Winter
Dec → Feb5 to 7°
nights -2 to 0°
- 11 rainy days · 103 mm
- 6.2 h of sun
When is the best time to visit New York?
- Jan5°not recommended
- Feb6°not recommended
- Mar11°fair
- Apr15°recommended
- May21°recommended
- Jun27°recommended
- Jul30°fair
- Aug29°fair
- Sep24°recommended
- Oct19°recommended
- Nov13°recommended
- Dec7°fair
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in New York, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Sunshine | Rainfall | Rainy days | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5° | -2° | 6.1 h | 100 mm | 11 d | |
| February | 6° | -2° | 6.8 h | 87 mm | 10 d | |
| March | 11° | 2° | 8.1 h | 130 mm | 11 d | |
| April | 15° | 6° | 8.7 h | 128 mm | 13 d | ✓ |
| May | 21° | 11° | 9.8 h | 87 mm | 10 d | ✓ |
| June | 27° | 17° | 11 h | 91 mm | 10 d | ✓ |
| July | 30° | 21° | 11.5 h | 139 mm | 14 d | |
| August | 29° | 20° | 10.8 h | 129 mm | 13 d | |
| September | 24° | 16° | 8.9 h | 138 mm | 9 d | ✓ |
| October | 19° | 11° | 7.7 h | 146 mm | 8 d | ✓ |
| November | 13° | 4° | 7 h | 73 mm | 8 d | ✓ |
| December | 7° | 0° | 5.6 h | 121 mm | 11 d |
The four seasons in New York, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Central Park) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May11 to 21°
nights 2 to 11°
- 11 rainy days · 115 mm
- 8.9 h of sun
Summer
Jun → Aug27 to 30°
nights 17 to 21°
- 12 rainy days · 120 mm
- 11.1 h of sun
Autumn
Sep → Nov13 to 24°
nights 4 to 16°
- 8 rainy days · 119 mm
- 7.9 h of sun
Book early for April to June and September to November
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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Daylight in New York, month by month
The time between sunrise and sunset, from shortest to longest. Not to be confused with the sunshine hours in the table above, which count clear skies. In June there are 15h05 of daylight, in December 9h16, a difference of 5h49.
9h33Jan
10h35Feb
11h49Mar
13h15Apr
14h26May
15h05Jun
14h49Jul
13h47Aug
12h24Sep
11h02Oct
9h50Nov
9h16Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "Central Park" (40.78°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in New York, month by month
What to see and do
EventsSt Patrick's Day ParadeMarchUS OpenAugust to SeptemberNew York City MarathonNovemberThanksgiving Day ParadeNovemberDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
- Sightseeing & walks: March, May, June, September, October, November
- Long days: May, June, July
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall), not from an opinion.
What's on in New York, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. These events fill the hotels and push prices up: something to aim for or to avoid, depending on what you want.
- MarchSt Patrick's Day Parade
The parade marches up Fifth Avenue in mid-March, with bagpipes, firefighters and Catholic schools at the head of the procession.
- August to SeptemberUS Open
The tennis tournament is played at Flushing Meadows from late August to early September, with day and night sessions.
- NovemberNew York City Marathon big crowds
The marathon runs through all five boroughs on the first Sunday of November, and hotels fill up that weekend.
- NovemberThanksgiving Day Parade big crowds
Macy's giant balloons float down Central Park West and then Sixth Avenue on the morning of the fourth Thursday of November.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended5°-2° at night
- 100 mm · 11 d
- 6.1 h
Low season, lower prices
February
Not recommended6°-2° at night
- 87 mm · 10 d
- 6.8 h
Low season, lower prices
March
Fair11°2° at night
- 130 mm · 11 d
- 8.1 h
Low season, lower prices
April
Recommended15°6° at night
- 128 mm · 13 d
- 8.7 h
Busy, without the crush
May
Recommended21°11° at night
- 87 mm · 10 d
- 9.8 h
Busy, without the crush
June
Recommended27°17° at night
- 91 mm · 10 d
- 11 h
Busy, without the crush
July
Fair30°21° at night
- 139 mm · 14 d
- 11.5 h
Busy, without the crush
August
Fair29°20° at night
- 129 mm · 13 d
- 10.8 h
Busy, without the crush
September
Recommended24°16° at night
- 138 mm · 9 d
- 8.9 h
Busy, without the crush
October
Recommended19°11° at night
- 146 mm · 8 d
- 7.7 h
Busy, without the crush
November
Recommended13°4° at night
- 73 mm · 8 d
- 7 h
High season, book early
December
Fair7°0° at night
- 121 mm · 11 d
- 5.6 h
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Deep winter: 5 °C at the warmest of the day, -2 °C at night. Expect 11 days of rain in the month (100 mm). Expect 6.1 h of sunshine a day. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Deep winter: 6 °C at the warmest of the day, -2 °C at night. Expect 10 days of rain in the month (87 mm). Expect 6.8 h of sunshine a day. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. Cool: 11 °C at best, 2 °C at night. Expect 11 days of rain in the month (130 mm). Expect 8.1 h of sunshine a day. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
April. Cool: 15 °C at best, 6 °C at night. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (128 mm). Expect 8.7 h of sunshine a day. Busy season, without the crush.
May. Mild, 21 °C in the afternoon and 11 °C early in the morning. Expect 10 days of rain in the month (87 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 9.8 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
June. 27 °C in the afternoon and 17 °C at night. Expect 10 days of rain in the month (91 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 11 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
July. 30 °C in the afternoon and 21 °C at night. Frequent rain: 139 mm over 14 days. Plenty of sunshine: 11.5 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
August. 29 °C in the afternoon and 20 °C at night. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (129 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 10.8 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
September. Mild, 24 °C in the afternoon and 16 °C early in the morning. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (138 mm). Expect 8.9 h of sunshine a day. Busy season, without the crush.
October. Mild, 19 °C in the afternoon and 11 °C early in the morning. Expect 8 days of rain in the month (146 mm). Expect 7.7 h of sunshine a day. Busy season, without the crush.
November. Cool: 13 °C at best, 4 °C at night. Expect 8 days of rain in the month (73 mm). Expect 7 h of sunshine a day. High season: book early.
December. Deep winter: 7 °C at the warmest of the day, 0 °C at night. Expect 11 days of rain in the month (121 mm). Sunshine gets scarcer (5.6 h a day). Quiet at the start of the month, then busier as the holidays approach.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit New York?
April to June and September to November: over these months, recorded highs range from 13 to 27 °C, with 10 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, Central Park).
Which month should you avoid in New York?
January: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 100 mm over 11 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (Central Park).
What is the hottest month in New York?
July, with 30 °C on average in the afternoon and 21 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Central Park).
What is the coldest month in New York?
January, with 5 °C at best during the day and -2 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Central Park).
What is the driest month in New York?
November: 73 mm over 8 days of rain, against 146 mm in October, the wettest month.
Which month has the most sunshine in New York?
July, with 11.5 h of sunshine a day on average. Note that this counts clear skies, not the length of the day.
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable New York guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🧭 When to visit the American West: the country overview→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
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Photos: Chait Goli / Pexels · Renan Bomtempo / Pexels · Line Knipst / Pexels