Washington vs New York: Weather & Climate Compared
🇺🇸 Washington, United States · 🇺🇸 New York, United States
Warmer overall
Washington
Sunnier
Washington
More rainy days
Washington
The short answer
If warmth is the deciding factor, Washington wins: 57°F (14°C) on the annual mean against 54°F (12°C) in New York, a gap of 3.1°F (1.7°C).
Head to head
- Sunshine: Washington collects 8.7 hours of daily sun across the year; New York manages 8.6.
- Rain: the rain gauge favors New York: 128 wet days a year to Washington's 132.
- Snow: New York is the snowy one, averaging about 10 snow days a year.
- Peak heat: Washington tops out in July (88°F (31°C) highs); New York peaks in July (85°F (30°C)).
- Coldest nights: winter bottoms out at 28°F (-2°C) in Washington (January) and 26°F (-3°C) in New York (January).
Washington vs New York month by month
| Month | Washington high / low | New York high / low | Washington rain days | New York rain days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 44° / 28° | 40° / 26° | 9 | 10 |
| February | 48° / 31° | 43° / 26° | 10 | 10 |
| March | 56° / 36° | 49° / 33° | 10 | 10 |
| April | 66° / 46° | 60° / 42° | 11 | 12 |
| May | 75° / 56° | 70° / 53° | 13 | 12 |
| June | 84° / 65° | 79° / 62° | 13 | 11 |
| July | 88° / 70° | 85° / 69° | 14 | 13 |
| August | 85° / 69° | 83° / 68° | 14 | 12 |
| September | 80° / 63° | 77° / 62° | 11 | 10 |
| October | 69° / 52° | 66° / 51° | 9 | 9 |
| November | 57° / 40° | 54° / 39° | 8 | 9 |
| December | 49° / 34° | 45° / 32° | 10 | 11 |
Who's warmer, month by month?
Washington is warmer in every single month - the question is never which city is milder, only by how much. The gap is widest in April, when Washington's afternoons run about 6°F (4°C) ahead, and narrowest in August, when the two nearly meet.
Sunshine, daylight and rain chance
| Month | Washington sun | New York sun | Washington daylight | New York daylight | Washington wet-day chance | New York wet-day chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6.1 h | 6.1 h | 9.7 h | 9.6 h | 30% | 32% |
| February | 7.0 h | 6.9 h | 10.7 h | 10.6 h | 36% | 34% |
| March | 8.0 h | 8.2 h | 11.8 h | 11.8 h | 33% | 33% |
| April | 9.2 h | 8.8 h | 13.2 h | 13.2 h | 38% | 40% |
| May | 9.7 h | 9.9 h | 14.3 h | 14.4 h | 42% | 37% |
| June | 11.5 h | 11.1 h | 14.9 h | 15.1 h | 43% | 35% |
| July | 11.7 h | 11.6 h | 14.6 h | 14.8 h | 46% | 43% |
| August | 10.8 h | 10.9 h | 13.7 h | 13.8 h | 45% | 40% |
| September | 8.8 h | 9.1 h | 12.4 h | 12.4 h | 36% | 32% |
| October | 8.0 h | 7.8 h | 11.1 h | 11.0 h | 28% | 29% |
| November | 7.6 h | 7.1 h | 10.0 h | 9.8 h | 26% | 29% |
| December | 6.0 h | 5.6 h | 9.5 h | 9.3 h | 31% | 35% |
Seasons compared
| Months | Washington high / low | New York high / low | Washington rain days | New York rain days | Washington sun | New York sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December - February | 47° / 31° | 42° / 28° | 29 | 30 | 6.4 h | 6.2 h |
| March - May | 65° / 46° | 60° / 43° | 34 | 34 | 9.0 h | 9.0 h |
| June - August | 86° / 68° | 82° / 67° | 41 | 36 | 11.3 h | 11.2 h |
| September - November | 68° / 52° | 66° / 51° | 28 | 27 | 8.1 h | 8.0 h |
Best months for sightseeing
Counting months with average highs between 64°F and 82°F (18-28°C) and fewer than 12 wet days:
- Washington: April, September, October (3 months)
- New York: May, June, September, October (4 months)
Both cities are at their most comfortable in September, October, the easiest window for a trip that takes in both.
Records, distance and time difference
- Washington records (2015-2024): high of 101° in July, low of -7° in February.
- New York records (2015-2024): high of 100° in August, low of -5° in January.
- Distance: Washington and New York are about 204 miles (328 km) apart as the crow flies.
- Time difference: the two cities share the same local time right now.
Washington vs New York: quick answers
Is Washington warmer than New York?
On the annual mean, Washington is the warmer city by roughly 3.1°F (1.7°C), though the margin shifts with the seasons.
Which city is sunnier, Washington or New York?
Washington takes it: 8.7 sun hours a day averaged across the year, versus 8.6 for New York.
Which city gets more rain?
Washington - roughly 132 days with measurable precipitation a year, compared with 128 in New York.
Dig deeper
More comparisons with New York