A middle-of-the-road climate: Sea Isle City is close to most U.S. towns on every count
On a normal July day the thermometer tops out near 84°. In January, nights here are milder than in 69% of U.S. towns. Since 1901–2000, the year has warmed by 2.2°, most of all in December. Tender plants can go out after about April 24; in half of years the first frost comes by October 22.
A year in Sea Isle City at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Sea Isle City’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Sea Isle City’s place in New Jersey beside it.
What a year in Sea Isle City feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 181 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 24 and the first by October 22. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Belleplain Stn Forest, NJ, 10 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Sea Isle City’s center in zone 7b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 9°. 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 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.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Sea Isle City
80% of the work is heating. 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 Belleplain Stn Forest, NJ.
Living with Sea Isle City’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
181 frost-free days in zone 7b. The last frost comes by Apr 24 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 22.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August, September and October. 1.6 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Sea Isle City from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (49%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Sea Isle City and its neighbors
Dennis Township has the coldest January nights next door (25°, 2° colder) and Dennis Township the hottest July afternoons (85°, 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 Sea Isle City’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea Isle City, NJ | 28° | 84° | 46" | 15" |
| Abingdon, VA | 25° | 84° | 45" | 12" |
| Asheville, NC | 27° | 85° | 46" | 12" |
| Erwin, TN | 26° | 85° | 48" | 9.3" |
| Morgantown, WV | 22° | 84° | 45" | 14" |
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 Sea Isle City averaged 2.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.4°).
A bigger shift than in 97% 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 Sea Isle City compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Sea Isle City’s place among New Jersey’s.
Sea Isle City weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Sea Isle City’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Cape May 2 Nw, NJ. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 43° | 28° | 3.4" | 4.5" | 11 | 4 | 28° – 42° |
| February | 45° | 29° | 3.1" | 5.7" | 11 | 4 | 26° – 43° |
| March | 51° | 35° | 4.5" | 2.5" | 12 | 1 | 38° – 51° |
| April | 61° | 44° | 3.5" | 0.1" | 11 | 0 | 49° – 57° |
| May | 70° | 53° | 3.3" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 56° – 66° |
| June | 79° | 63° | 3.7" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 67° – 75° |
| July | 84° | 69° | 4.4" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 72° – 79° |
| August | 83° | 67° | 4.7" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 71° – 79° |
| September | 77° | 61° | 3.9" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 66° – 73° |
| October | 67° | 50° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 54° – 65° |
| November | 56° | 40° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 42° – 52° |
| December | 47° | 32° | 4.3" | 2.0" | 11 | 2 | 32° – 51° |
| Year | 63° | 47° | 46.3" | 14.8" | 124 | 10 |
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°. July is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where Sea Isle City’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 Sea Isle City’s center.
- Snow: Cape May 2 Nw, NJ.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Belleplain Stn Forest, NJ, 10 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 Sea Isle City’s climate
What is the weather like in Sea Isle City?
A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, 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 60% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Sea Isle City in winter?
January nights average 28°. About 118 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 28°.
How much snow does Sea Isle City 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 Sea Isle City?
July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 69°. About 28 days a year reach 90° (Belleplain Stn Forest, NJ).
When is the first and last frost in Sea Isle City?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 24 and the first fall frost by October 22, about 181 frost-free days, at Belleplain Stn Forest, NJ.
What growing zone is Sea Isle City in?
Zone 7b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 9°.
What is the best time of year to visit Sea Isle City?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June, July, August, September and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Sea Isle City getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 2.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 97% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Sea Isle City.
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.