Climate Comfort Score
78/100
Good
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 56°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Cape May, NJ Climate
Explore average temperature, rainfall, and comfort score sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 climate normals →
- 56°F
- Avg annual temp
- 78/100
- Comfort score
- 43.8"
- Annual precip
- 222d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Cape May
Cape May, New Jersey averages 56°F a year and scores 78/100 on the comfort index - good, milder than 74% of U.S. cities.
- 56°F
- average temperature, NOAA 1991-2020 normal
- 78/100
- comfort score, milder than 74% of U.S. cities
- 43.8"
- annual precipitation · 15" snow
- 222 days
- frost-free days per growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
56°F (13°C)
Avg High
65°F
Avg Low
48°F
Annual Precip
43.8"
Annual Snow
14.8"
Comfort Score
78/100
Good
Avg Annual Temperature
56°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
43.8"
Plus 14.8" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Cape May) 78.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Good for the Cape May area.
How Cape May compares to every U.S. city
Cape May's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
78 Top 26% higher than 74% of 6,915 US cities
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Warming context for Cape May
MethodologyHow the U.S. land temperature anomaly tracks against the global mean since 1900. The current NOAA 1991-2020 normal for Cape May captures average conditions across the spread shown, the most recent decade is warmer than the 30-year mean.
- United States land mean (NOAA NCEI) +0.11 °C/decade
- Global anomaly (NASA GISTEMP) +0.11 °C/decade
- Paris Agreement thresholds 1.5°C / 2.0°C
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Snow | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 43°F (6°C) | 29°F (-2°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 3.2" | 4.5" | 20.7 | 0.0 |
| February | 45°F (7°C) | 29°F (-1°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 3.0" | 5.7" | 17.9 | 0.0 |
| March | 52°F (11°C) | 35°F (2°C) | 44°F (6°C) | 4.1" | 2.5" | 10.6 | 0.0 |
| April | 62°F (17°C) | 44°F (7°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 3.3" | 0.1" | 1.2 | 0.0 |
| May | 71°F (22°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 62°F (17°C) | 3.5" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 0.3 |
| June | 80°F (27°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 72°F (22°C) | 3.5" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 2.4 |
| July | 86°F (30°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 77°F (25°C) | 3.9" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 7.3 |
| August | 84°F (29°C) | 67°F (20°C) | 76°F (24°C) | 4.0" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 4.0 |
| September | 79°F (26°C) | 62°F (17°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 3.8" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 0.7 |
| October | 68°F (20°C) | 51°F (10°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 4.2" | 0.0" | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| November | 57°F (14°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 49°F (9°C) | 3.3" | 0.0" | 5.2 | 0.0 |
| December | 48°F (9°C) | 33°F (1°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 4.0" | 2.0" | 16.3 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 3.2"
Snow: 4.5"
10.6 days with precipitation
February 3.0"
Snow: 5.7"
10.7 days with precipitation
March 4.1"
Snow: 2.5"
11.7 days with precipitation
April 3.3"
Snow: 0.1"
11.3 days with precipitation
May 3.5"
11.3 days with precipitation
June 3.5"
10.1 days with precipitation
July 3.9"
10.0 days with precipitation
August 4.0"
8.9 days with precipitation
September 3.8"
9.0 days with precipitation
October 4.2"
9.6 days with precipitation
November 3.3"
9.4 days with precipitation
December 4.0"
Snow: 2.0"
11.2 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
November 9
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 1
50% probability date
Growing Season
222 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
4,332
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
1,176
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Cape May's climate means for you
Cape May runs 56°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 222 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near April 1 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 4,332 heating and 1,176 cooling degree days a year, higher means the furnace or AC runs more.
- Comparing places to live? Line this city up against nearby cities and the national rankings. See rankings
These are 30-year NOAA normals (1991–2020) - the typical year, not a forecast for any specific season.
Climate Guides
Climate Insight: Cape May, NJ
In Cape May, New Jersey, the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals put the annual average temperature at 56°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 65°F to a mean daily low of 48°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. As thirty-year averages computed from station USC00281351, these numbers smooth out year-to-year noise into a working baseline for a typical month.
Anyone planning to live, garden, or travel in Cape May should weigh precipitation alongside temperature: the annual average runs 43.8 inches, with 14.8 inches typically falling as snow. The frost-free season averages 222 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near April 1 and the first fall freeze near November 9. And on the energy front, 4,332 heating degree days and 1,176 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Cape May scores 78/100 (Good), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. Use the monthly tables above to plan around specific windows, shoulder seasons for mild highs and lows, peak summer for July-driven heat, or deep winter for January-driven cold. All figures here are thirty-year averages: any single year may run warmer, wetter, drier, or cooler than the normal, so treat them as planning guidance rather than forecasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Cape May, NJ? ▼
The average annual temperature in Cape May, New Jersey is 56°F. The warmest month averages 86°F (30°C) and the coldest averages 29°F (-2°C).
How much rain does Cape May get? ▼
Cape May receives 43.8 inches of precipitation annually, including 14.8 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Cape May? ▼
Cape May has a climate comfort score of 78/100 (Good), milder than 74% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Cape May? ▼
Cape May has approximately 222 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around April 1 and the first fall freeze around November 9.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Cape May? ▼
Cape May has 4,332 heating degree days and 1,176 cooling degree days annually, a heating-dominated climate. See our <a href="/guides/reading-weather-data/" class="underline hover:text-brand-600">guide to reading weather data</a> for what these figures mean.
Where does this Cape May climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00281351 near Cape May.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00281351. For informational purposes only.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainClimate Editorial
Every figure on PlainClimate is rendered directly from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.