Photo: Ebyabe · CC BY-SA 3.0More precipitation falls on Bell than on 93% of U.S. towns: 55 inches a year
Peak summer warmth arrives in July, with afternoons near 92°. Seasons differ by 50°, from the coldest nights to the warmest afternoons. By January nights alone, it runs milder than 90% of U.S. towns. Garden planting can start around March 14; autumn frost returns near November 22.
A year in Bell at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Bell’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Bell’s place in Florida beside it.
What a year in Bell feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 254 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 14 and the first by November 22. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Bell 4nw, FL, 4 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Bell’s center in zone 9a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 22°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 55 inches of rain a year
August is the wettest month and November the driest. Rain falls on about 112 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at High Springs, FL, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Bell
37% of the work is heating, so air conditioning is the bigger bill. Months averaging under 55° run from January.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Bell 4nw, FL.
Living with Bell’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
254 frost-free days in zone 9a. The last frost comes by Mar 14 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Nov 22.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: January, February, March, April, October, November and December. 0.5 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Bell from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (47%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 7%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Bell and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Bell yet.
Climates most like Bell’s, farther away
TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bell, FL | 41° | 92° | 55" | 0.0" |
| Headland, AL | 39° | 91° | 56" | 0.1" |
| Deer Park, TX | 45° | 92° | 55" | 0.0" |
| Blakely, GA | 38° | 92° | 53" | 0.1" |
| Paradise, CA | 40° | 93° | 57" | 0.1" |
Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Bell averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.6°).
A smaller shift than in 75% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.
How Bell compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Bell’s place among Florida’s.
Bell weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Bell’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from High Springs, FL. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 67° | 41° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 48° – 60° |
| February | 70° | 45° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 49° – 66° |
| March | 76° | 49° | 3.9" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 56° – 69° |
| April | 81° | 55° | 2.9" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 63° – 74° |
| May | 88° | 62° | 3.3" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 71° – 79° |
| June | 91° | 70° | 7.5" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 | 78° – 83° |
| July | 92° | 72° | 7.9" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 | 80° – 84° |
| August | 91° | 72° | 8.3" | 0.0" | 16 | 0 | 79° – 84° |
| September | 89° | 69° | 5.7" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 76° – 83° |
| October | 83° | 60° | 2.9" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 67° – 76° |
| November | 75° | 49° | 2.0" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 56° – 69° |
| December | 69° | 44° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 46° – 67° |
| Year | 81° | 57° | 54.7" | 0.0" | 112 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 46° to 67°. July is the most reliable, staying within 4°.
Where Bell’s numbers come from
Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →
- Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at Bell’s center.
- Snow: High Springs, FL.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Bell 4nw, FL, 4 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
- Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
- Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).
Common questions about Bell’s climate
What is the weather like in Bell?
A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 41°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 90% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 85% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Bell in winter?
January nights average 41°. About 28 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 48°.
How much snow does Bell get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at High Springs, FL, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Bell?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 72°. About 72 days a year reach 90° (Bell 4nw, FL).
When is the first and last frost in Bell?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 14 and the first fall frost by November 22, about 254 frost-free days, at Bell 4nw, FL.
What growing zone is Bell in?
Zone 9a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 22°.
What is the best time of year to visit Bell?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), January, February, March, April, October, November and December. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Bell getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.0° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 75% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Bell.
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.