Lafayette, NJ climate
Lafayette has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 39 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Lafayette feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Lafayette 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 | 36° | 18° | 3.3" | 11.6" | 11 | 17 | 18° – 35° |
| February | 39° | 20° | 2.6" | 9.9" | 9 | 15 | 16° – 36° |
| March | 48° | 27° | 3.7" | 6.3" | 11 | 9 | 29° – 47° |
| April | 61° | 36° | 3.7" | 1.2" | 12 | 0 | 44° – 53° |
| May | 71° | 46° | 3.7" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 54° – 64° |
| June | 79° | 55° | 4.4" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 64° – 70° |
| July | 84° | 61° | 4.3" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 68° – 76° |
| August | 82° | 59° | 4.5" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 66° – 74° |
| September | 75° | 52° | 4.4" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 61° – 68° |
| October | 63° | 40° | 4.4" | 0.3" | 11 | 0 | 47° – 58° |
| November | 51° | 31° | 3.2" | 1.4" | 9 | 1 | 37° – 46° |
| December | 41° | 24° | 3.9" | 8.0" | 11 | 10 | 25° – 43° |
| Year | 61° | 39° | 46.1" | 38.7" | 132 | 52 |
“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 Lafayette
Lafayette 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 132 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 52 days of the year.
About 164 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 1 and the first one by October 12. That leaves about 164 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 67% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Lafayette
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Lafayette, 90% of that work is heating and 10% 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.
Lafayette and its neighbors
Lafayette borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.5°. Hampton has both the coldest January nights (18°) and the hottest July afternoons (84°). Lafayette’s January low is 18° and its July high 84°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Lafayette 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 Lafayette averaged 1.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.6°). The shift is larger than in 91% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Lafayette’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 16° to 36°. June is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Lafayette’s climate
What is the coldest month in Lafayette?
January, with a typical high of 36° and a low of 18°.
What is the hottest month in Lafayette?
July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 61°. About 12 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Lafayette get?
About 39 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Lafayette?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 12, and the last spring frost by May 1.
What is the rainiest month in Lafayette?
August, with 4.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 46 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Lafayette itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Sussex 3 Wnw, NJ (7 mi, snow) and Sussex Airport, NJ (6 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.