Clifton, NJ climate
Clifton has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 23°, and about 28 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Clifton feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Clifton 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 | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 40° | 23° | 3.4" | 8.0" | 11 | 8 | 22° – 38° |
| February | 42° | 25° | 2.8" | 8.4" | 10 | 9 | 21° – 40° |
| March | 50° | 31° | 4.0" | 4.7" | 11 | 3 | 36° – 50° |
| April | 63° | 41° | 3.9" | 0.7" | 11 | 0 | 48° – 56° |
| May | 73° | 51° | 3.9" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 58° – 67° |
| June | 82° | 60° | 4.4" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 68° – 74° |
| July | 87° | 66° | 4.6" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 72° – 80° |
| August | 85° | 64° | 4.4" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 70° – 78° |
| September | 77° | 57° | 4.3" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 65° – 72° |
| October | 66° | 45° | 4.3" | 0.2" | 9 | 0 | 51° – 62° |
| November | 54° | 36° | 3.6" | 0.3" | 9 | 0 | 41° – 50° |
| December | 44° | 29° | 4.2" | 5.9" | 11 | 3 | 29° – 48° |
| Year | 64° | 44° | 48.0" | 28.2" | 120 | 24 |
“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 Clifton
Clifton gets 48 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 120 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 24 days of the year.
About 195 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 15 and the first one by October 28. That leaves about 195 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 69% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Clifton
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Clifton, 84% of that work is heating and 16% 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.
Clifton and its neighbors
Clifton borders 8 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 2.2°. Little Falls has the coldest January nights (22°) and Nutley the hottest July afternoons (87°). Clifton’s January low is 23° and its July high 87°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Clifton 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 Clifton averaged 2.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.5°). The shift is larger than in 98% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Clifton’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 21° to 40°. June is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Clifton’s climate
What is the coldest month in Clifton?
January, with a typical high of 40° and a low of 23°.
What is the hottest month in Clifton?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 66°. About 22 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Clifton get?
About 28 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Clifton?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 28, and the last spring frost by April 15.
What is the rainiest month in Clifton?
July, with 4.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 48 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Clifton itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Harrison, NJ (8 mi, snow) and Little Falls, NJ (4 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.