Photo: Infrogmation of New Orleans · CC BY-SA 3.0Harvey sits near the top of U.S. towns for precipitation, with 63 inches a year
Expect July afternoons of about 91°. In January, nights here are milder than in 93% of U.S. towns. February has warmed most since 1901–2000, part of a 0.9° rise. Garden chairs stay out from October to April, the months with highs of 63–80°.
A year in Harvey at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Harvey’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Harvey’s place in Louisiana beside it.
What a year in Harvey feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
A freeze most winters
Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at New Orleans Audubon, LA, 4 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Harvey’s center in zone 9b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 28°. 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 63 inches of rain a year
July is the wettest month and October the driest. Rain falls on about 96 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Gretna, LA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Harvey
22% 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 New Orleans Audubon, LA.
Living with Harvey’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 9b. Frost comes about 8 winters in 10, 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, October, November and December. 0.9 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Harvey from natural hazards, hurricanes are the largest share (75%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 6%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Harvey and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Harvey in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Harvey’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey, LA | 44° | 91° | 63" | 0.0" |
| Ferry Pass, FL | 44° | 90° | 64" | 0.0" |
| Port Arthur, TX | 44° | 91° | 61" | 0.0" |
| Orange Beach, AL | 43° | 90° | 62" | 0.0" |
| Magalia, CA | 38° | 92° | 61" | 0.1" |
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 Harvey averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+1.3°).
A smaller shift than in 86% 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 Harvey compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Harvey’s place among Louisiana’s.
Harvey weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Harvey’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Gretna, LA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 63° | 44° | 5.3" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 46° – 60° |
| February | 67° | 48° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 48° – 67° |
| March | 72° | 53° | 4.7" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 57° – 71° |
| April | 78° | 60° | 5.0" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 64° – 73° |
| May | 85° | 67° | 5.2" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 73° – 79° |
| June | 90° | 73° | 7.1" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 79° – 84° |
| July | 91° | 75° | 7.7" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 81° – 85° |
| August | 91° | 75° | 6.7" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 80° – 86° |
| September | 88° | 72° | 5.5" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 78° – 84° |
| October | 80° | 62° | 3.7" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 68° – 76° |
| November | 71° | 52° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 56° – 66° |
| December | 65° | 47° | 4.6" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 49° – 63° |
| Year | 78° | 61° | 63.3" | 0.0" | 96 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 48° to 67°. July is the most reliable, staying within 4°.
Where Harvey’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 Harvey’s center.
- Snow: Gretna, LA (NOAA station in town).
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: New Orleans Audubon, LA, 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 Harvey’s climate
What is the weather like in Harvey?
A typical July afternoon reaches 91°, a January night drops to 44°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 93% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 82% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Harvey in winter?
January nights average 44°. About 4 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 46°.
How much snow does Harvey get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Gretna, LA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Harvey?
July, with a typical high of 91° and a low of 75°. About 106 days a year reach 90° and 2 reach 100° (New Orleans Audubon, LA).
When is the first and last frost in Harvey?
There is no reliable frost date: a 32° night comes in about 76% of winters at New Orleans Audubon, LA, so most years bring a freeze but some pass without one.
What growing zone is Harvey in?
Zone 9b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 28°.
What is the best time of year to visit Harvey?
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 Harvey getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.9° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 86% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Harvey.
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.