Weather StoryAlmanac, microseasons, and the day's weather story.

Essex, Maryland Weather

Cicadas claim the afternoon. Day 14 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Essex weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar

Essex, MD
Saturday, July 4 at 7:19 PM
93
°
Mostly Clear
Feels like
97°
Humidity
45%
Wind
8 mph
Sunrise
1:44 AM
Sunset
4:35 PM
Essex, MD
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastEssex, MD: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 76 to 94 degrees Fahrenheit with a 32% chance of precipitation at 8 PM.
L 76°H 94°
Essex, MD
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Jul 4
    Light Drizzle
    32%
    —
    100°79°—
  2. Sunday
    Jul 5
    Light Drizzle
    54%
    0.01″
    94°76°-6°
  3. Monday
    Jul 6
    Drizzle
    81%
    —
    83°75°-11°
  4. Tuesday
    Jul 7
    Thunderstorm
    76%
    —
    85°73°+2°
  5. Wednesday
    Jul 8
    Light Showers
    35%
    0.17″
    79°69°-6°
  6. Thursday
    Jul 9
    Overcast
    13%
    —
    90°71°+11°
  7. Friday
    Jul 10
    Overcast
    41%
    —
    93°76°+3°
Essex, MD
Next 24 hours · Hot now
HOT 90°72°85°98°6p12a6a12pnow 94°high 94°low 76°PRECIP %
Essex, MD
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
S
170° · backing 92°
Direction
S
170°
Sustained
8
mph
Gust
13
mph
Peak 24h
19
avg 4
Beaufort · 3 · GENTLE BRZ
0
CALM
<1
1
LIGHT AIR
1–3
2
LIGHT BRZ
4–7
3
GENTLE BRZ
8–12
4
MOD BRZ
13–18
5
FRESH BRZ
19–24
6
STRONG BRZ
25–31
7
NEAR GALE
32–38
24h · sust vs gust · mph
avg 4 · pk 19 @ 4:00a
01020MPHB1B2B3B4B5-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 215SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Light breeze backing 92° from the s.
Essex, MD
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
1010.9
-0.8 mb in 3h · falling · 29.85 inHg
Now
1010.9
mb
3h
-0.8
mb
12h
-3.3
mb
24h
-2.2
mb
Regime · CHANGE
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 1010–1014
9951000STORM|RAIN10051010RAIN|CHG1015CHG|FAIR10201025FAIR|DRY1030-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW1014.41009.61010.6
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Air sits at the threshold — small shifts decide the day.
Essex, MD
Air quality
182
AQI
Unhealthy
↑+117 in 6h

AQI 182 (Unhealthy), driven by Ozone. AQI up 117 in the last 6 hours — air quality is degrading. Ozone at AQI 117. Overcast through the UV peak window (cloud cover ~100%) — afternoon ozone should stay flat.

LIMIT OUTDOORS Limit prolonged outdoor exertion. Sensitive groups should avoid outdoor exertion. Consider rescheduling outdoor activities until AQI improves.

PM 2.5Good
9.1μg/m³
PM 10Good
10μg/m³
NO₂Good
7μg/m³
OzoneDRIVERUnhealthy
148μg/m³
UV IndexLow
0.3

What's driving it

Ozone × UV × Sky

Ozone at AQI 117. Overcast through the UV peak window (cloud cover ~100%) — afternoon ozone should stay flat.

Present
AQI 117
UV peak
0.2 at 1 PM
Sky at peak
overcast
Projected peak
AQI 14

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 9.1 µg/m³, PM10 at 9.5 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.

PM2.5/PM10
0.96
Wind
light
Recent rain
0h in last 6h
Pattern
background

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).

7-DAY AQI TREND50100SATSUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISAT7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³360
Essex, MD
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
20%
CLEAR
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
100.3mi
UNLIMITED
107 mi0 mi−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Earth · GOES-19 ABI
Full Disk · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 full disk Visible · GeoColor
True-color daytime, blue/IR sandwich at night
23:19 UTC · Essex, MD · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · up to 10848 px
Continental US · GOES-19 ABI
CONUS Sector · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 CONUS Visible · GeoColor
Daytime true-color, blue-light/IR sandwich at night
23:19 UTC · Essex, MD · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Essex, MD
Satellite · infrared · animated
Essex, MD
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Essex, MD
Almanac · Saturday, July 4
If the first of July be rainy weather, 'twill rain more or less for four weeks together.
Civil dawn
5:13 AM
Sunrise
1:44 AM
Daylight
14h 51m
Sunset
4:35 PM
Civil dusk
9:09 PM
Planting note
Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.
Essex, MD
The moon
Waning Gibbous
78% illuminated
Moonrise
10:58 PM
Moonset
10:10 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Essex, MD
Microseason
Jul 1–5

Cicadas claim the afternoon

plant
Jan 151% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Essex at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 21°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: April 12 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Jul 1–5
  • Planting window: Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.

