Bispham-Wilson Historic District · Photo: Ebyabe · CC BY-SA 3.0South Sarasota sits near the top of U.S. towns for mild winters
High summer brings afternoon highs near 92°. Expect the heaviest rain or snow in August and the lightest in November. It is a wet place: more rain and snow fall here than on 92% of U.S. towns. For walks and days out, the stretch from November to April brings highs of 72–82°.
A year in South Sarasota at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about South Sarasota’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with South Sarasota’s place in Florida beside it.
What a year in South Sarasota 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 Sarasota Bradenton Airport, 8 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts South Sarasota’s center in zone 10a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 34°. 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 53 inches of rain a year
August is the wettest month and November the driest. Rain falls on about 114 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Bradenton 5 Ese, FL, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in South Sarasota
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 Sarasota Bradenton Airport.
Living with South Sarasota’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 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. 0.6 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in South Sarasota from natural hazards, hurricanes are the largest share (67%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →South Sarasota and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of South Sarasota in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like South Sarasota’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 Sarasota, 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 South Sarasota averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.9°).
A bigger shift than in 54% 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 Sarasota compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with South Sarasota’s place among Florida’s.
South Sarasota weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at South Sarasota’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Bradenton 5 Ese, FL. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 72° | 53° | 2.7" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 56° – 69° |
| February | 75° | 55° | 2.1" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 57° – 72° |
| March | 78° | 59° | 3.0" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 61° – 74° |
| April | 82° | 64° | 2.6" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 69° – 78° |
| May | 87° | 70° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 75° – 82° |
| June | 91° | 74° | 8.0" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 | 81° – 85° |
| July | 92° | 76° | 7.6" | 0.0" | 17 | 0 | 82° – 85° |
| August | 92° | 76° | 9.1" | 0.0" | 18 | 0 | 82° – 85° |
| September | 90° | 75° | 7.4" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 | 80° – 85° |
| October | 86° | 69° | 3.0" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 74° – 81° |
| November | 79° | 61° | 1.9" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 65° – 76° |
| December | 75° | 56° | 2.5" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 54° – 73° |
| Year | 83° | 66° | 53.3" | 0.0" | 114 | 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 South Sarasota’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 Sarasota’s center.
- Snow: Bradenton 5 Ese, FL.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Sarasota Bradenton 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 Sarasota’s climate
What is the weather like in South Sarasota?
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 86% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in South Sarasota in winter?
January nights average 53°. About 1 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 Sarasota get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Bradenton 5 Ese, FL, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in South Sarasota?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 76°. About 85 days a year reach 90° (Sarasota Bradenton Airport).
When is the first and last frost in South Sarasota?
Most years have no frost at all: a 32° night comes in about 31% of winters at Sarasota Bradenton Airport, usually in December or January.
What growing zone is South Sarasota in?
Zone 10a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 34°.
What is the best time of year to visit South Sarasota?
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 Sarasota getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.4° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 54% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in South Sarasota.
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.