Providence, RI Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Providence
Seasons are the whole story in Providence. The gap between an average July and an average January is 24°C - hot, humid summers and generally mild winters - which in practice means 83°F (28°C) afternoons at one end of the calendar and 38°F (3°C) at the other.
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: July - highs near 83°F (28°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 38°F (3°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 100°F (38°C) high · -14°F (-26°C) low
- Wettest month: December (11 rainy days) · Sunniest: July (11.1 h sun/day)
- Climate type: humid subtropical
- Annual swing: 24°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 9°C
- Snow: about 14 days a year
- Months with freezing average lows: 4
- Average humidity: 71%
Temperatures through the year
Sunshine averages 8.3 hours a day over the year - duller than about 75% of the cities we track, peaking in July at 11.1 hours. January sits at the other end of the year: 38°F (3°C) by day, 23°F (-5°C) at night. At its warmest, in July, Providence runs to 83°F (28°C) in the afternoon and back to 66°F (19°C) by dawn. Snow falls on roughly 14 days a year, mostly December through April.
Rain, sun and snow
Between the average July and the average January lie 24°C, a wider spread than roughly 80% of the cities we track. Overnight lows average at or below freezing for 4 months, December through March. December is the wettest month at 5.1 inches (129 mm) over 11 days; August is the driest. Across the gridded 2015-2024 daily record, the highest daily maximum for this location was 100°F (38°C) and the lowest daily minimum -14°F (-26°C).
How Providence compares
- 26% of the year's precipitation falls in its wettest three months - more evenly spread than almost every other city 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 | 38° | 23° | 10 | 4.5 in | 5.9 h/day | 9.5 h | 33% | 67% |
| February | 41° | 23° | 10 | 3.6 in | 6.8 h/day | 10.5 h | 36% | 69% |
| March | 47° | 29° | 12 | 4.4 in | 8.0 h/day | 11.8 h | 37% | 65% |
| April | 57° | 39° | 12 | 4.7 in | 8.4 h/day | 13.3 h | 40% | 68% |
| May | 69° | 50° | 11 | 3.5 in | 9.8 h/day | 14.5 h | 35% | 70% |
| June | 77° | 59° | 11 | 3.7 in | 11.0 h/day | 15.2 h | 37% | 71% |
| July | 83° | 66° | 13 | 4.7 in | 11.1 h/day | 14.9 h | 42% | 74% |
| August | 82° | 65° | 12 | 3.5 in | 10.6 h/day | 13.8 h | 37% | 74% |
| September | 75° | 59° | 10 | 4.5 in | 8.7 h/day | 12.4 h | 33% | 76% |
| October | 64° | 48° | 10 | 4.6 in | 7.4 h/day | 11.0 h | 34% | 76% |
| November | 52° | 36° | 8 | 3.6 in | 6.7 h/day | 9.8 h | 28% | 70% |
| December | 43° | 29° | 11 | 5.1 in | 5.7 h/day | 9.1 h | 36% | 72% |
Providence month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Providence's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 5.9 h
- Daylight
- 9.5 h
- Snow
- 4 days
February
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 6.8 h
- Daylight
- 10.5 h
- Snow
- 4 days
March
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 8.0 h
- Daylight
- 11.8 h
- Snow
- 3 days
April
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 8.4 h
- Daylight
- 13.3 h
May
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 9.8 h
- Daylight
- 14.5 h
June
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 11.0 h
- Daylight
- 15.2 h
July
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 11.1 h
- Daylight
- 14.9 h
August
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 10.6 h
- Daylight
- 13.8 h
September
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 8.7 h
- Daylight
- 12.4 h
October
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 7.4 h
- Daylight
- 11.0 h
November
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 6.7 h
- Daylight
- 9.8 h
December
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 5.7 h
- Daylight
- 9.1 h
- Snow
- 2 days
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Providence
Spring (March through May)
Through spring, Providence is mild: 58°F (14°C) by day, 39°F (4°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 34 of the 90 days, plus about 4 snowy days.
Summer (June through August)
Summer sits firmly in the heat here - highs near 81°F (27°C), nights near 64°F (18°C), and rain falls on around 36 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 10.9 hours of sun a day.
Fall (September through November)
Fall in Providence is crisp but comfortable, with daytime highs averaging 64°F (18°C) and nights around 48°F (9°C); expect showers on roughly 29 days across the season.
Winter (December through February)
Winter is chilly here - highs near 41°F (5°C), nights near 25°F (-4°C), and rain falls on around 32 of the 90 days, plus about 10 snowy days.
Climate questions, answered
How many rainy days does Providence get in a year?
Is Providence cold in winter?
What should I pack for Providence?
Is Providence humid?
Best time to visit Providence
Aim for August to October and May to June if you get the choice: these are the warmest and brightest weeks of the year, and highs average 73°F (23°C) against roughly 11 wet days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in August.
Pack for Providence with light clothing for the warm months, a heavy insulated coat, hat and gloves for winter and a compact umbrella or rain shell. July nights average 66°F (19°C), so evenings rarely match the afternoons.
Providence 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.