Rochester vs Waterloo: which is sunnier?
🇺🇸 United States vs 🇨🇦 Canada · 222 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Waterloo is the sunnier overall: about 2,026 hours of sunshine a year to Rochester's 1,838. Month by month it's balanced: each has the higher Sunshine Score in 4 months, with 4 within 2 points.
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.
At a glance
| Rochester | Waterloo | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 1,838 | 2,026 |
| Sunniest month | May (74/100) | August (79/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 2/100 | 0/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 72/100 | 77/100 |
| Rain / year | 947 mm | 763 mm |
| Peak midday UV | 7 (high) | 7 (high) |
Rochester vs Waterloo month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester | Waterloo | Rochester | Waterloo | Rochester | Waterloo | |
| January | 0 | 0 | -1° | -3° | 58 | 50 |
| February | 0 | 0 | 0° | -2° | 56 | 47 |
| March | 0 | 0 | 5° | 4° | 62 | 51 |
| April | 31 | 19 | 13° | 11° | 78 | 69 |
| May | 74 | 71 | 20° | 19° | 85 | 73 |
| June | 72 | 77 | 25° | 24° | 93 | 73 |
| July | 71 | 76 | 28° | 28° | 98 | 77 |
| August | 74 | 79 | 28° | 27° | 86 | 63 |
| September | 74 | 78 | 24° | 23° | 86 | 70 |
| October | 47 | 38 | 16° | 14° | 100 | 74 |
| November | 6 | 0 | 9° | 7° | 69 | 62 |
| December | 0 | 0 | 2° | 0° | 76 | 54 |
The sunnier month by month: Jan even · Feb even · Mar even · Apr Rochester · May Rochester · Jun Waterloo · Jul Waterloo · Aug Waterloo · Sep Waterloo · Oct Rochester · Nov Rochester · Dec even.
When to pick which
- November–February: too close to call — Rochester averages 2/100, Waterloo 0/100. Rochester is the warmer, around 3°C daytime highs vs 1°C. See the winter sun ranking.
- March–May: Rochester (average score 35/100 vs 30). Rochester is the warmer, around 13°C daytime highs vs 11°C.
- June–August: Waterloo (average score 77/100 vs 72). Daytime highs are similar (27°C vs 26°C).
- September–October: Rochester (average score 61/100 vs 58). Daytime highs are similar (20°C vs 19°C).
Full month-by-month guides: Rochester weather by month · Waterloo weather by month · Best time to visit United States · Best time to visit Canada.
More comparisons: Rochester vs Toronto · Rochester vs Buffalo · Rochester vs Syracuse · Waterloo vs Toronto · Waterloo vs Buffalo · all head-to-heads