Weather in New York City in July

A good month. July works. It is not the peak, but nothing about it fights you. Highs average 26.2 °C, lows 21.1 °C, and rain falls on 13 days — nothing in the month is working against you.

July ranks 2 of 12 in New York City. Only September scores clearly higher, and the difference is small enough to be settled by price rather than weather.

Rain on 13 days, 4 of them heavy. Enough to need a plan B, not enough to need a plan around it. Nothing specialised needed — this is the month you pack for the trip rather than for the weather.

What the averages hide

Averages flatten a month, and this one hides a few things: the day barely swings — 5 °C between the overnight low and the afternoon high. Across the twenty years measured, the hottest July day reached 34.3 °C and the coldest night fell to 14.8 °C, and the wettest single day dropped 50 mm — roughly 44% of the month's rain in one day.

July is statistically steady but not small: the year-to-year variation is modest in relative terms, yet the wettest July on record still delivered 207 mm against 34 mm in the driest. In a month this wet, even a tame spread is a lot of rain in absolute terms — the 114 mm average is a reasonable planning figure, not a promise.

Wind is light at 11.4 km/h, so the temperature on the page is close to the temperature on your skin, and humidity runs at 79%, high enough to notice on the warm days without dominating them.

How July sits in the year

Temperatures hold steady either side: 22.4 °C in June, 26.2 here, 26.1 in August. Nothing about the timing within the month matters much.

Daylight in July

July is at or near the longest days of New York City's year: 14.8 hours of daylight, losing 0.6 hours across the month. Evenings are the real gain — dinner outdoors still happens in full light.

Sea temperature

The sea sits at about 23.4 °C in July — comfortable for a proper swim. This is the warmest the water gets all year.

How busy it gets

Peak season. Expect the highest prices of the year and to be booking well ahead.

Crowd levels are estimated from climate desirability and school-holiday calendars, not from visitor numbers.

July in New York City versus nearby

If New York City is one option among several, the nearby comparison is worth making. Philadelphia is the weaker option in July — 3.8 °C warmer, 1 day more rain. Boston is close enough to be a coin toss — within a degree on temperature, 1 day less rain.

So: July works, with September the better month by 7 points if the dates can move. If they cannot, nothing here should stop you booking.

Every month in New York City

See all twelve months in New York City, or where else to go in July.