Best Time to Visit New York: September, Spring and When to Skip
The best time to visit New York is September, when highs average 75.9°F (24.4°C) with 9 rainy days. Late May and early June come next, while July peaks at 85.1°F (29.5°C) with 13 rainy days.
The best time to visit New York is September, with late May and early June as the runner up. September averages a high of 75.9°F (24.4°C) and a low of 61.2°F (16.2°C), with only 9 rainy days, and the sticky heat of July has usually broken by the second week. May is cooler at 70.0°F (21.1°C) but gets 9.9 hours of sun a day and the parks are at their greenest.
New York is a city of real seasons, and that cuts both ways. A January morning can sit at 25.2°F (-3.8°C), and a July afternoon averages 85.1°F (29.5°C) before you factor in subway platforms and sidewalk heat. Between those extremes there are two long, comfortable windows, and almost everything good about a visit fits inside them. The numbers below are WeatherApex 20-year averages for New York City.
Best Time to Visit New York: The Year in One Table
Read the low column as carefully as the high. New York is a walking city, and you will be outside early and late, so the evening temperature decides what you carry more than the afternoon one does.
| Month | Avg high °F (°C) | Avg low °F (°C) | Rain (in / mm) | Rainy days | Sun hours per day | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 39.0 (3.9) | 25.2 (-3.8) | 3.3 / 84 | 9 | 6.5 | 67% |
| February | 41.0 (5.0) | 25.0 (-3.9) | 3.5 / 89 | 9 | 7.2 | 68% |
| March | 49.5 (9.7) | 32.5 (0.3) | 4.4 / 112 | 10 | 8.3 | 66% |
| April | 60.3 (15.7) | 42.6 (5.9) | 3.9 / 99 | 11 | 9.1 | 67% |
| May | 70.0 (21.1) | 53.1 (11.7) | 3.7 / 94 | 11 | 9.9 | 71% |
| June | 79.2 (26.2) | 62.8 (17.1) | 4.2 / 107 | 11 | 11.1 | 71% |
| July | 85.1 (29.5) | 69.3 (20.7) | 4.6 / 117 | 13 | 11.8 | 71% |
| August | 82.4 (28.0) | 67.3 (19.6) | 4.3 / 109 | 11 | 10.8 | 72% |
| September | 75.9 (24.4) | 61.2 (16.2) | 4.1 / 104 | 9 | 9.1 | 74% |
| October | 64.9 (18.3) | 50.5 (10.3) | 4.6 / 117 | 9 | 7.8 | 73% |
| November | 53.1 (11.7) | 39.0 (3.9) | 2.9 / 74 | 8 | 6.8 | 71% |
| December | 43.9 (6.6) | 30.9 (-0.6) | 4.3 / 109 | 10 | 5.7 | 73% |
A few things stand out. Rain is spread almost evenly through the year, between 2.9 and 4.6 inches a month, so there is no true dry season to chase. July has the most rainy days (13), mostly short thunderstorms rather than all-day drizzle. And December is the darkest month, with 5.7 hours of sun a day, which matters if you plan to sightsee until dinner.
The Two Windows We Would Actually Book
Window one: the second week of September to mid October
This is our pick for the best time to visit New York. September keeps summer's long evenings without the worst of the humidity, and its 9 rainy days are the fewest of any warm month. By October the high drops to 64.9°F (18.3°C) with a low of 50.5°F (10.3°C), which is perfect walking weather for a full day in Manhattan followed by a long crossing of the Brooklyn Bridge at dusk. You will want a light jacket at night and nothing more.
The catch: October ties July as the wettest month at 4.6 inches (117 mm), and hotel prices in fall are rarely low because conferences, the marathon in early November and the run up to the holidays all fill rooms. Book early. Also keep an eye on the tropics: hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, and while direct hits on the city are rare, the remains of a tropical storm can dump a day of heavy rain in late summer or early fall. Check the New York September weather page before you lock in dates.
