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

Preakness, New Jersey Weather

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

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

Preakness, NJ
Saturday, July 4 at 6:31 PM
95
°
Clear
Feels like
98°
Humidity
41%
Wind
9 mph
Sunrise
1:30 AM
Sunset
4:32 PM
Preakness, NJ
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastPreakness, NJ: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 73 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit with a 48% chance of precipitation at 1 AM.
L 73°H 95°
Preakness, NJ
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Jul 4
    Overcast
    34%
    96°74°
  2. Sunday
    Jul 5
    Heavy Rain
    52%
    5.9″
    86°71°-10°
  3. Monday
    Jul 6
    Heavy Drizzle
    93%
    0.06″
    75°69°-11°
  4. Tuesday
    Jul 7
    Heavy Drizzle
    86%
    0.08″
    69°62°-6°
  5. Wednesday
    Jul 8
    Overcast
    24%
    82°62°+13°
  6. Thursday
    Jul 9
    Overcast
    10%
    91°70°+9°
  7. Friday
    Jul 10
    Light Drizzle
    50%
    87°71°-4°
Preakness, NJ
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
WSW
245° · backing 25°
Direction
WSW
245°
Sustained
9
mph
Gust
15
mph
Peak 24h
28
avg 8
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 8 · pk 28 @ 8:00p
01020304050MPHB1B2B3B4B5B6B7B8B9-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 4624SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Light breeze backing 25° from the wsw.
Preakness, NJ
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
1002.6
-1.1 mb in 3h · falling · 29.61 inHg
Now
1002.6
mb
3h
-1.1
mb
12h
-1.4
mb
24h
-1.2
mb
Regime · RAIN
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 10031006
9951000STORM|RAIN10051010RAIN|CHG1015CHG|FAIR-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW1006.31003.11003.1
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Pressure giving way — clouds thicken and rain edges closer.
Preakness, NJ
Air quality
99
AQI
Moderate
+47 in 6h

AQI 99 (Moderate), driven by Ozone. AQI up 47 in the last 6 hours — air quality is degrading. Ozone at AQI 76 — peak already passed at 1 PM under clear skies. Levels should ease through evening.

OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.

PM 2.5Good
5.9μg/m³
PM 10Good
6μg/m³
NO₂Good
3μg/m³
OzoneDRIVERUnhealthy SG
123μg/m³
UV IndexLow
0.7

What's driving it

Ozone × UV × Sky

Ozone at AQI 76 — peak already passed at 1 PM under clear skies. Levels should ease through evening.

Present
AQI 76
UV peak
0.6 at earlier today
Sky at peak
clear
Projected peak
AQI 76

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 5.9 µg/m³, PM10 at 6.2 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.

PM2.5/PM10
0.95
Wind
light
Recent rain
0h in last 6h
Pattern
background
Preakness, NJ
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
0%
CLEAR
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow

Visibility
96.4mi
UNLIMITED
90 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
22:31 UTC · Preakness, NJ · 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
22:31 UTC · Preakness, NJ · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Preakness, NJ
Satellite · infrared · animated
Preakness, NJ
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Preakness, NJ
Almanac · Saturday, July 4
If the first of July be rainy weather, 'twill rain more or less for four weeks together.
Civil dawn
4:58 AM
Sunrise
1:30 AM
Daylight
15h 02m
Sunset
4:32 PM
Civil dusk
9:06 PM
Planting note
Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.
Preakness, NJ
The moon
Waning Gibbous
78% illuminated
Moonrise
10:52 PM
Moonset
9:59 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Preakness, NJ
Microseason
Jul 1–5

Cicadas claim the afternoon

plant
Jan 151% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Preakness at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 24°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: April 22 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Jul 1–5
  • Planting window: Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.

16-Day Forecast — Preakness

  1. Sat96°74°34%
  2. Sun86°71°52%
  3. Mon75°69°93%
  4. Tue69°62°86%
  5. Wed82°62°24%
  6. Thu91°70°10%
  7. Fri87°71°50%
  8. Sat86°75°31%
  9. Sun86°70°28%
  10. Mon78°67°25%
  11. Tue84°68°19%
  12. Wed89°66°28%
  13. Thu92°70°41%
  14. Fri94°72°45%
  15. Sat93°72°34%
  16. Sun91°76°39%

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 — Preakness

SPC has placed Preakness in the Slight Risk category for severe thunderstorms today.

  • TODAYSLGTSlight Risk
  • TOMORROWMRGLMarginal Risk
  • DAY 3TSTMGeneral Thunderstorms

Scattered severe storms possible. A few tornadoes, hail, and damaging wind gusts possible.

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 coastMay 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
Augusttomatoes, 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

In Preakness, July runs warmest near 75°F and January coldest around 28°F, while December is the wettest month (4.3 inches) and February the driest (3.0 inches).

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January28°3.614
February30°3.013
March38°3.716
April50°4.217
May59°4.218
June68°4.317
July75°4.017
August74°4.317
September67°3.914
October56°3.512
November43°4.113
December33°4.314

Regional context

Per NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals, Preakness runs from a 28°F January mean to 75°F in July, a 47°F seasonal spread, with near 47 inches of precipitation across about 183 wet days.

No season owns Preakness's rain: December reaches 4.3 inches across 13.6 days and February keeps 3.0 inches on 13.3, an even spread through Preakness's year. That lines Preakness up with places like William Paterson University of New Jersey, NJ, Packanack Lake, NJ and Haledon, NJ, fed by overlapping storm tracks.

Preakness reaches its last hard frost near mid-April; that is the cue for kale, peas, spinach, and parsnips. Tomatoes and peppers do best set out two weeks later in Preakness, once nights clear the mid-40s°F. The season ends by mid-November in Preakness, once hard frosts set back in. A creek-bottom lot in Preakness can lag Preakness's last frost 7-10 days behind a south slope.

Similar climates: William Paterson University of New Jersey, NJ, Packanack Lake, NJ, Haledon, NJ, Totowa, NJ, Prospect Park, NJ.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Preakness?
Preakness's last spring frost lands near mid-April, and in Preakness the first fall frost follows around mid-November.
What is the rainy season in Preakness?
Rainfall in Preakness peaks in December near 4.3 inches, out of about 47 inches annually.
What is the warmest month in Preakness?
The warmest stretch in Preakness comes in July, around 75°F on average.
What is the coldest month in Preakness?
On average January is the chilliest month in Preakness, about 28°F.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Preakness?
Preakness's last frost (mid-April) cues hardy greens; in Preakness, hold heat-lovers two weeks past.
How many rainy days does Preakness get?
Preakness records around 183 days of measurable precipitation annually.
What hardiness zone is Preakness?
Preakness sits in the USDA zone set by January lows near 28°F; the USDA ZIP tool gives the band.
What is the 10-day forecast for Preakness?
Preakness'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 Preakness?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Preakness in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Preakness?
Current conditions for Preakness and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Preakness forecast updated?
The Preakness forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Preakness?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Preakness 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 Preakness?
The next few days in Preakness's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

Preakness, New Jersey has a warm-summer humid continental climate: January averages roughly 28°F, July about 75°F, 47°F between them.

Across the year, Preakness collects about 47 inches of precipitation over roughly 183 days with measurable rain or snow.

At 40.9°N, Preakness's 47°F summer-to-winter swing sets when Preakness's gardens wake and when frost returns.

ZIP codes in Preakness

  • 07470

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.