Bethany Beach, DE climate
Bethany Beach has mild winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 30°, and about 11 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Bethany Beach feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Bethany Beach weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 45° | 30° | 3.5" | 2.0" | 11 | 31° – 44° |
| February | 47° | 30° | 3.1" | 6.5" | 10 | 28° – 45° |
| March | 53° | 36° | 4.2" | 1.0" | 11 | 40° – 53° |
| April | 63° | 45° | 3.4" | 0 | 11 | 51° – 59° |
| May | 72° | 54° | 3.5" | 0 | 11 | 58° – 69° |
| June | 81° | 64° | 3.6" | 0 | 10 | 67° – 77° |
| July | 86° | 69° | 4.5" | 0 | 10 | 73° – 81° |
| August | 85° | 68° | 4.7" | 0 | 9 | 73° – 80° |
| September | 78° | 62° | 4.2" | 0 | 9 | 67° – 75° |
| October | 69° | 51° | 4.2" | 0 | 10 | 56° – 66° |
| November | 58° | 41° | 3.3" | 0 | 10 | 43° – 54° |
| December | 50° | 34° | 3.9" | 1.0" | 12 | 33° – 53° |
| Year | 65° | 49° | 46.0" | 10.5" | 124 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Bethany Beach
Bethany Beach gets 46 inches of rain and melted snow a year. August is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 124 days a year.
About 209 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 7 and the first one by November 2. That leaves about 209 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 78% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Bethany Beach
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Bethany Beach, 80% of that work is heating and 20% is cooling.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How Bethany Beach compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Bethany Beach averaged 2.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.0°). The shift is larger than in 93% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Bethany Beach’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. December swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 33° to 53°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Bethany Beach’s climate
What is the coldest month in Bethany Beach?
January, with a typical high of 45° and a low of 30°.
What is the hottest month in Bethany Beach?
July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 69°. About 13 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Bethany Beach get?
About 11 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Bethany Beach?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 2, and the last spring frost by April 7.
What is the rainiest month in Bethany Beach?
August, with 4.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 46 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Bethany Beach itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Lewes, DE (18 mi, snow) and Ocean City Municipal Airport, MD (16 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.