Climate Comfort Score
53/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 52°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
New Bedford, MA Climate
Explore average temperature, rainfall, and comfort score sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 climate normals →
- 52°F
- Avg annual temp
- 53/100
- Comfort score
- 52.2"
- Annual precip
- 208d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for New Bedford
New Bedford, Massachusetts averages 52°F a year and scores 53/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 26% of U.S. cities.
- 52°F
- average temperature, NOAA 1991-2020 normal
- 53/100
- comfort score, milder than 26% of U.S. cities
- 52.2"
- annual precipitation · 33" snow
- 208 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
52°F (11°C)
Avg High
61°F
Avg Low
44°F
Annual Precip
52.2"
Annual Snow
32.5"
Comfort Score
53/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
52°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
52.2"
Plus 32.5" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (New Bedford) 53.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the New Bedford area.
How New Bedford compares to every U.S. city
New Bedford's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
53 Top 74% higher than 26% 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 New Bedford
MethodologySince 1900, U.S. land temperatures have tracked (and diverged from) the global mean - the chart below shows how. New Bedford's current NOAA 1991-2020 normal sits within that longer spread, and the most recent decade runs 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 | 38°F (3°C) | 22°F (-5°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 3.8" | 10.9" | 25.5 | 0.0 |
| February | 40°F (4°C) | 23°F (-5°C) | 31°F (0°C) | 4.1" | 8.5" | 22.9 | 0.0 |
| March | 47°F (8°C) | 29°F (-2°C) | 38°F (3°C) | 5.3" | 6.6" | 19.8 | 0.0 |
| April | 56°F (13°C) | 40°F (4°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 4.6" | 1.7" | 3.7 | 0.1 |
| May | 68°F (20°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 3.7" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 0.9 |
| June | 78°F (26°C) | 60°F (15°C) | 69°F (21°C) | 4.2" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 2.5 |
| July | 84°F (29°C) | 67°F (20°C) | 76°F (24°C) | 3.6" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 5.4 |
| August | 82°F (28°C) | 66°F (19°C) | 74°F (23°C) | 4.1" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 3.7 |
| September | 75°F (24°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 4.2" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 0.3 |
| October | 64°F (18°C) | 49°F (9°C) | 56°F (14°C) | 4.9" | 0.0" | 0.8 | 0.0 |
| November | 53°F (12°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 4.6" | 0.4" | 10.0 | 0.0 |
| December | 43°F (6°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 5.2" | 4.4" | 21.3 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 3.8"
Snow: 10.9"
11.3 days with precipitation
February 4.1"
Snow: 8.5"
10.6 days with precipitation
March 5.3"
Snow: 6.6"
11.8 days with precipitation
April 4.6"
Snow: 1.7"
12.2 days with precipitation
May 3.7"
11.3 days with precipitation
June 4.2"
9.6 days with precipitation
July 3.6"
7.9 days with precipitation
August 4.1"
9.0 days with precipitation
September 4.2"
9.7 days with precipitation
October 4.9"
8.3 days with precipitation
November 4.6"
Snow: 0.4"
10.3 days with precipitation
December 5.2"
Snow: 4.4"
11.6 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
November 5
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 11
50% probability date
Growing Season
208 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
5,482
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
918
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What New Bedford's climate means for you
New Bedford runs 52°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 208 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near April 11 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 5,482 heating and 918 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: New Bedford, MA
Based on station USC00195246 feeding NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals, New Bedford, Massachusetts averages 52°F a year, ranging from a mean daily high of 61°F to a mean daily low of 44°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. Because these figures are thirty-year averages rather than any single year's readings, they describe the typical month, not a forecast for it.
Beyond temperature, New Bedford averages 52.2 inches of precipitation annually, with 32.5 inches typically falling as snow - a real factor for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. The frost-free season averages 208 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near April 11 and the first fall freeze near November 5. Turning to energy use, 5,482 heating degree days and 918 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, New Bedford scores 53/100 (Moderate), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. Shoulder seasons bring the mildest highs and lows in the monthly tables above, summer brings July-driven heat, and winter brings January-driven cold - use that rhythm for planning. These figures are thirty-year averages rather than forecasts, so a specific year may still run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than what's shown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in New Bedford, MA? ▼
The average annual temperature in New Bedford, Massachusetts is 52°F. The warmest month averages 84°F (29°C) and the coldest averages 22°F (-5°C).
How much rain does New Bedford get? ▼
New Bedford receives 52.2 inches of precipitation annually, including 32.5 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for New Bedford? ▼
New Bedford has a climate comfort score of 53/100 (Moderate), milder than 26% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in New Bedford? ▼
New Bedford has approximately 208 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around April 11 and the first fall freeze around November 5.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in New Bedford? ▼
New Bedford has 5,482 heating degree days and 918 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 New Bedford climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00195246 near New Bedford.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00195246. 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.