South Beach’s winters are milder and less snowy than most of the U.S.
A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 54°, and snow is almost unheard of.
A year in South Beach at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about South Beach’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with South Beach’s place in Florida beside it.
What a year in South Beach feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Frost is rare
Day counts come from NOAA’s station at Vero Beach International Airport, 8 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; frost dates and degree days from Vero Beach 4se, FL, 7 miles away.
The 2023 USDA map puts South Beach’s center in zone 10a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 35°. 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 54 inches of rain a year
August is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain falls on about 130 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Vero Beach 4se, FL, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in South Beach
8% 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 Vero Beach 4se, FL.
Living with South Beach’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 10a. Frost comes about 1 winter in 4, 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. 2.6 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in South Beach from natural hazards, hurricanes are the largest share (87%). Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →South Beach and its neighbors
Vero Beach South has the coldest January nights next door (52°, 1° colder). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like South Beach’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Beach, FL | 54° | 90° | 54" | 0.0" |
| Galveston, TX | 48° | 89° | 52" | 0.1" |
| Patterson, LA | 44° | 90° | 60" | 0.0" |
| St. Marys, GA | 43° | 91° | 51" | 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 South Beach averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+1.9°).
A smaller shift than in 55% 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 South Beach compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with South Beach’s place among Florida’s.
South Beach weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at South Beach’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Vero Beach 4se, FL. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 73° | 54° | 2.6" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 56° – 69° |
| February | 75° | 56° | 2.3" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 57° – 73° |
| March | 78° | 59° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 61° – 74° |
| April | 81° | 64° | 3.1" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 69° – 77° |
| May | 85° | 69° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 73° – 80° |
| June | 88° | 73° | 7.0" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 | 79° – 83° |
| July | 90° | 74° | 6.1" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 | 80° – 84° |
| August | 90° | 75° | 7.5" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 | 81° – 84° |
| September | 88° | 74° | 7.3" | 0.0" | 17 | 0 | 79° – 82° |
| October | 84° | 70° | 5.2" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 75° – 80° |
| November | 79° | 63° | 3.0" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 66° – 76° |
| December | 75° | 57° | 2.5" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 54° – 74° |
| Year | 82° | 65° | 54.1" | 0.0" | 130 | 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 74°. August is the most reliable, staying within 3°.
Where South Beach’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 South Beach’s center.
- Snow: Vero Beach 4se, FL.
- Frost dates, heating and cooling: Vero Beach 4se, FL, 7 miles away.
- Freezing nights, 90° and 100° days: Vero Beach International Airport, 8 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 South Beach’s climate
What is the weather like in South Beach?
A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 54°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 98% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 76% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in South Beach in winter?
January nights average 54°. About 2 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 56°.
How much snow does South Beach get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Vero Beach 4se, FL, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in South Beach?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 74°. About 72 days a year reach 90° (Vero Beach 4se, FL).
When is the first and last frost in South Beach?
Most years have no frost at all: a 32° night comes in about 24% of winters at Vero Beach 4se, FL, usually in December or January.
What growing zone is South Beach in?
Zone 10a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 35°.
What is the best time of year to visit South Beach?
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 South Beach getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.3° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 55% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in South Beach.
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.