New York weather by month & the best time to visit
United States · major coastal city · humid subtropical climate
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The best time to visit New York is September — its sunniest month (Sunshine Score 74/100), with June and July close behind. New York averages about 2,252 hours of sunshine a year. Daytime highs around 23°C / 73°F and roughly 97 mm of rain in September.
When is the best time to visit New York?
For sunshine, the best time to visit New York is September, then June and July. The dullest month is January (0/100, 99 mm of rain). The full month-by-month picture is in the table below.
How sunny is New York?
New York gets a moderate 2,252 hours of sunshine a year. 74 Sunshine Score points separate September (74) from January (0), so the month you pick matters. It ranks #301 of 580 destinations in United States for annual sunshine, below the national median of 2,279 hours. The year's 1,313 mm of rain spreads fairly evenly across the months, with no pronounced dry season.
Sunshine Score by month
| Month | Score | Day high | Night low | Rain | UV | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0 | 4° / 39°F | -1° / 30°F | 99 mm | 1 | 6° / 43°F |
| February | 0 | 4° / 39°F | -1° / 30°F | 95 mm | 2 | 5° / 41°F |
| March | 0 | 7° / 45°F | 1° / 34°F | 113 mm | 3 | 7° / 45°F |
| April | 24 | 12° / 54°F | 6° / 43°F | 107 mm | 5 | 10° / 50°F |
| May | 55 | 17° / 63°F | 12° / 54°F | 101 mm | 6 | 14° / 57°F |
| June | 71 | 23° / 73°F | 17° / 63°F | 115 mm | 7 | 19° / 66°F |
| July | 71 | 26° / 79°F | 21° / 70°F | 114 mm | 7 | 23° / 73°F |
| August | 71 | 26° / 79°F | 21° / 70°F | 114 mm | 7 | 22° / 72°F |
| September | 74 | 23° / 73°F | 18° / 64°F | 97 mm | 5 | 22° / 72°F |
| October | 58 | 18° / 64°F | 12° / 54°F | 124 mm | 3 | 18° / 64°F |
| November | 24 | 12° / 54°F | 7° / 45°F | 101 mm | 2 | 13° / 55°F |
| December | 0 | 7° / 45°F | 2° / 36°F | 133 mm | 1 | 8° / 46°F |
Sea temperature in New York by month
The sea off New York is warmest in July at around 23°C / 73°F, and coolest in February at 5°C / 41°F. The water sits at a comfortable 21°C or warmer roughly 3 months a year. Month-by-month sea-surface temperatures are in the Sea column of the table above.
Nearest destinations
Head-to-head
How New York compares month by month: New York vs Trenton · New York vs White Plains · New York vs Atlantic City · New York vs Islip · all comparisons
New York: questions and answers
What kind of destination is New York?
New York is a major coastal city in United States with a humid subtropical climate — the sea reaches 23°C at its warmest and is swimmable (21°C+) about 3 months a year.
How many hours of sunshine does New York get a year?
New York gets about 2,252 hours of sunshine a year, at its best around September.
When is the best time to visit New York?
The sunniest time to visit New York is September, when the Sunshine Score peaks at 74/100 (with June and July close behind). Expect daytime highs around 23°C / 73°F.
What is the least sunny month in New York?
January is the least sunny month in New York, scoring 0/100 with about 99 mm of rain.
What is the sea temperature in New York?
The sea in New York ranges from about 5°C (February) to 23°C (July). Month-by-month sea temperatures are on this page.
How strong is the sun in New York?
The typical midday UV index in New York peaks around 7 (high) in June, easing to about 1 (low) in January. Month-by-month midday UV values are in the UV column of the table on this page.
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