ZIP code: 21221

16-Day Forecast — Essex

  1. Sat100°79°32%
  2. Sun94°76°54%
  3. Mon83°75°81%
  4. Tue85°73°76%
  5. Wed79°69°35%
  6. Thu90°71°13%
  7. Fri93°76°41%
  8. Sat91°74°35%
  9. Sun83°70°25%
  10. Mon77°70°18%
  11. Tue88°68°18%
  12. Wed88°69°37%
  13. Thu92°74°45%
  14. Fri90°76°46%
  15. Sat91°74°40%
  16. Sun92°76°46%

Forecast data from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0).

Right now in the garden

Peak growing season

As of July 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.

SPC Convective Outlook

Storm Prediction Center — Essex

SPC has placed Essex in the Enhanced Risk category for severe thunderstorms today.

  • TODAYENHEnhanced Risk
  • TOMORROWSLGTSlight Risk
  • DAY 3TSTMGeneral Thunderstorms

Numerous severe storms likely. Tornadoes, large hail, and damaging wind gusts possible across the area. Track NWS warnings if storms develop.

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.

January 1–5: The year turns in silence.January 6–10: Ice thickens on still water.January 11–15: Shortest shadows lengthen.January 16–20: Pheasants begin to call.January 21–25: Springs begin to thaw.January 26–31: Chickadees announce dawn.February 1–5: East wind softens the frost.February 6–10: Sap begins to rise.February 11–15: First snowdrops appear.February 16–20: Red-winged blackbirds return.February 21–25: Rain begins to replace snow.February 26–28: Skunk cabbage pushes through ice.March 1–5: Ice withdraws from the reservoir.March 6–10: Crocuses open to weak sun.March 11–15: Peepers call from the marsh.March 16–20: Woodcocks spiral at dusk.March 21–25: Equinox — light overtakes dark.March 26–31: Forsythia opens along the fences.April 1–5: Cherry blossoms drift like snow.April 6–10: Warblers appear in the understory.April 11–15: Magnolias bloom and fall in a day.April 16–20: Dogwoods float above the forest.April 21–25: Lilacs perfume the evening.April 26–30: Last frost releases the garden.May 1–5: Warblers flood the Ramble.May 6–10: Tulip poplars light their candles.May 11–15: Shad run up the rivers.May 16–20: Roses open along the stoops.May 21–25: Firefly scouts appear at dusk.May 26–31: Strawberries ripen in the sun.June 1–5: Fireflies rise from the lawn.June 6–10: Elderflowers open in hedgerows.June 11–15: Solstice approaches — longest light.June 16–20: Honeysuckle sweetens the night.June 21–25: Solstice — the sun stands still.June 26–30: Lightning bugs drift through oaks.July 1–5: Cicadas claim the afternoon.July 6–10: Queen Anne's lace lines the roads.July 11–15: Thunder builds each afternoon.July 16–20: Corn reaches for the tassels.July 21–25: Dog days settle in the haze.July 26–31: Katydids begin their chorus.August 1–5: Night falls a minute earlier.August 6–10: Sunflowers face the morning.August 11–15: Goldenrod begins to bloom.August 16–20: Crickets pulse through warm nights.August 21–25: First cool morning surprises.August 26–31: Monarchs stage for flight.September 1–5: School buses reappear.September 6–10: Asters purple the roadsides.September 11–15: Hawk migration over the Hudson.September 16–20: Equinox — dark overtakes light.September 21–25: Apples hang heavy on the branch.September 26–30: Geese begin to chevron south.October 1–5: Witch hazel blooms as others fade.October 6–10: Maples begin to blaze.October 11–15: Frost paints the garden black.October 16–20: Oaks turn bronze and russet.October 21–25: Leaves rattle down the gutters.October 26–31: Clocks fall back — dusk at five.November 1–5: Ginkgos drop overnight.November 6–10: Last leaves cling stubbornly.November 11–15: Juncos arrive from the north.November 16–20: Bare branches reveal the sky.November 21–25: First flurries dust the rooftops.November 26–30: Woodsmoke curls through the block.December 1–5: Darkness settles before dinner.December 6–10: Holly and winterberry persist.December 11–15: Shortest day approaches.December 16–20: Ice begins to form at the edges.December 21–25: Solstice — the sun begins return.December 26–31: The year turns in silence.🌱February 14 — First skunk-cabbage spathes thaw their way up☀️March 20 — Spring equinox — day and night balance🌸April 5 — Cherry blossoms peak in the parks🐦May 10 — Warbler migration peaks along the coast✨May 25 — First fireflies scout the meadows at dusk🌞June 21 — Summer solstice — longest day🦗July 25 — Peak cicada chorus in the afternoons🌊August 18 — Warmest sea-surface temperatures of the year🍂September 22 — Autumn equinox — the slow turn❄️October 25 — First widespread frost in the suburbs🍁November 10 — Peak leaf color across the Hudson Valley🌙December 21 — Winter solstice — longest night

