New Bedford, MA weather in August
In August, New Bedford sees highs around 81°F and lows around 60°F: warm, with frequent rain. There are about 13 days with rain. It is one of the warmest months in New Bedford.
- Normal high
- 81°F
- Normal low
- 60°F
- Wet days
- 13
- 3.8 in total
- Daylight
- 13.8 h
How August changes from start to finish
| August 1 | August 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 83°F | 79°F |
| Normal low | 62°F | 57°F |
| Chance of a wet day | 39% | 38% |
| Sunrise / sunset | 5:38 am / 8:01 pm | 6:08 am / 7:19 pm |
| Daylight | 14.4 h | 13.2 h |
Chance of a wet day: average for the first and last 7 days of the month. Times are local clock time (Eastern Time).
A typical August day
- 6 am65°Fdew point 62°F
- 9 am74°Fdew point 62°F
- Noon78°Fdew point 62°F
- 3 pm78°Fdew point 62°F
- 6 pm73°Fdew point 62°F
- 9 pm67°Fdew point 63°F
NOAA hourly normals (local standard time) from Plymouth Muni Airport (22 mi away); average wind 6 mph; clear or few clouds in 28% of daytime hours, mostly cloudy or overcast in 47%.
What kind of days to expect
- Comfortable dayshigh 65-80°F (temperature only: no humidity station nearby)14 of 31
- Beach dayshigh 80-95°F, under 0.05 in of rain (temperature and rain only)17 of 31
- Hot dayshigh 90°F or more2 of 31
- Wet daysat least 0.01 in of rain or melted snow13 of 31
- Notable rainat least 0.10 in6 of 31
- Freezing nightslow 32°F or below0 of 31
- Snow on the groundsnow depth 1 in or more0 of 31
Average days per August, counted from daily records for each year 1991-2020.
Rain in August
Normal precipitation is 3.8 in; a dry August brings about 2.2 in and a wet one about 4.7 in (25th and 75th percentiles). About 2 days bring half an inch or more, and about 1 an inch or more.
How August varies from year to year
- Warmest August, 1991-20202016: average high 86°F
- Coolest August1996: average high 77°F
- Wettest August2005: 8.0 in
- Driest August2020: 0.4 in
- Highest reading98°F (August 2, 2006)
- Lowest reading43°F (August 19, 2007)
From the station's daily records with NOAA quality flags removed; most recent date shown when a reading repeats.
August compared with July and September
| July | August | September | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high | 83°F | 81°F | 74°F |
| Normal low | 62°F | 60°F | 52°F |
| Wet days | 11 | 13 | 12 |
| Comfortable days | 12 | 14 | 23 |
| Daylight | 14.8 h | 13.8 h | 12.5 h |
Highs change by -2°F from July and -7°F into September.
Nearby alternatives in August
- Drier: Edgartown, MA28 mi · high 80°F · 9 wet days
- Cooler: Nantucket, MA50 mi · high 76°F · 13 wet days
How New Bedford ranks in August
- Normal high294th warmest of 378 cities; 5th of 9 in Massachusetts
- Wet days328th driest of 378
What to pack for New Bedford in August
- A rain jacket or umbrella – rain on about 13 days
- A swimsuit – about 17 beach days
Heating and cooling
August has 13 heating degree days and 186 cooling degree days (base 65°F), 3% of the year's total heating and cooling demand.
Questions
How hot is New Bedford in August?
The normal high is 81°F and the normal low is 60°F. From 1991 to 2020 the hottest August reading was 98°F (August 2, 2006).
Does it rain a lot in New Bedford in August?
About 13 days in August have at least 0.01 in of precipitation, and the normal total is 3.8 in. The wettest August in 1991-2020 was in 2005 (8.0 in); the driest was in 2020 (0.4 in).
Is August a good time to visit New Bedford?
August ranks 4th of 12 months on our comfort score for New Bedford (69 out of 100). It has about 14 comfortable days (judged by temperature only) and about 2 days at 90°F or hotter. The best months are June and September.
Where the numbers come from
- Temperature, rain and frost dates: New Bedford Muni Airport (USW00094726), 3.0 mi NNW of the city center, 80 ft . NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Snowfall and snow depth: E Wareham (USC00192451), 16 mi ENE of the city center, 30 ft (69 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Humidity and wind by hour: Plymouth Muni Airport (USW00054769), 22 mi NNE of the city center, 149 ft (50 ft higher than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Cloud cover: Boston Logan Intl Airport (USW00014739), 50 mi N of the city center, 12 ft (87 ft lower than the city). NOAA normals and daily records, 1991-2020.
- Not available for this location: daily humidity and wind (no station close enough or similar enough in elevation).