Photo: Guspederson · CC BY-SA 4.0Manasota Key has some of the mildest winter nights among U.S. towns
Peak summer warmth arrives in July, with afternoons near 92°. Precipitation is plentiful here, more than falls on 91% of U.S. towns. Since 1901–2000, the year has warmed by 1.3°, most of all in December. From November to April, highs of 73–83° make it easy to spend the day outdoors.
A year in Manasota Key at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Manasota Key’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Manasota Key’s place in Florida beside it.
What a year in Manasota Key feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Frost is rare
Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Venice, FL, 13 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Manasota Key’s center in zone 10b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 36°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 53 inches of rain a year
August is the wettest month and November the driest. Rain falls on about 107 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Venice, FL, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Manasota Key
10% of the work is heating, so air conditioning is the bigger bill. No month averages under 55°.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Venice, FL.
Living with Manasota Key’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 10b. Frost comes about 1 winter in 3, so tender plants can often stay out through winter.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: January, February, March, April, November and December. 1.3 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Manasota Key from natural hazards, hurricanes are the largest share (77%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Manasota Key and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Manasota Key in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Manasota Key’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manasota Key, FL | 53° | 92° | 53" | 0.0" |
| Hitchcock, TX | 47° | 90° | 53" | 0.1" |
| St. Marys, GA | 43° | 91° | 51" | 0.0" |
| Morgan City, LA | 44° | 91° | 60" | 0.0" |
| Gulf Shores, AL | 44° | 90° | 62" | 0.0" |
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Manasota Key averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.8°).
A smaller shift than in 56% 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 Manasota Key compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Manasota Key’s place among Florida’s.
Manasota Key weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Manasota Key’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Venice, FL. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 73° | 53° | 2.6" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 57° – 70° |
| February | 76° | 56° | 2.1" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 58° – 73° |
| March | 79° | 59° | 2.7" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 62° – 75° |
| April | 83° | 64° | 2.4" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 70° – 78° |
| May | 88° | 70° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 75° – 82° |
| June | 91° | 74° | 8.0" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 81° – 86° |
| July | 92° | 76° | 7.7" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 | 83° – 85° |
| August | 92° | 76° | 9.1" | 0.0" | 16 | 0 | 83° – 85° |
| September | 90° | 75° | 7.7" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 | 81° – 85° |
| October | 86° | 70° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 75° – 82° |
| November | 80° | 61° | 2.0" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 66° – 76° |
| December | 76° | 56° | 2.2" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 54° – 73° |
| Year | 84° | 66° | 52.9" | 0.0" | 107 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 54° to 73°. July is the most reliable, staying within 3°.
Where Manasota Key’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 Manasota Key’s center.
- Snow: Venice, FL.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Venice, FL, 13 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 Manasota Key’s climate
What is the weather like in Manasota Key?
A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 53°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 98% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 87% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Manasota Key in winter?
January nights average 53°. A night at 32° or below comes in only some winters (0.7 a year on average). In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 57°.
How much snow does Manasota Key get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Venice, FL, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Manasota Key?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 76°. About 120 days a year reach 90° (Venice, FL).
When is the first and last frost in Manasota Key?
Most years have no frost at all: a 32° night comes in about 40% of winters at Venice, FL, usually in December or January.
What growing zone is Manasota Key in?
Zone 10b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 36°.
What is the best time of year to visit Manasota Key?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), January, February, March, April, November and December. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Manasota Key getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.3° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 56% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Manasota Key.
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.