New York month by month
Plan your visit to New York by month. Compare weather, crowds, events, and prices across all twelve months with historical climate data.
New York's measured year splits into four bands. January and February form the cold floor at 4°C and 6°C. March through May climb fast, from 11°C to 22°C in three months. June, July, and August hold a summer plateau between 27°C and 30°C. September opens the descent at 25°C, October drops to 19°C, November to 12°C, and December closes the year at 7°C. Rain days sit near 10 or 11 for most months, but July breaks the pattern with 14.
All 12 month guides are published beneath this index. Start with the month closest to your travel window, because consecutive months can differ by 5 or 6 degrees. The October and November pages cover New York's driest stretch at 8 rain days each. For a summer trip, compare July's 14 rain days against June's 10 and August's 11 before choosing dates.
July needs the closest read. It pairs the year's peak temperature at 30°C with 14 rain days, the highest count in the measured record.
July is New York's most decisive month, with the year's peak average high of 30°C and 14 rain days, more than any other month.
- January
- High
- 4°C
- Low
- -3°C
- Rain
- 97 mm
January is the coldest month in New York City, and it feels like it. Average highs sit around 4°C (40°F), lows dip to -3°C (27°F), and wind funneling between Midtown skyscrapers…
- February
- High
- 6°C
- Low
- -3°C
- Rain
- 86 mm
February in New York is cold. Not a brisk, invigorating chill, but raw, damp cold that hits you the moment you step out of Penn Station onto 7th Avenue and finds every gap in your…
- March
- High
- 11°C
- Low
- 1°C
- Rain
- 139 mm
March in New York is a coin flip. You might get a 15°C (59°F) afternoon where the first crocuses push through in Central Park and everyone spills onto restaurant patios along the…
- April
- High
- 16°C
- Low
- 6°C
- Rain
- 113 mm
April in New York is a month of daily weather roulette, and that is the single most important thing to know before you book. Daytime highs average 16.4°C (62°F) with lows around…
- May
- High
- 22°C
- Low
- 12°C
- Rain
- 114 mm
May is likely the best month to be in New York. Daytime temperatures settle around 21.5°C (71°F) with lows near 12°C (53°F) after dark, and the heavy humidity of July and August is…
- June
- High
- 27°C
- Low
- 17°C
- Rain
- 82 mm
June in New York brings the first stretch of reliably warm weather, with daytime highs near 27°C (81°F) and nearly 15 hours of daylight. This is when the city's outdoor life fully…
- July
- High
- 30°C
- Low
- 21°C
- Rain
- 140 mm
July in New York is hot. That is the first thing you need to know, and the thing that will shape every decision you make during your trip. Daytime temperatures average 30.4°C…
- August
- High
- 29°C
- Low
- 20°C
- Rain
- 117 mm
August in New York is hot, sticky, and makes no apology for it. Daytime temperatures average 28.7°C (84°F), but humidity around 71% tends to push the perceived temperature above…
- September
- High
- 25°C
- Low
- 16°C
- Rain
- 140 mm
September might be the single best month to visit New York City. The oppressive July-August heat finally breaks, settling into days around 25°C (77°F) that feel like the city…
- October
- High
- 19°C
- Low
- 10°C
- Rain
- 142 mm
October might be the finest month to visit New York. Afternoon highs hover near 19°C (67°F), the air turns dry and clean after months of thick summer humidity, and Central Park's…
- November
- High
- 12°C
- Low
- 4°C
- Rain
- 63 mm
November in New York is defined by one week. Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday, and the days surrounding it reshape the entire city. Prices spike, crowds swell along the…
- December
- High
- 7°C
- Low
- -1°C
- Rain
- 112 mm
December in New York is cold, expensive, and packed with tourists. That's the honest summary. Daytime highs hover around 7°C (44°F), nights regularly dip below freezing, and hotel…