Preakness has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain
A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 22°, and about 24 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Preakness at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Preakness’s climate
Read from where Preakness sits among New Jersey’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
24 inches of snow, 49 of rain and melt
June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 123 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
What a year in Preakness feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 195 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 15 and the first by October 28.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Living with Preakness’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
195 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 15 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 28.
About 24" a winter over 6 days with an inch or more, most in February. Snow covers the ground about 24 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 84% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 22 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 86°.
The nicest months are May, June, August, September and October. 0.8 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →Preakness and its neighbors
Packanack Lake has the coldest January nights next door (21°) and Totowa the hottest July afternoons (86°). Tap a town to see its climate.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Preakness averaged 2.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.5°).
A bigger shift than in 96% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Preakness compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in New Jersey.
Preakness 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 | 38° | 22° | 3.4" | 5.8" | 10 | 8 | 21° – 37° |
| February | 41° | 23° | 2.7" | 8.4" | 8 | 8 | 20° – 38° |
| March | 49° | 30° | 4.0" | 4.6" | 10 | 5 | 34° – 49° |
| April | 62° | 40° | 3.9" | 0.4" | 12 | 0 | 47° – 55° |
| May | 72° | 50° | 4.0" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 57° – 66° |
| June | 81° | 59° | 4.7" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 67° – 73° |
| July | 86° | 65° | 4.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 70° – 79° |
| August | 84° | 63° | 4.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 69° – 77° |
| September | 77° | 55° | 4.4" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 63° – 70° |
| October | 65° | 44° | 4.5" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 50° – 61° |
| November | 53° | 35° | 3.7" | 0.7" | 9 | 0 | 39° – 49° |
| December | 43° | 27° | 4.3" | 4.1" | 10 | 4 | 28° – 46° |
| Year | 63° | 43° | 48.9" | 24.0" | 123 | 24 |
Heating and cooling a home in Preakness
84% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 20° to 38°. June is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Preakness’s climate
What is the coldest month in Preakness?
January, with a typical high of 38° and a low of 22°.
What is the hottest month in Preakness?
July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 65°. About 22 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Preakness get?
About 24 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Preakness?
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 Preakness?
June, with 4.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 49 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Preakness.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Preakness itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Canoe Brook, NJ (15 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. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.