Microseason · July 1–5

Cicadas claim the afternoon

Annual cicada buzz begins, peaking in the heat of the day.

Day 185 of 365 · Wedge 37 of 72

The solar year drawn as a wheel of 72 five-day windows. Each wedge is one microseason; the four colored arcs mark winter, spring, summer, and autumn; the small icons sit at notable phenological events. The crimson pointer creeps clockwise as the year turns.

Planting calendar

MonthPlantHarvest
January——
February——
March——
Aprillettuce, peas, spinach, radishes—
Maylettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Junetomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Julytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashtomatoes, beans, summer squash
August—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
Septemberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotstomatoes, beans, summer squash
Octoberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotswinter squash, tomatoes (last)
November——
December——

A year in weather

Essex's warmest month is July (~78°F mean) and its coldest is January (~32°F). Rainfall peaks in December (4.5 inches) and bottoms out in October (3.1 inches).

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January32°3.8″14
February35°3.2″14
March43°3.8″16
April54°4.0″17
May62°3.8″17
June72°4.0″17
July78°3.2″16
August76°4.4″17
September70°3.9″14
October59°3.1″12
November46°4.0″14
December37°4.5″15

Regional context

In Essex, NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals put January near 32°F and July near 78°F — a 46°F seasonal arc — with about 45.6 inches of precipitation over 184 rainy or snowy days.

Rainfall in Essex stays even across the calendar: December tops out at 4.5 inches over 14.9 rainy days, and October still logs 3.1 inches across 11.9 — a narrow range for Essex. That lines Essex up with places like Middle River, MD, Bowleys Quarters, MD and Dundalk, MD, fed by overlapping storm tracks.

Around mid-April, Essex sheds its freezing nights — peas, lettuce, spinach, and radishes go into Essex's beds. Essex's heat-lovers — tomatoes, peppers, squash — hold off until Essex's frost risk clears, 10-14 days on. The season ends by mid-November in Essex, once hard frosts set back in. Essex's low ground holds frost later into spring than Essex's benches, which run 3-5 days ahead.

Similar climates: Middle River, MD, Bowleys Quarters, MD, Dundalk, MD, Rosedale, MD, Rossville, MD.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Essex?
In Essex, expect the last spring frost near mid-April; Essex's first autumn frost comes around mid-November.
What is the rainy season in Essex?
December is the wettest month in Essex, about 4.5 inches on average; the year totals roughly 46 inches.
What is the warmest month in Essex?
On average July tops the year in Essex at about 78°F.
What is the coldest month in Essex?
The coldest stretch in Essex falls in January, around 32°F on average.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Essex?
In Essex, sow peas and hardy greens around mid-April; Essex's tomatoes and peppers wait two weeks more.
How many rainy days does Essex get?
Essex averages about 184 days with measurable rain or snow each year.
What hardiness zone is Essex?
Since January in Essex averages 32°F, Essex's USDA zone follows that floor — confirm it by ZIP.
What is the 10-day forecast for Essex?
Essex's extended outlook — daily high and low temperatures and precipitation chances for each upcoming day — is in the daily forecast above.
Will it rain this week in Essex?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Essex in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Essex?
Current conditions for Essex and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Essex forecast updated?
The Essex forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Essex?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Essex are in the Almanac section above, along with civil dawn, civil dusk, and day length. Day length is longest near the summer solstice and shortest near the winter solstice.
How accurate is the weather forecast for Essex?
The next few days in Essex's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

The warm-summer humid continental climate of Essex, Maryland carries typical Januarys near 32°F and Julys around 78°F — 46°F of seasonal travel.

Yearly precipitation in Essex totals around 46 inches, spread over about 184 days of rain or snow.

From 39.3°N, Essex sees a 46°F seasonal swing that governs Essex's planting and frost windows.

All cities in Maryland →

Baltimore, MD weather →

ZIP codes in Essex

  • 21221

Climate normals from the Open-Meteo Climate API. Köppen approximation from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Regions. See methodology for data sources, editorial rules, and corrections. Maintainer: Brian Tighe.