 1994 | 0 km E of Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania | M4.2 | 76 km | 5 km |
| Apr 5, 2024 | 7 km WSW of Gladstone, New Jersey | M3.7 | 108 km | 4 km |
| Oct 23, 1990 | 3 km W of Hancocks Bridge, New Jersey | M3.2 | 39 km | 10 km |
| Jan 9, 1992 | 4 km WNW of Robertsville, New Jersey | M3.1 | 105 km | 8 km |
| Aug 26, 2003 | 4 km NNW of Milford, New Jersey | M3.1 | 88 km | 3 km |
| Jun 3, 2010 | 4 km ENE of Franklintown, Pennsylvania | M3.1 | 139 km | 2 km |
| Nov 14, 1997 | 0 km S of Rothsville, Pennsylvania | M3.0 | 82 km | 5 km |
| Feb 3, 2009 | 1 km ESE of Victory Gardens, New Jersey | M3.0 | 135 km | 0 km |
| Apr 24, 2009 | 1 km S of Franklintown, Pennsylvania | M2.9 | 143 km | 1 km |
| Apr 27, 2024 | 7 km WSW of Gladstone, New Jersey | M2.9 | 108 km | 5 km |
| May 24, 2024 | 6 km E of Califon, New Jersey | M2.9 | 110 km | 7 km |
| Jan 16, 1994 | 0 km SSE of Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania | M2.9 | 76 km | 5 km |
| Sep 15, 2019 | 5 km ESE of East Berlin, Pennsylvania | M2.8 | 132 km | 5 km |
| May 10, 1993 | 1 km NW of Whitfield, Pennsylvania | M2.8 | 78 km | 5 km |
| Jul 1, 2009 | 3 km ESE of Pennsville, New Jersey | M2.8 | 24 km | 5 km |
| Oct 25, 2009 | 4 km ENE of Franklintown, Pennsylvania | M2.8 | 140 km | 1 km |
| Mar 11, 1995 | 0 km ENE of Landisville, Pennsylvania | M2.7 | 92 km | 5 km |
| Oct 28, 1994 | 1 km E of Mount Vernon, Maryland | M2.7 | 122 km | — |
Source: USGS Earthquake Catalog (M2.5+, 1990–2025). Sorted by magnitude.
Hurricane History
6 hurricanes (Category 1+) recorded within 500 km since 1980. Strongest on record: Category 3.
| Year | Name | Category | Max Wind | Closest |
| 2014 | Arthur | Category 1 | 81 mph | 298 km |
| 2012 | Sandy | Category 2 | 92 mph | 254 km |
| 2011 | Irene | Category 1 | 75 mph | 197 km |
| 1991 | Bob | Category 3 | 109 mph | 229 km |
| 1986 | Charley | Category 1 | 75 mph | 272 km |
| 1985 | Gloria | Category 2 | 98 mph | 152 km |
Source: NOAA IBTrACS (Category 1+, 1980–2026).
Tornado History
355 tornadoes (EF0+) recorded within 100 km since 1950. Strongest on record: EF3. Total: 10 fatalities, 272 injuries.
