Photo: Michael Rivera · CC BY-SA 4.0Precipitation in Bristol tops that of 95% of U.S. towns: 56 inches a year
The coldest hours of a January night bottom out at 40° on average. From frosty January to warm July, readings climb 52°. Its January nights stay gentler than in 88% of U.S. towns. Long walks are most pleasant from February to April and October to December, when afternoons reach 65–81°.
A year in Bristol at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Bristol’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Bristol’s place in Florida beside it.
What a year in Bristol feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 56 inches of rain a year
July is the wettest month and October the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Living with Bristol’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 9a.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: February, March, April, October, November and December. 1.1 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Bristol from natural hazards, hurricanes are the largest share (48%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 8%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Bristol and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Bristol yet.
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 Bristol averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.7°).
A smaller shift than in 83% 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 Bristol compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Bristol’s place among Florida’s.
Bristol weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Bristol’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 64° | 40° | 4.7" | 46° – 59° |
| February | 67° | 43° | 4.3" | 46° – 64° |
| March | 74° | 48° | 4.7" | 54° – 69° |
| April | 80° | 54° | 3.8" | 61° – 72° |
| May | 87° | 62° | 3.5" | 71° – 78° |
| June | 90° | 69° | 5.8" | 76° – 84° |
| July | 92° | 72° | 6.9" | 79° – 84° |
| August | 91° | 71° | 6.6" | 79° – 84° |
| September | 88° | 68° | 5.7" | 75° – 82° |
| October | 81° | 58° | 3.0" | 65° – 74° |
| November | 72° | 47° | 3.1" | 53° – 67° |
| December | 65° | 42° | 4.2" | 44° – 63° |
| Year | 79° | 56° | 56.2" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 44° to 63°. July is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Where Bristol’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 Bristol’s center.
- 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 Bristol’s climate
What is the weather like in Bristol?
A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 40°. Milder January nights than 88% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 85% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Bristol in winter?
January nights average 40°. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 46°.
How hot does it get in Bristol?
July, with a typical high of 92°. 90° days are rare.
What growing zone is Bristol 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 Bristol?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), February, March, April, October, November and December. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Bristol getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.9° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 83% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Bristol.
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.