Buffalo, New York Weather
Fireflies rise from the lawn. Day 78 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
Buffalo weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar
- TodayJun 5Overcast——82°55°—
- SaturdayJun 6Rain61%0.17″75°61°-7°
- SundayJun 7Foggy13%—73°58°-2°
- MondayJun 8Overcast——79°53°+6°
- TuesdayJun 9Light Showers——82°61°+3°
- WednesdayJun 10Light Drizzle22%0.01″88°66°+6°
- ThursdayJun 11Overcast22%—86°67°-2°
AQI 56 (Moderate), driven by Ozone. AQI down 22 over the last 6 hours — air quality is improving sharply. Ozone at AQI 43 now. With UV 3.3 peaking around 1 PM under partly cloudy skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 14 by mid-afternoon.
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 43 now. With UV 3.3 peaking around 1 PM under partly cloudy skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 14 by mid-afternoon.
- Present
- AQI 43
- UV peak
- 3.3 at 1 PM
- Sky at peak
- partly cloudy
- Projected peak
- AQI 14
PM × Wind × Precip
PM2.5 at 6.0 µg/m³ (AQI 33) with a 0.97 fine-to-coarse ratio and 2 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.
- PM2.5/PM10
- 0.97
- 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).
The higher the clouds, the finer the weather.
- Moonrise
- 4:23 AM
- Moonset
- 2:13 PM
- In sign
- ♒︎ Aquarius
Fireflies rise from the lawn
Buffalo at a glance
- Today vs. normal: 13°F below the seasonal normal for this latitude
- Last frost: May 3 (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 — Buffalo
SPC has placed Buffalo in the Marginal Risk category for severe thunderstorms day after tomorrow.
- TODAYNONENo severe risk
- TOMORROWTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
- 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 | — | — |
| May | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| June | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| July | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| August | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash, fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| September | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| October | — | winter squash, tomatoes (last) |
| November | — | — |
| December | — | — |
A year in weather
July ranks as Buffalo's warmest month with a mean temperature of ~72°F, while January stands as the coldest at ~26°F. September brings peak rainfall at 4.1 inches, contrasting with February's low of 2.5 inches.
| Month | Mean temp | Precip | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 26° | 3.4″ | 9 |
| February | 26° | 2.5″ | 7 |
| March | 34° | 2.9″ | 8 |
| April | 46° | 3.4″ | 8 |
| May | 58° | 3.4″ | 8 |
| June | 67° | 3.4″ | 8 |
| July | 72° | 3.2″ | 6 |
| August | 70° | 3.2″ | 6 |
| September | 63° | 4.1″ | 7 |
| October | 52° | 4.0″ | 9 |
| November | 41° | 3.5″ | 8 |
| December | 31° | 3.8″ | 10 |
Regional context
Buffalo falls within a warm-summer humid continental climate region, sharing similar temperature ranges, seasonal patterns, and growing conditions with other cities in this climate classification.
Similar climates: New York, NY, Brooklyn, NY, Queens, NY, Manhattan, NY, Bronx, NY.
Naturalist notes
Late May brings the return of ruby-throated hummingbirds to Buffalo gardens, their arrival coinciding with the blooming of native honeysuckle.
Lilac bushes reach peak bloom across the city in mid to late May, filling neighborhoods with their distinctive fragrance.
Frequently asked
- When does it freeze in Buffalo?
- Buffalo's last spring frost typically occurs around mid-May, while the first fall frost generally arrives around mid-October.
- What is the rainy season in Buffalo?
- September ranks as the wettest month, receiving about 4.1 inches of rain on average, while the city's annual total reaches roughly 41 inches.
- What is the warmest month in Buffalo?
- July typically registers as the warmest month, with average temperatures around 72°F.
- What is the coldest month in Buffalo?
- January typically records as the coldest month, with average temperatures around 26°F.
- When can I start a vegetable garden in Buffalo?
- Cool-season crops like peas and lettuce can be planted around the last spring frost in mid-May, while warm-season crops such as tomatoes and peppers should wait 1–2 weeks after.
- How many rainy days does Buffalo get?
- Buffalo experiences about 94 rainy days per year on average.
- What hardiness zone is Buffalo?
- Buffalo's USDA hardiness zone depends on its lowest average winter temperature; the USDA's online lookup tool with the city ZIP code provides the current zone designation.
Climate
Buffalo, New York experiences a warm-summer humid continental climate zone. January temperatures typically hover near 26°F while July averages reach 72°F, creating a 46°F seasonal swing.
Annual precipitation in Buffalo totals about 41 inches, distributed across roughly 94 rainy days throughout the year.
Location at 42.9°N latitude, along with proximity to large water bodies and local elevation, determines the rhythm of seasons here. These factors influence plant growth cycles, frost timing, and daily weather patterns.