Erie, the northernmost city in Pennsylvania, is located on the southeast shore of Lake Erie. Presque Isle, a 7-mile-long peninsula, curves around the city's harbor. The terrain rises gradually in a series of ridges.
Cold air masses moving south from Canada in the winter are modified by the relatively warm waters of Lake Erie, but the temperature difference between air and water produces cloudiness and frequent snow from November through March. Spring weather is usually cloudy and cool. Summer heat waves are tempered by cool lake breezes, and autumn, with its long dry periods and an abundance of sunshine, is usually the most pleasant season. Precipitation is well distributed throughout the year.
Area: 22 square miles (2000)
Elevation: 710 feet above sea level
Average Temperatures: January, 28.2° F; July, 70.9° F; average annual temperature, 51.9° F
Average Annual Precipitation: 38.1 inches of rain; 77.9 inches of snow