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Fatalities |
| Sep 1, 2021 | EF3 | 22 km | 12.4 mi | 0 |
| Jul 29, 2021 | EF3 | 45 km | 3.4 mi | 0 |
| May 31, 1998 | EF3 | 84 km | 8.3 mi | 0 |
| Jul 27, 1994 | EF3 | 45 km | 2.0 mi | 3 |
| Jul 27, 1994 | EF3 | 37 km | 4.0 mi | 0 |
| Oct 18, 1990 | EF3 | 87 km | 0.5 mi | 0 |
| Jul 21, 1983 | EF3 | 95 km | 0.2 mi | 0 |
| Sep 26, 1977 | EF3 | 93 km | 5.9 mi | 0 |
| Apr 28, 1961 | EF3 | 26 km | 0.3 mi | 0 |
| Jun 24, 1960 | EF3 | 70 km | 12.9 mi | 0 |
| Mar 22, 1955 | EF3 | 25 km | 9.6 mi | 1 |
| Nov 4, 1950 | EF3 | 75 km | 15.9 mi | 0 |
| Apr 1, 2023 | EF2 | 90 km | 2.1 mi | 0 |
| Apr 1, 2023 | EF2 | 100 km | 1.6 mi | 0 |
| Feb 21, 2023 | EF2 | 75 km | 5.8 mi | 0 |
| Sep 1, 2021 | EF2 | 52 km | 5.9 mi | 0 |
| Sep 1, 2021 | EF2 | 31 km | 8.3 mi | 1 |
| Jul 29, 2021 | EF2 | 66 km | 6.3 mi | 0 |
| Aug 4, 2020 | EF2 | 44 km | 20.8 mi | 0 |
| Aug 4, 2020 | EF2 | 83 km | 35.8 mi | 0 |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center (EF0+, 1950–2024, US only).
Tsunami History
2 tsunamis recorded within 500 km.
| Year | Location | Cause | Max Wave | Deaths | Distance |
| 1895 | HIGH BRIDGE, NJ | Earthquake | — | — | 100 km |
| 1840 | PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA | Earthquake | — | — | 16 km |
Source: NOAA/NCEI Historical Tsunami Database.
Wildfire History
20 wildfires (100+ acres) recorded within 100 km. Largest: GREENWOOD STATE FOREST (21,271 acres, 1995).
| Year | Name | Acres Burned | Distance |
| 1995 | GREENWOOD STATE FOREST | 21,271 | 94 km |
| 2007 | WARREN GROVE | 15,315 | 90 km |
| 2022 | MULLICA RIVER FIRE | 13,082 | 62 km |
| 1999 | BASS RIVER | 12,129 | 81 km |
| 2019 | SPRING HILL FIRE | 8,182 | 79 km |
| 2023 | ALLEN ROAD | 6,213 | 80 km |
| 1992 | FORKED RIVER MOUTAIN APR | 5,093 | 93 km |
| 1992 | POWER PLANT | 4,928 | 97 km |
| 1992 | UNNAMED | 4,470 | 76 km |
| 2024 | TEA TIME HILL | 4,444 | 66 km |
| 2006 | UNNAMED | 3,780 | 65 km |
| 2017 | PENN SWAMP FIRE | 3,587 | 66 km |
| 2023 | JIMMYS WATER HOLE | 3,585 | 87 km |
| 1989 | SIMM PLACE | 3,262 | 81 km |
| 2002 | UNNAMED | 2,824 | 76 km |
| 2007 | ATSION | 2,705 | 58 km |
| 1992 | FOUR MILE COLONY | 2,647 | 70 km |
| 1996 | UNNAMED | 2,625 | 72 km |
| 2010 | FORT DIX RANGE 1-14 | 2,615 | 74 km |
| 1990 | UNNAMED | 2,367 | 51 km |
Source: NIFC/IRWIN Wildfire Records (100+ acres).
Monthly Weather
| Month | Avg Temperature | Precipitation | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 35°F (2°C) | 3.7 in | |
| February | 33°F (1°C) | 2.9 in | Coldest, Driest |
| March | 42°F (5°C) | 3.9 in | |
| April | 51°F (11°C) | 3.8 in | |
| May | 62°F (16°C) | 4.3 in | |
| June | 70°F (21°C) | 3.8 in | |
| July | 80°F (26°C) | 4.6 in | Warmest, Wettest |
| August | 74°F (23°C) | 4.1 in | |
| September | 67°F (19°C) | 4.2 in | |
| October | 55°F (13°C) | 3.2 in | |
| November | 46°F (8°C) | 3.7 in | |
| December | 36°F (2°C) | 3.6 in |
Chester has a seasonal temperature swing of 46°F / from 33°F in February to 80°F in July. Total annual precipitation is 45.7 inches, with July being the wettest month (4.6") and February the driest (2.9").