Climate - Atlantic City (New Jersey)

The climate of Atlantic City is continental, with cold winters and warm to hot summers.
The city is located in the eastern United States, on the Atlantic coast, about 150 km (93 mi) south of New York, on a barrier island called Absecon, which is also home to the cities of Ventnor, Margate and Longport.
The location on an island makes the climate a little milder than on the mainland. However, here too, cold waves in winter and heat waves in summer are possible. In fact, we are in an area where different air masses collide: the cold ones coming from Canada and the warm ones coming from the Gulf of Mexico. The result is an unstable climate, with waves of bad weather alternating with clear and sunny days. The wind blows frequently as well.
The average temperature of the coldest month (January) is of 1.9 °C (35 °F), that of the warmest month (July) is of 24.3 °C (76 °F). Here are the average temperatures.

Precipitation amounts to 1,015 millimeters (40 inches) per year: so, it is at an intermediate level. It ranges from 70 mm (2.8 in) in the driest month (June) to 100 mm (3.9 in) in the wettest ones (March, August). Here is the average precipitation.

Winter, from December to February, is cold: the average temperature is close to freezing, but cold spells may occur, during which the temperature can drop to about -10/-15 °C (5/14 °F). The wind chill can make the air feel colder than it actually is. In the worst moments the temperature can reach -20 °C (-4 °F).
Snowfalls are quite frequent, and sometimes can be abundant. However, snow is less frequent than in New York and Philadelphia. On average, 44 centimeters (17.5 inches) of snow fall per year.
On other occasions, the wind can blow from the south, bringing some mild days, with highs around 12/15 °C (54/59 °F). There are also clear and sunny days, with cold nights, and daytime temperatures mild or in any case acceptable.

Summer, from June to August, is warm to hot and sunny, with some rainy days and some afternoon thunderstorms. There can be hot and muggy periods, even though the heat is less intense than on the mainland. For example, there are on average 23 days with a temperature equal to or above 32 °C (90 °F) at the airport, which is located on the continent, and only 5 days in Atlantic City. The record at the airport is 40.5 °C (105 °F), recorded in July 2011.



On average, there are around 2,500 sunshine hours per year. Here are the average sunshine hours per day.

The sea temperature ranges between 4 °C (39 °F) and 23 °C (73 °F). In summer, the sea is not very warm, but all in all, it is warm enough for swimming in July and August. Here are the average sea temperatures.

From June to November, Atlantic City can be affected by hurricanes or their remnants. The period in which they are most likely is from August to October. Generally, hurricanes arrive weakened at these latitudes, although they can interact with mid-latitude depressions. The city was hit hard by Hurricane Sandy in late October 2012, when the boardwalk was flooded and destroyed.

Best Time

The best time to visit Atlantic City is from mid-May to early October. In summer it can sometimes get very hot, but less often than in inland areas.