Window two: mid May to mid June
Late spring is the other sweet spot, and for some travelers it is the best time to visit New York, full stop. May averages 70.0°F (21.1°C) and June 79.2°F (26.2°C), with 11 rainy days each and between 9.9 and 11.1 hours of sun. Central Park fills with picnics, rooftop bars open for the season, and you can sit outside at a sidewalk table without a coat. Early June is when we would go with kids, before school is out and the July crowds arrive.
The weak spot is the rain count. Eleven rainy days in a month means you should plan at least one museum afternoon as a backup. The low in May is still 53.1°F (11.7°C), so pack a sweater for evenings. More detail is on the New York May weather page.
New York Month by Month
January and February: cold, clear and cheap
These are the coldest months by a clear margin. January averages 39.0°F (3.9°C) for a high and February 41.0°F (5.0°C), with lows of 25.2°F (-3.8°C) and 25.0°F (-3.9°C). Wind off the rivers makes it feel colder, especially in Lower Manhattan and on the waterfront. Snow is possible, though a big storm that shuts the city is not a weekly event.
Here is the upside. After New Year, hotel rates usually fall to their lowest of the year, Broadway lines shrink and museums are quieter on weekdays. If you mostly want theater, food and galleries, January is a perfectly sensible choice. Just dress for it. Our guide to dressing for 40 degree weather covers the layering that works here.
March: the false spring
March is a gamble. The high climbs to 49.5°F (9.7°C), but the low sits right at freezing, 32.5°F (0.3°C), and 4.4 inches (112 mm) of rain or sleet falls over 10 days. Some years the cherry trees bloom early; some years it snows. We would not plan a first visit around March, but it can be a decent value month for a return trip.
April: blossoms and showers
April brings real change. Highs reach 60.3°F (15.7°C) and the day gets 9.1 hours of sun, but rainy days rise to 11. Blossoms usually peak in April in the city's parks and botanical gardens, and that alone justifies the umbrella. Spring break weeks can be busy, so check school calendars if crowds bother you.
May and June: the green months
Covered above. Short version: very good, a little showery, rising prices into June. Late June begins to feel like summer, with lows of 62.8°F (17.1°C) keeping nights warm.
July and August: hot, humid and loud
July is the hottest month at 85.1°F (29.5°C), with a low of 69.3°F (20.7°C) and 71% humidity. August is barely cooler at 82.4°F (28.0°C) and slightly more humid at 72%. Those averages hide heat waves that push well past them for days at a time, and the subway platforms trap heat in a way that surprises first time visitors.
Summer still has its fans, and for good reason: free outdoor concerts, outdoor movies, beach days at Coney Island or the Rockaways, and 11.8 hours of sun in July. If you go, build days around air conditioned museums in the early afternoon and do your walking before 11am and after 6pm. The New York July weather page breaks down the typical month.
September and October: the best of the year
See window one. The leaves usually turn in Central Park from late October into early November, a little later than upstate.
November: quiet, dry and underrated
November is the driest month, with 2.9 inches (74 mm) of rain over 8 rainy days, the fewest of the year. The high falls to 53.1°F (11.7°C) and the low to 39.0°F (3.9°C). Early November is a lovely, crisp time for walking neighborhoods like the West Village or Park Slope. Thanksgiving week is the exception: the parade draws large crowds, and hotel prices jump. For more autumn options in the region, see our list of good places to visit in the USA in November.
December: lights, crowds and early dark
December averages 43.9°F (6.6°C) with a low of 30.9°F (-0.6°C), 10 rainy days and 4.3 inches (109 mm) of precipitation. The holiday windows, the tree at Rockefeller Center and the skating rinks make it the most photographed month, but also one of the most crowded and expensive, especially the last two weeks. The first week of December is the smart compromise. The New York December weather page has more on what a typical holiday week looks like.
