Elizabeth, New Jersey Weather
Fireflies rise from the lawn. Day 77 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
Elizabeth weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar
- TodayJun 4Overcast——91°59°—
- FridayJun 5Overcast——96°64°+5°
- SaturdayJun 6Overcast27%—92°70°-4°
- SundayJun 7Light Drizzle41%—90°71°-2°
- MondayJun 8Light Drizzle21%—77°62°-13°
- TuesdayJun 9Overcast——87°60°+10°
- WednesdayJun 10Overcast——86°67°-1°
PM2.5 at 11.9 µg/m³ (AQI 56) with a 0.90 fine-to-coarse ratio and 4 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust. AQI down 18 over the last 6 hours — air quality is improving sharply.
OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.
What's driving it
Ozone × UV × Sky
Ozone at AQI 33 now. With UV 3.3 peaking around 1 PM under clear skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 15 by mid-afternoon.
- Present
- AQI 33
- UV peak
- 3.3 at 1 PM
- Sky at peak
- clear
- Projected peak
- AQI 15
PM × Wind × Precip
PM2.5 at 11.9 µg/m³ (AQI 56) with a 0.90 fine-to-coarse ratio and 4 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.
- PM2.5/PM10
- 0.90
- Wind
- calm
- Recent rain
- 0h in last 6h
- Pattern
- stagnant smoke
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).
A summer fog for fair, a winter fog for rain.
- Moonrise
- 3:26 AM
- Moonset
- 12:54 PM
- In sign
- ♑︎ Capricorn
Fireflies rise from the lawn
Elizabeth at a glance
- Today vs. normal: 8°F below the seasonal normal for this latitude
- Last frost: April 20 (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 4, 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.
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
Elizabeth's warmest month is July (~78°F mean) and its coldest is January (~32°F). Rainfall peaks in June (4.9 inches) and bottoms out in February (3.3 inches).
| Month | Mean temp | Precip | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 32° | 3.7″ | 7 |
| February | 34° | 3.3″ | 6 |
| March | 41° | 4.3″ | 7 |
| April | 52° | 4.1″ | 7 |
| May | 63° | 4.4″ | 8 |
| June | 72° | 4.9″ | 7 |
| July | 78° | 4.8″ | 6 |
| August | 76° | 4.4″ | 7 |
| September | 69° | 4.3″ | 6 |
| October | 57° | 4.2″ | 6 |
| November | 46° | 3.6″ | 6 |
| December | 37° | 4.6″ | 8 |
Regional context
Elizabeth sits within a warm-summer humid continental climate region. This cohort shares similar temperature ranges, seasonal patterns, and growing conditions across nearby cities.
Similar climates: Trenton, NJ, Newark, NJ, Jersey City, NJ, Paterson, NJ, Clifton, NJ.
Naturalist notes
By late May, common milkweed is unfurling its broad leaves in open lots and field edges, setting the stage for monarch butterflies that will soon arrive to lay eggs.
Chimney swifts return to the area's older masonry stacks in late April, their chattering flight a reliable sign that the last frost has passed and aerial insects are abundant.
Frequently asked
- When does it freeze in Elizabeth?
- Elizabeth's last spring frost typically falls around mid-April, and the first fall frost arrives around mid-November.
- What is the rainy season in Elizabeth?
- June is the wettest month with about 4.9 inches of rain on average; the city receives roughly 50 inches annually.
- What is the warmest month in Elizabeth?
- July is typically warmest, averaging about 78°F.
- What is the coldest month in Elizabeth?
- January is typically coldest, averaging about 32°F.
- When can I start a vegetable garden in Elizabeth?
- Cool-season crops (peas, lettuce) can be sown around the last spring frost (mid-April); warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers) wait until 1–2 weeks after.
- How many rainy days does Elizabeth get?
- Elizabeth averages about 79 rainy days per year.
- What hardiness zone is Elizabeth?
- Elizabeth's USDA hardiness zone is determined by its lowest average winter temperature; check the USDA's online lookup with the city ZIP for the current zone designation.
Climate
Elizabeth, New Jersey lies in a warm-summer humid continental climate zone. January temperatures hover near 32°F while July averages 78°F — a 46°F seasonal swing.
Over the course of a year, Elizabeth receives about 50 inches of precipitation spread across roughly 79 rainy days.
Latitude (40.7°N), proximity to large water bodies, and elevation set the rhythm of the year. These factors shape what grows here, when frost is likely, and the day-to-day weather story.
Beaches near Elizabeth
- Jacob Riis Beach17.9 mi
- Rockaway Beach Beach19.5 mi
- Long Beach NY Beach28.5 mi
Each linked page shows live water temperature, wave height, swim and surf verdicts, tides, and rip-current risk from NDBC + NOAA + NWS data.