Halifax, Canada Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Halifax
A 22°C spread between its warmest and coolest months puts Halifax among the more strongly seasonal places we cover. August averages 74°F (23°C) by day; February averages 34°F (1°C), with nights at 20°F (-7°C).
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: August - highs near 74°F (23°C)
- Coldest month: February - highs near 34°F (1°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 88°F (31°C) high · -16°F (-26°C) low
- Wettest month: December (13 rainy days) · Sunniest: August (9.9 h sun/day)
- Climate type: oceanic
- Annual swing: 22°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 7°C
- Snow: about 27 days a year
- Months with freezing average lows: 4
- Average humidity: 78%
Temperatures through the year
February bottoms out at 34°F (1°C) in daylight, 20°F (-7°C) after dark. At its warmest, in August, Halifax runs to 74°F (23°C) in the afternoon and back to 62°F (17°C) by dawn. Across the gridded 2015-2024 daily record, the highest daily maximum for this location was 88°F (31°C) and the lowest daily minimum -16°F (-26°C). Snow falls on roughly 27 days a year, mostly November through April.
Rain, sun and snow
Sunshine averages 7.6 hours a day over the year - duller than all but 9% of the 3496 cities in our dataset, peaking in August at 9.9 hours. Three of the twelve months pair mild highs with fewer than twelve wet days; the longest unbroken run is July through September. Days and nights are about 7°C apart on average - narrower than about 82% of the cities we track.
How Halifax compares
- Halifax averages 47°F (8°C) across the year - cooler than all but 4% of the 3496 cities we track.
- 29% of the year's precipitation falls in its wettest three months - more evenly spread than all but 9% of the 3496 cities we track.
Ranked against every city in our dataset, each measured on the same ten-year window.
Monthly climate table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 35° | 21° | 13 | 5.9 in | 4.9 h/day | 9.2 h | 42% | 75% |
| February | 34° | 20° | 12 | 5.7 in | 6.2 h/day | 10.4 h | 42% | 74% |
| March | 39° | 26° | 13 | 5.2 in | 7.3 h/day | 11.8 h | 42% | 73% |
| April | 47° | 34° | 13 | 5.2 in | 8.3 h/day | 13.4 h | 45% | 75% |
| May | 57° | 43° | 11 | 3.1 in | 9.2 h/day | 14.8 h | 36% | 76% |
| June | 65° | 52° | 13 | 5.7 in | 9.5 h/day | 15.5 h | 42% | 81% |
| July | 73° | 61° | 11 | 4.1 in | 9.8 h/day | 15.2 h | 36% | 83% |
| August | 74° | 62° | 11 | 4.4 in | 9.9 h/day | 14.0 h | 35% | 82% |
| September | 68° | 57° | 10 | 4.1 in | 8.8 h/day | 12.4 h | 33% | 80% |
| October | 58° | 47° | 10 | 5.5 in | 7.1 h/day | 10.9 h | 32% | 79% |
| November | 48° | 37° | 12 | 5.6 in | 5.2 h/day | 9.5 h | 38% | 77% |
| December | 39° | 28° | 13 | 6.2 in | 4.4 h/day | 8.8 h | 42% | 77% |
Halifax month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Halifax's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 4.9 h
- Daylight
- 9.2 h
- Snow
- 6 days
February
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 6.2 h
- Daylight
- 10.4 h
- Snow
- 6 days
March
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 7.3 h
- Daylight
- 11.8 h
- Snow
- 6 days
April
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 8.3 h
- Daylight
- 13.4 h
- Snow
- 3 days
May
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 9.2 h
- Daylight
- 14.8 h
June
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 9.5 h
- Daylight
- 15.5 h
July
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 9.8 h
- Daylight
- 15.2 h
August
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 9.9 h
- Daylight
- 14.0 h
September
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 8.8 h
- Daylight
- 12.4 h
October
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 7.1 h
- Daylight
- 10.9 h
November
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 5.2 h
- Daylight
- 9.5 h
- Snow
- 2 days
December
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 4.4 h
- Daylight
- 8.8 h
- Snow
- 4 days
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Halifax
Spring (March through May)
Spring is brisk and cold here - highs near 48°F (9°C), nights near 34°F (1°C), and rain falls on around 37 of the 90 days, plus about 9 snowy days.
Summer (June through August)
Through summer, Halifax is pleasantly warm: 70°F (21°C) by day, 58°F (15°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 35 of the 90 days.
Fall (September through November)
Fall stays on the cool side of mild here - highs near 58°F (15°C), nights near 47°F (8°C), and rain falls on around 31 of the 90 days.
Winter (December through February)
Winter in Halifax brings deep cold, with daytime highs averaging 36°F (2°C) and nights around 23°F (-5°C); rain falls on around 38 of the 90 days, plus about 17 snowy days. Wind sharpens cold like this considerably; pair the forecast winds with the wind speed converter to judge exposed conditions.
Climate questions, answered
When does Halifax drop below freezing?
How cold does Halifax get in winter?
How hot does Halifax get in summer?
How often does it rain in Halifax?
Is Halifax warmer or cooler than most cities?
Best time to visit Halifax
July to October and May is the sweet spot for Halifax - these are the warmest and brightest weeks of the year. Expect 66°F (19°C) in the afternoon and around 11 days of rain in a typical month of it. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in July.
Pack for Halifax with a heavy insulated coat, hat and gloves for winter and proper waterproofs rather than an umbrella - wet days are the norm here. Even in August, lows of 62°F (17°C) make an extra layer worth the space.
Halifax temperature records (2015-2024)
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need the precipitation in other units? The mm-to-inches rainfall converter handles it.