When We Would Not Go
The flip side of the best time to visit New York is the worst. If you have only one trip and want the city at its most comfortable, skip two stretches. The first is mid July to mid August, when 85°F days, 71% to 72% humidity and frequent thunderstorms turn long walks into a chore. The second is the period from late January through early March, when lows hover between 25.0°F and 32.5°F (-3.9°C and 0.3°C) and a gray, slushy week is entirely possible.
Neither is a disaster. People enjoy New York in both. But if the weather matters to you, the difference between a September trip and an August trip is large, and it costs you nothing extra to pick the better one.
Picking a Month by What You Want
- First visit, mostly sightseeing: mid September to mid October. Long days, comfortable walking, fewest weather surprises.
- Lowest prices: January and February after the first week. Cold, yes, but rooms and shows are easier to get.
- Families with kids: early June, before the summer holiday peak, or the first half of October.
- Holiday atmosphere: the first ten days of December. You get the lights and the windows with fewer people than Christmas week.
- Beaches and outdoor events: late June to August, accepting the heat.
- Avoiding crowds: early November (outside marathon weekend and Thanksgiving week) and late January.
If you are combining the city with other stops, the same September window works well for Boston and Washington DC. Boston averages 73.6°F (23.1°C) in September and Washington 79.0°F (26.1°C); see the Boston weather overview and the Washington DC weather overview. Our best places to visit in the US roundup ranks more of these cities by season, and if you are weighing a coast to coast trip, the best time to visit California lines up surprisingly well with New York's fall window.
What to Pack, Season by Season
Comfortable shoes come first in any month. You will walk far more than you expect, and breaking in new shoes on Fifth Avenue is a mistake people only make once.
- Winter (December to February): a proper insulated coat, hat, gloves and a scarf. Waterproof boots help when slush builds up at crosswalks. Indoors is heated hard, so layers you can peel off beat one huge sweater.
- Spring (March to May): a light waterproof jacket, a sweater and a compact umbrella. March can still need a winter coat.
- Summer (June to August): breathable clothes, a refillable water bottle, sunscreen and a light layer for aggressively air conditioned theaters and museums.
- Fall (September to November): jeans, a mid weight jacket and one warmer layer for November nights. Our 50 degree weather outfit guide is a good match for late October and November.
How We Picked: A Note on the Data
Every figure in this article comes from WeatherApex 20-year averages (2006 to 2025) for New York City, built from the Open-Meteo historical weather archive. Averages describe a typical month, not the one you will get: a September can turn up a heat wave, and a single nor'easter can reshape a March trip. Use the table to choose the best time to visit New York for your own plans, then check the forecast about a week out. You can see the full picture for any month on the New York weather overview, or line up several cities and dates in our trip planner.
One practical last tip: if your dates are fixed and the forecast looks wet, front load the outdoor plans. Book timed entry for the observation decks and big museums only once you can see the week's weather, and keep a flexible ticket or two so a rainy afternoon becomes a museum afternoon instead of a lost one.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best month to visit New York City?
September is our pick. It averages a high of 75.9°F (24.4°C), a low of 61.2°F (16.2°C) and only 9 rainy days, with less humidity than July or August. Early October is a close second at 64.9°F (18.3°C).
What is the cheapest time to visit New York?
January and February, after the New Year holiday, are usually the cheapest months. They are also the coldest, with highs of 39.0°F (3.9°C) and 41.0°F (5.0°C) and lows around 25°F (-4°C). If you mostly want museums, food and theater, the cold matters less.
How hot does New York get in summer?
July is the hottest month, averaging 85.1°F (29.5°C) for a high and 69.3°F (20.7°C) for a low, with 71% humidity. August averages 82.4°F (28.0°C). Heat waves regularly push past those averages, and subway platforms feel hotter than the street.
Is December a good time to visit New York?
It is a great time for holiday lights and window displays, but expect crowds and higher prices. December averages 43.9°F (6.6°C) with a low of 30.9°F (-0.6°C), 10 rainy days and only 5.7 hours of sun a day. The first week of December is the best balance.
