Berkeley, NJ climate
Berkeley has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 25°, and about 10 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Berkeley feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Berkeley 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 | 42° | 25° | 3.8" | 3.9" | 10 | 26° – 41° |
| February | 44° | 26° | 3.0" | 4.6" | 8 | 24° – 42° |
| March | 51° | 32° | 4.5" | 0.8" | 11 | 37° – 50° |
| April | 61° | 41° | 3.7" | 0 | 10 | 48° – 56° |
| May | 71° | 51° | 3.5" | 0 | 9 | 55° – 65° |
| June | 80° | 60° | 3.8" | 0 | 9 | 66° – 74° |
| July | 85° | 66° | 4.6" | 0 | 8 | 71° – 79° |
| August | 84° | 65° | 4.5" | 0 | 9 | 70° – 78° |
| September | 77° | 58° | 3.9" | 0 | 8 | 65° – 71° |
| October | 66° | 47° | 4.0" | 0 | 8 | 53° – 63° |
| November | 56° | 37° | 3.2" | 0 | 8 | 40° – 51° |
| December | 47° | 30° | 4.5" | 0.9" | 9 | 31° – 50° |
| Year | 64° | 45° | 47.2" | 10.2" | 106 |
“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 Berkeley
Berkeley gets 47 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 106 days a year.
About 179 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 23 and the first one by October 20. That leaves about 179 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 51% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Berkeley
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Berkeley, 86% of that work is heating and 14% 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.
Berkeley and its neighbors
Berkeley borders 9 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.3°. Lacey has both the coldest January nights (24°) and the hottest July afternoons (86°). Berkeley’s January low is 25° and its July high 85°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Berkeley 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 Berkeley 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 Berkeley’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 31° to 50°. September is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Berkeley’s climate
What is the coldest month in Berkeley?
January, with a typical high of 42° and a low of 25°.
What is the hottest month in Berkeley?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 66°. About 24 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Berkeley get?
About 10 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Berkeley?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 20, and the last spring frost by April 23.
What is the rainiest month in Berkeley?
July, with 4.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 47 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Berkeley itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Brant Beach-beach Haven, NJ (24 mi, snow) and Toms River, NJ (3 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.