Climate in New York — Annual Weather Overview
New York has a continental climate — hot summers, cold winters and moderate rainfall. The hottest month is July (average high 29.9°C) and the coolest is January (5.6°C). The seasons are strongly defined — a 24.3°C swing between July highs and January lows. Annual rainfall totals around 1389mm. October is the wettest month at 181.2mm, while November averages just 74.2mm. Average daily sunshine is 8.7 hours.
**Spring (March, April, May):** average highs 15.8°C, 319mm rain. **Summer (June, July, August):** average highs 28.3°C, 346mm rain. **Autumn (September, October, November):** average highs 18.7°C, 418mm rain. **Winter (December, January, February):** average highs 6.5°C, 306mm rain.
New York — Monthly Temperatures
New York — Monthly Rainfall
✅ Best months to visit
All year
ℹ️ No months to avoid
Weather in New York stays reasonable all year.
New York weather by month
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Sun/day | Rainy days | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5.6°C | -2.1°C | 88.6mm | 6.0h | 10 | 10/10 |
| February | 6.3°C | -2.3°C | 93.1mm | 6.4h | 10 | 10/10 |
| March | 11.2°C | 1.4°C | 104.3mm | 8.2h | 11 | 9/10 |
| April | 15.5°C | 5.9°C | 132.0mm | 8.9h | 12 | 9/10 |
| May | 20.7°C | 10.8°C | 82.4mm | 10.8h | 10 | 10/10 |
| June | 26.3°C | 16.8°C | 77.2mm | 11.5h | 9 | 10/10 |
| July | 29.9°C | 21.0°C | 151.2mm | 11.8h | 13 | 9/10 |
| August | 28.7°C | 20.3°C | 117.6mm | 10.7h | 13 | 9/10 |
| September | 24.5°C | 16.2°C | 162.4mm | 9.2h | 10 | 9/10 |
| October | 18.8°C | 10.9°C | 181.2mm | 7.5h | 10 | 9/10 |
| November | 12.7°C | 4.1°C | 74.2mm | 7.4h | 8 | 10/10 |
| December | 7.7°C | 0.2°C | 124.4mm | 5.6h | 9 | 9/10 |
For the full verdict on when to go, see the best time to visit New York. Seasonal breakdowns: spring, summer, autumn and winter.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What type of climate does New York have?
New York has a continental climate — hot summers, cold winters and moderate rainfall. Average highs range from 5.6°C in January to 29.9°C in July.
What is the hottest month in New York?
July is the hottest month in New York, with average highs of 29.9°C and lows of 21.0°C.
What is the coldest month in New York?
January is the coolest month, with average highs of 5.6°C and lows of -2.3°C.
What is the wettest month in New York?
October is the wettest month, averaging 181.2mm of rainfall over around 10 rainy days.
How much rain does New York get per year?
New York receives around 1389mm of rain per year. The driest month is November (74.2mm).
When is the best time to visit New York?
The best time to visit New York is All year. See the full month-by-month guide →
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Trip essentials for New York
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Climate data sourced from Open-Meteo (open source, open data licence). Monthly averages calculated from 2020–2023 historical data. Weather can be unpredictable — always check a live forecast before travelling.