Photo: Dllu · CC BY-SA 4.0New York City’s winters are milder than most of the U.S., with about 30 inches of snow in Central Park
At the city’s center point, a typical July afternoon reaches 85° and a January night drops to 27°; Central Park, the city’s official weather station, gets about 30 inches of snow in a normal winter.
A year in New York City at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about New York City’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with New York City’s place in New York State beside it.
What a year in New York City feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 236 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 30 and the first by November 20. Frost and day counts come from Central Park, New York City’s official weather station (the one in National Weather Service reports), 8 miles from the city’s center point, 120 ft higher.
The 2023 USDA map puts New York City’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°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 30 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Central Park, falls mostly in February. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 47 inches a year; July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 125 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in New York City
79% 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 Central Park.
Living with New York City’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
236 frost-free days in zone 7b. The last frost comes by Mar 30 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 20.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, August, September and October. 496 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in New York City from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (51%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 26%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →New York City and its neighbors
Yonkers has the coldest January nights next door (24°, 3° colder). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Across the city: NOAA’s three main stations
The city spans about 300 square miles, from the Bronx to the Rockaways. Its three first-order stations, 1991–2020:
| Station | Jan. low | July high | Snow | 90° days | Freezing nights | Frost-free days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Park (official)Manhattan | 28° | 85° | 29.8" | 17 | 67 | 236 |
| LaGuardia AirportQueens | 29° | 86° | 29.8" | 22 | 62 | 244 |
| JFK AirportQueens | 26° | 84° | 25.9" | 11 | 74 | 226 |
LaGuardia, on the East River, sees the most 90° days; JFK, on Jamaica Bay, the fewest and the most freezing nights. The page’s temperatures are NOAA’s 5 km grid at the city’s center point in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.
Climates most like New York 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York City, NY | 27° | 85° | 47" | 30" |
| Damascus, MD | 25° | 85° | 45" | 31" |
| Charleston, WV | 25° | 87° | 46" | 32" |
| Independence, KY | 23° | 86° | 46" | 23" |
| Amelia, OH | 23° | 86° | 46" | 23" |
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 New York City averaged 2.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.5°).
A bigger shift than in 93% 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. In a city of 8.6 million, part of the change is the city itself: pavement and buildings hold heat (the urban heat island).
How New York City compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with New York City’s place among New York State’s.
New York City weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at New York City’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Central Park. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 40° | 27° | 3.4" | 8.8" | 11 | 8 | 25° – 40° |
| February | 43° | 28° | 3.0" | 10.1" | 10 | 9 | 24° – 41° |
| March | 50° | 34° | 4.2" | 5.0" | 11 | 4 | 37° – 50° |
| April | 61° | 43° | 3.8" | 0.4" | 11 | 0 | 48° – 57° |
| May | 71° | 53° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 58° – 67° |
| June | 80° | 63° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 68° – 75° |
| July | 85° | 69° | 4.4" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 73° – 81° |
| August | 84° | 68° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 72° – 80° |
| September | 77° | 61° | 3.9" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 66° – 73° |
| October | 66° | 50° | 4.1" | 0.1" | 10 | 0 | 54° – 64° |
| November | 55° | 40° | 3.4" | 0.5" | 9 | 0 | 43° – 52° |
| December | 45° | 32° | 4.2" | 4.9" | 11 | 3 | 31° – 50° |
| Year | 63° | 47° | 46.8" | 29.8" | 125 | 24 |
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 New York 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 one 5 km cell at the city’s center point, in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.
- Snow: Central Park (the official station).
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Central Park, 8 miles from the city’s center point, 120 ft higher; the city’s official station.
- 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 New York City’s climate
What is the weather like in New York City?
At the city’s center point, a typical July afternoon reaches 85° and a January night drops to 27°; Central Park, the city’s official weather station, gets about 30 inches of snow in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 67% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 52% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in New York City in winter?
January nights average 27°. About 67 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 25°.
How much snow does New York City get?
About 30 inches in a normal winter at Central Park, most of it in February, with snow on the ground about 24 days a year.
How hot does it get in New York City?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 69°. About 17 days a year reach 90° (Central Park).
When is the first and last frost in New York City?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 30 and the first fall frost by November 20, about 236 frost-free days, at Central Park.
What growing zone is New York City 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 New York City?
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 New York City getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 2.1° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 93% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in New York 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.