New Bedford, MA climate
New Bedford has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 23°, and about 33 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in New Bedford feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
New Bedford 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 | 39° | 23° | 3.9" | 10.9" | 11 | 22° – 38° |
| February | 40° | 24° | 3.6" | 8.5" | 11 | 20° – 38° |
| March | 46° | 30° | 5.2" | 6.6" | 12 | 32° – 45° |
| April | 56° | 39° | 4.4" | 1.7" | 12 | 44° – 52° |
| May | 67° | 48° | 3.5" | 0 | 11 | 52° – 62° |
| June | 76° | 58° | 3.8" | 0 | 10 | 64° – 70° |
| July | 82° | 65° | 3.2" | 0 | 8 | 69° – 77° |
| August | 81° | 63° | 3.7" | 0 | 9 | 69° – 76° |
| September | 74° | 56° | 4.1" | 0 | 10 | 62° – 69° |
| October | 63° | 46° | 4.6" | 0 | 8 | 51° – 60° |
| November | 53° | 37° | 4.3" | 0.4" | 10 | 40° – 49° |
| December | 44° | 29° | 4.8" | 4.4" | 12 | 30° – 47° |
| Year | 60° | 43° | 49.1" | 32.5" | 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 New Bedford
New Bedford gets 49 inches of rain and melted snow a year. March is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 124 days a year.
About 167 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 29 and the first one by October 15. That leaves about 167 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 64% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in New Bedford
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In New Bedford, 91% of that work is heating and 9% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
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.
New Bedford and its neighbors
New Bedford borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.6°. Acushnet has both the coldest January nights (22°) and the hottest July afternoons (83°). New Bedford’s January low is 23° and its July high 82°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How New Bedford 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 New Bedford averaged 2.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.3°). The shift is larger than in 95% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at New Bedford’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. February swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 20° to 38°. June is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about New Bedford’s climate
What is the coldest month in New Bedford?
January, with a typical high of 39° and a low of 23°.
What is the hottest month in New Bedford?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 65°. About 7 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does New Bedford get?
About 33 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in New Bedford?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 15, and the last spring frost by April 29.
What is the rainiest month in New Bedford?
March, with 5.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 49 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for New Bedford itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at New Bedford Coop, MA (5 mi, snow) and New Bedford Municipal Airport, MA (1 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.