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Climate in Cape May Court House · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Summers, winters and rain in Cape May Court House all run close to those of most U.S. towns

Nights in January average 28°. The year swings widely: the coldest month’s nights and the warmest month’s afternoons are 57° apart. By January nights alone, it runs milder than 69% of U.S. towns. Seedlings are safe outdoors from about April 1, with the first autumn frost due around November 9.

Milder January nights than 69% of U.S. towns#4Mildest winters  of 368 in NJ
Less snow than 59% of U.S. towns#25Least snow  of 358 in NJ
All NJ rankings →

A year in Cape May Court House at a glance

Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.

Jan43°28° 5" snow
Feb45°29° 6" snow
Mar51°35°
Apr61°44° Last frost ~Apr 1
May70°53°
Jun79°63° 2 days 90°+
Jul85°69° 7 days 90°+
Aug83°67° 4 days 90°+Wettest
Sep77°61° 1 day 90°+
Oct67°50°
Nov now56°40° First frost ~Nov 9
Dec48°32°

What stands out about Cape May Court House’s climate

Compared with towns across the U.S., with Cape May Court House’s place in New Jersey beside it.

A normal year

What a year in Cape May Court House feels like

Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.

Winter
45° / 30°
4 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
61° / 44°
Last frost around Apr 1
Summer
82° / 66°
15 days reach 90°
Fall
67° / 50°
First frost around Nov 9
Best months to be outsideMayJunAugSepOctHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 222 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 1 and the first by November 9. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Cape May 2 Nw, NJ, 11 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.

72
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
21st fewest of 368 in New Jersey
Fewer freezing nights than 72% of U.S. towns
0
nights at or below 0°
None in a normal year
15
days that reach 90°
77th fewest of 368 in New Jersey
Fewer 90° days than 61% of U.S. towns
<1
days that reach 100°
30th fewest of 368 in New Jersey
Fewer 100° days than 68% of U.S. towns
7bUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 7b

The 2023 USDA map puts Cape May Court House’s center in zone 7b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 8°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

21
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

7.3
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 15 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Cape May 2 Nw, NJ, falls mostly in February. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 46 inches a year; August is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 124 days a year.

46"
Rain + melted snow a year
334th wettest of 368 in New Jersey
Wetter than 65% of U.S. towns
15"
Snow in a normal winter
25th least snowy of 358 in New Jersey
Less snow than 59% of U.S. towns
10 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
13th fewest of 272 in New Jersey
Fewer days with snow on the ground than 61% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

4.7"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

6"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Cape May Court House

79% of the work is heating. Months averaging under 55° run from November through April.

4,332 heating degree daysLess heating than 68% of U.S. towns
1,176 cooling degree daysMore cooling than 64% of U.S. towns

Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Cape May 2 Nw, NJ.

Living here

Living with Cape May Court House’s climate

What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.

The garden window

222 frost-free days in zone 7b. The last frost comes by Apr 1 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Nov 9.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, August, September and October. 3.2 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Cape May Court House from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (26%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 14%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door & far away

Cape May Court House and similar climates

TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Cape May Court House yet.

Climates most like Cape May Court House’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.

TownJan. lowJuly highPrecip.Snow
Cape May Court House, NJ28°85°46"15"
Asheville, NC27°85°46"12"
Abingdon, VA25°84°45"12"
Erwin, TN26°85°48"9.3"
Vienna, WV23°85°44"11"

Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

The last 30 years in Cape May Court House averaged 2.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.3°).

+2.2°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A bigger shift than in 95% of U.S. towns.

Winter+2.7°now 37°, was 35°
Spring+1.9°now 52°, was 50°
Summer+2.2°now 74°, was 72°
Fall+1.8°now 59°, was 57°

Change by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.

Compared with other towns

How Cape May Court House compares

Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Cape May Court House’s place among New Jersey’s.

Summer heat85° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 55% of U.S. towns62nd coolest of 368 in New Jersey
Winter cold28° January low
Milder January nights than 69% of U.S. towns4th mildest of 368 in New Jersey
Precipitation46" a year
Wetter than 65% of U.S. towns334th wettest of 368 in New Jersey
Snow15" a winter
Less snow than 59% of U.S. towns25th least snowy of 358 in New Jersey
Hot days15 days at 90°+
Fewer 90° days than 61% of U.S. towns77th fewest of 368 in New Jersey
Freezing nights72 a year
Fewer freezing nights than 72% of U.S. towns21st fewest of 368 in New Jersey
Growing season222 frost-free days
A longer frost-free season than 81% of U.S. towns26th longest of 368 in New Jersey
Month by month

Cape May Court House weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Cape May Court House’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Cape May 2 Nw, NJ. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January43°28°3.4"4.5"11429° – 42°
February45°29°3.1"5.7"11426° – 43°
March51°35°4.4"2.5"12138° – 51°
April61°44°3.4"0.1"11050° – 58°
May70°53°3.3"0.0"11056° – 67°
June79°63°3.7"0.0"10067° – 75°
July85°69°4.3"0.0"10072° – 80°
August83°67°4.7"0.0"9071° – 79°
September77°61°3.9"0.0"9066° – 73°
October67°50°4.2"0.0"10054° – 65°
November56°40°3.4"0.0"9042° – 53°
December48°32°4.2"2.0"11232° – 51°
Year64°47°46.0"14.8"12410
Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 32° to 51°. September is the most reliable, staying within 7°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Cape May Court House’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 Cape May Court House’s center.
  • Snow: Cape May 2 Nw, NJ.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Cape May 2 Nw, NJ, 11 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 Cape May Court House’s climate

What is the weather like in Cape May Court House?

A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 28°, and about 15 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 69% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 55% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Cape May Court House in winter?

January nights average 28°. About 72 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 29°.

How much snow does Cape May Court House get?

About 15 inches in a normal winter at Cape May 2 Nw, NJ, most of it in February, with snow on the ground about 10 days a year.

How hot does it get in Cape May Court House?

July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 69°. About 15 days a year reach 90° (Cape May 2 Nw, NJ).

When is the first and last frost in Cape May Court House?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 1 and the first fall frost by November 9, about 222 frost-free days, at Cape May 2 Nw, NJ.

What growing zone is Cape May Court House in?

Zone 7b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 8°.

What is the best time of year to visit Cape May Court House?

By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June, August, September and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.

Is Cape May Court House getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 2.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 95% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Cape May Court House.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.