Photo: Jerrye & Roy Klotz, MD · CC BY-SA 3.0Weather without surprises: Forked River keeps close to the norm for U.S. towns
Midwinter brings lows of about 26°. By precipitation alone, it ranks wetter than 67% of U.S. towns. December has warmed most since 1901–2000, part of a 2.1° rise. Central heating does most of its work from November to March, in months below 50° on average.
A year in Forked River at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Forked River’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Forked River’s place in New Jersey beside it.
What a year in Forked River feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 179 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 23 and the first by October 20. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Toms River, NJ, 9 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Forked River’s center in zone 7b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 6°. 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 10 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Brant Beach-beach Haven, NJ, falls mostly in February. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 46 inches a year; July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 106 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Forked River
86% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from November through April.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Toms River, NJ.
Living with Forked River’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
179 frost-free days in zone 7b. The last frost comes by Apr 23 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 20.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, August, September and October. 0.4 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Forked River from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (67%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 4%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Forked River and its neighbors
Lacey Township has the coldest January nights next door (24°, 2° colder) and Lacey Township the hottest July afternoons (86°, 1° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Forked River’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forked River, NJ | 26° | 85° | 46" | 10" |
| Bristol, VA | 26° | 85° | 46" | 9.2" |
| Asheville, NC | 27° | 85° | 46" | 12" |
| Erwin, TN | 26° | 85° | 48" | 9.3" |
| Vienna, WV | 23° | 85° | 44" | 11" |
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 Forked River averaged 2.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.3°).
A bigger shift than in 92% 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 Forked River compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Forked River’s place among New Jersey’s.
Forked River weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Forked River’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Brant Beach-beach Haven, NJ. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 42° | 26° | 3.7" | 3.9" | 10 | 26° – 41° |
| February | 44° | 27° | 3.0" | 4.6" | 8 | 25° – 42° |
| March | 50° | 33° | 4.5" | 0.8" | 11 | 37° – 50° |
| April | 61° | 42° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 10 | 47° – 55° |
| May | 70° | 51° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 9 | 56° – 65° |
| June | 79° | 61° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 9 | 66° – 74° |
| July | 85° | 67° | 4.6" | 0.0" | 8 | 72° – 79° |
| August | 83° | 66° | 4.4" | 0.0" | 9 | 70° – 78° |
| September | 77° | 60° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 8 | 65° – 72° |
| October | 66° | 48° | 3.9" | 0.0" | 8 | 53° – 64° |
| November | 56° | 38° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 8 | 40° – 52° |
| December | 47° | 31° | 4.4" | 0.9" | 9 | 31° – 50° |
| Year | 63° | 46° | 46.4" | 10.2" | 106 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 31° to 50°. September is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Forked River’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 Forked River’s center.
- Snow: Brant Beach-beach Haven, NJ.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Toms River, NJ, 9 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 Forked River’s climate
What is the weather like in Forked River?
A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 26°, and about 10 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 65% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 54% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Forked River in winter?
January nights average 26°. About 116 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 26°.
How much snow does Forked River get?
About 10 inches in a normal winter at Brant Beach-beach Haven, NJ, most of it in February.
How hot does it get in Forked River?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 67°. About 24 days a year reach 90° (Toms River, NJ).
When is the first and last frost in Forked River?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 23 and the first fall frost by October 20, about 179 frost-free days, at Toms River, NJ.
What growing zone is Forked River in?
Zone 7b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 6°.
What is the best time of year to visit Forked River?
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 Forked River getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 2.1° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 92% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Forked River.
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.