Climate · North Plainfield

North Plainfield, NJ climate

North Plainfield has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 23°, and about 21 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade
July high
87°
222nd hottest of 941 New Jersey towns
January low
23°
312th coldest of 941 New Jersey towns
Rain + melted snow
48 in
216th wettest of 941 New Jersey towns
Snow a winter
21 in
212th least snowy of 898 New Jersey towns
A normal year

What a year in North Plainfield feels like

Winter

43° / 25°
Typical high / low · 6 days with an inch or more of snow

Spring

62° / 40°
Typical high / low · Last frost around Apr 11

Summer

85° / 62°
Typical high / low · 29 days reach 90° in a normal year

Fall

66° / 45°
Typical high / low · First frost around Oct 28
Best months to be outsideAprMayJunSepOctHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Month by month

North Plainfield weather by month

Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet days30-yr range
January40°23°3.5" 6.8"10 23° – 38°
February43°24°2.9" 6.7"8 22° – 40°
March51°31°4.2" 3.6"10 35° – 50°
April63°40°3.8" 0.2"11 48° – 57°
May73°50°4.1" 012 57° – 67°
June82°59°4.4" 011 67° – 74°
July87°65°5.0" 010 71° – 79°
August85°63°4.5" 010 69° – 77°
September78°56°4.3" 09 64° – 72°
October66°44°4.3" 0.1"10 51° – 61°
November55°35°3.3" 0.1"9 40° – 50°
December45°28°4.3" 3.5"10 29° – 48°
Year64°43°48.5"21.0"121

“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 & snow

Rain and snow in North Plainfield

North Plainfield 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 121 days a year.

48 in
Rain + melted snow a year
More rain than 83% of U.S. towns
21 in
Snow in a normal winter
Less snow than 56% of U.S. towns
121 days
With rain or snow (0.01"+)

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water
5.0"

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow
6.8"
Frost & the growing season

About 198 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 11 and the first one by October 28. That leaves about 198 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 71% of U.S. towns.

103
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
<1
nights below 0° in a normal year
29
days that reach 90° in a normal year

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in North Plainfield

Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In North Plainfield, 81% of that work is heating and 19% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.

81%heating
4,817 heating degree daysLess heating than 69% of U.S. towns
1,157 cooling degree daysMore cooling than 67% of U.S. towns

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.

Around North Plainfield

North Plainfield and its neighbors

North Plainfield borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.6°. Watchung has the coldest January nights (22°) and Plainfield the hottest July afternoons (87°). North Plainfield’s January low is 23° and its July high 87°.

Scotch Plains: January low 23°, July high 87°Dunellen: January low 22°, July high 87°Berkeley Heights: January low 22°, July high 86°Warren: January low 22°, July high 86°Middlesex: January low 23°, July high 87°Bridgewater: January low 22°, July high 86°Plainfield: January low 23°, July high 87°Watchung: January low 22°, July high 86°Green Brook: January low 22°, July high 87°North Plainfield: January low 23°, July high 87° North PlainfieldPlainfieldWatchungGreen Brook
ColderMilder22° to 23°
Watchung22.1° −0.5°
Green Brook22.4° −0.2°
North Plainfield22.6°
Plainfield22.7° +0.1°

Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.

Compared with other towns

How North Plainfield compares

Summer heat87° July high
Hotter than 64% of U.S. towns222nd hottest of 941 New Jersey towns
Winter cold23° January low
Milder than 65% of U.S. towns312th coldest of 941 New Jersey towns
Precipitation48" a year
Wetter than 83% of U.S. towns216th wettest of 941 New Jersey towns
Snow21" a winter
Less snow than 56% of U.S. towns212th least snowy of 898 New Jersey towns
Growing season198 frost-free days
Longer than 71% of U.S. towns333rd longest of 941 New Jersey towns

Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

+2.2°1991–2020 average vs. the 20th century (1901–2000)

The last 30 years in North Plainfield averaged 2.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.8°). The shift is larger than in 98% of U.S. towns.

❄️ Winter+3.2° now 34°, was 31°
🌷 Spring+1.9° now 51°, was 49°
☀️ Summer+2.0° now 73°, was 71°
🍂 Fall+1.8° now 56°, was 54°

Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at North Plainfield’s spot on NOAA’s grid

Year to year

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 29° to 48°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Questions

Common questions about North Plainfield’s climate

What is the coldest month in North Plainfield?

January, with a typical high of 40° and a low of 23°.

What is the hottest month in North Plainfield?

July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 65°. About 29 days a year reach 90°.

How much snow does North Plainfield get?

About 21 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.

When is the first frost in North Plainfield?

In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 28, and the last spring frost by April 11.

What is the rainiest month in North Plainfield?

July, with 5.0 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 48 inches.

Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for North Plainfield itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Bound Brook 2w, NJ (8 mi, snow) and Plainfield, NJ (2 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.

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