New Bedford, Massachusetts Weather
Fireflies rise from the lawn. Day 78 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
New Bedford weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar
- TodayJun 4Clear——80°53°—
- FridayJun 5Overcast——88°58°+8°
- SaturdayJun 6Light Drizzle19%—85°58°-3°
- SundayJun 7Showers79%0.13″83°55°-2°
- MondayJun 8Overcast15%—77°55°-6°
- TuesdayJun 9Overcast——85°56°+8°
- WednesdayJun 10Overcast——86°62°+1°
Ozone at AQI 500. AQI up 26 in the last 6 hours — air quality is degrading. Overcast through the UV peak window (cloud cover ~100%) — afternoon ozone should stay flat.
AVOID OUTDOORS Avoid outdoor exertion. Keep windows closed; use HEPA filtration indoors if available.
What's driving it
Ozone × UV × Sky
Ozone at AQI 500. Overcast through the UV peak window (cloud cover ~100%) — afternoon ozone should stay flat.
- Present
- AQI 500
- UV peak
- 0.0 at 1 PM
- Sky at peak
- overcast
- Projected peak
- AQI 60
PM × Wind × Precip
PM2.5/PM10 ratio 0.68 with 10 mph wind — characteristic of long-range haze transport rather than a local source.
- PM2.5/PM10
- 0.68
- Wind
- breezy
- Recent rain
- 0h in last 6h
- Pattern
- transport
Trends
Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.
Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
The higher the clouds, the finer the weather.
- Moonrise
- 3:47 AM
- Moonset
- 1:43 PM
- In sign
- ♒︎ Aquarius
Fireflies rise from the lawn
New Bedford at a glance
- Today vs. normal: 9°F below the seasonal normal for this latitude
- Last frost: April 26 (climatological average for this latitude)
- Microseason: Jun 1–5
- Planting window: Harvest spring lettuce before it bolts. Sow heat-tolerant greens.
Right now in the garden
Peak growing season
As of June 5, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.
SPC Convective Outlook
Storm Prediction Center — New Bedford
SPC has placed New Bedford in the Marginal Risk category for severe thunderstorms day after tomorrow.
- TODAYNONENo severe risk
- TOMORROWNONENo severe risk
- DAY 3MRGLMarginal Risk
Isolated severe storms possible. Limited threat for hail or damaging wind.
Source: NOAA / NWS Storm Prediction Center categorical convective outlook. Outlooks are re-issued multiple times per day; this page reflects the most recent SPC polygons covering the city’s coordinates.
Planting calendar
| Month | Plant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| January | — | — |
| February | — | — |
| March | — | — |
| April | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes | — |
| May | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| June | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| July | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| August | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| September | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| October | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | winter squash, tomatoes (last) |
| November | — | — |
| December | — | — |
A year in weather
July brings New Bedford's warmest temperatures at around 72°F mean, while January delivers the coldest at roughly 30°F. March sees peak rainfall with 4.8 inches, and July records the driest conditions at 3.0 inches.
| Month | Mean temp | Precip | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 30° | 3.7″ | 7 |
| February | 31° | 3.0″ | 6 |
| March | 38° | 4.8″ | 7 |
| April | 47° | 4.0″ | 7 |
| May | 57° | 3.3″ | 7 |
| June | 66° | 3.6″ | 7 |
| July | 72° | 3.0″ | 6 |
| August | 71° | 3.8″ | 6 |
| September | 63° | 3.6″ | 6 |
| October | 53° | 4.6″ | 7 |
| November | 43° | 4.3″ | 7 |
| December | 35° | 4.1″ | 7 |
Regional context
As part of the warm-summer humid continental climate region, New Bedford shares temperature ranges, seasonal patterns, and growing conditions with other nearby cities in this climate zone.
Similar climates: Boston, MA, Worcester, MA, Springfield, MA, Cambridge, MA, Lowell, MA.
Naturalist notes
Late May typically brings the peak migration of warblers through New Bedford, with yellow warblers and American redstarts arriving as oak leaves reach full size.
Cherry trees complete their bloom cycle by early May, dropping petals just as dandelions reach their flowering peak across local lawns and fields.
Frequently asked
- When does it freeze in New Bedford?
- New Bedford's last spring frost typically occurs around mid-April, while the first fall frost usually arrives around mid-November.
- What is the rainy season in New Bedford?
- March records the highest rainfall with approximately 4.8 inches on average, contributing to the city's annual total of roughly 46 inches.
- What is the warmest month in New Bedford?
- July typically brings the warmest temperatures, averaging about 72°F.
- What is the coldest month in New Bedford?
- January typically brings the coldest temperatures, averaging about 30°F.
- When can I start a vegetable garden in New Bedford?
- Cool-season crops like peas and lettuce can be planted around the last spring frost in mid-April, while warm-season crops such as tomatoes and peppers should wait until 1–2 weeks after.
- How many rainy days does New Bedford get?
- New Bedford experiences about 78 rainy days per year on average.
- What hardiness zone is New Bedford?
- New Bedford's USDA hardiness zone depends on its lowest average winter temperature; the USDA's online lookup tool provides the current zone designation when you enter the city ZIP code.
Climate
New Bedford, Massachusetts experiences a warm-summer humid continental climate. January temperatures hover near 30°F while July averages reach 72°F, creating a 42°F seasonal swing.
Annual precipitation totals about 46 inches, distributed across roughly 78 rainy days throughout the year.
Weather patterns here follow the city's latitude of 41.7°N, along with influences from nearby water bodies and local elevation. These factors determine growing seasons, frost timing, and daily weather conditions.