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

Cranston, Rhode Island Weather

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

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

Cranston, RI
Saturday, July 4 at 10:44 AM
89
°
Clear
Feels like
94°
Humidity
51%
Wind
10 mph
Sunrise
1:16 AM
Sunset
4:23 PM
Cranston, RI
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastCranston, RI: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 73 to 94 degrees Fahrenheit with a 27% chance of precipitation at 11 PM.
L 73°H 94°
Cranston, RI
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Jul 4
    Drizzle
    27%
    0.04″
    94°78°—
  2. Sunday
    Jul 5
    Rain
    34%
    0.30″
    86°73°-8°
  3. Monday
    Jul 6
    Showers
    69%
    2.3″
    73°60°-13°
  4. Tuesday
    Jul 7
    Heavy Rain
    69%
    2.6″
    62°57°-11°
  5. Wednesday
    Jul 8
    Overcast
    16%
    —
    79°55°+17°
  6. Thursday
    Jul 9
    Mostly Clear
    —
    —
    86°63°+7°
  7. Friday
    Jul 10
    Light Drizzle
    44%
    —
    88°67°+2°
Cranston, RI
Next 24 hours · Warm now
HOT 90°68°83°98°6a12p6p12anow 88°high 94°low 73°PRECIP %
Cranston, RI
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
WNW
287° · veering 5°
Direction
WNW
287°
Sustained
10
mph
Gust
14
mph
Peak 24h
24
avg 9
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 9 · pk 24 @ 6:00p
0102030MPHB1B2B3B4B5B6B7-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 297SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Light breeze veering 5° from the wnw.
Cranston, RI
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
1005.0
+0.2 mb in 3h · steady · 29.68 inHg
Now
1005.0
mb
3h
+0.2
mb
12h
-0.3
mb
24h
-1.7
mb
Regime · RAIN
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 1005–1007
1000STORM|RAIN10051010RAIN|CHG1015CHG|FAIR-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW1006.91004.81005.2
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Damp, unsettled regime — wet weather lingers nearby.
Cranston, RI
Air quality
42
AQI
Good
↑+5 in 6h▲Peak ~72 @ 9 PM

AQI 42 (Good), driven by Ozone. AQI up 5 over the last 6 hours (gradual rise). Ozone at AQI 66 now. With UV 7.8 peaking around 1 PM under clear skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 68 around 1 PM.

OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion during the projected peak around 9 PM.

PM 2.5Good
7.1μg/m³
PM 10Good
8μg/m³
NO₂Good
2μg/m³
OzoneDRIVERUnhealthy SG
117μg/m³
UV IndexHigh
5.5

What's driving it

Ozone × UV × Sky

Ozone at AQI 66 now. With UV 7.8 peaking around 1 PM under clear skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 68 around 1 PM.

Present
AQI 66
UV peak
7.8 at 1 PM
Sky at peak
clear
Projected peak
AQI 68

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 7.1 µg/m³, PM10 at 7.8 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.

PM2.5/PM10
0.91
Wind
breezy
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/m³320
Cranston, RI
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
0%
CLEAR
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
72.0mi
UNLIMITED
104 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
14:44 UTC · Cranston, RI · 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
14:44 UTC · Cranston, RI · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Cranston, RI
Satellite · infrared · animated
Cranston, RI
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Cranston, RI
Almanac · Saturday, July 4
If the first of July be rainy weather, 'twill rain more or less for four weeks together.
Civil dawn
4:43 AM
Sunrise
1:16 AM
Daylight
15h 07m
Sunset
4:23 PM
Civil dusk
8:59 PM
Planting note
Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.
Cranston, RI
The moon
Waning Gibbous
81% illuminated
Moonrise
10:42 PM
Moonset
9:46 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Cranston, RI
Microseason
Jul 1–5

Cicadas claim the afternoon

plant
Jan 151% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Cranston at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 19°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: April 27 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Jul 1–5
  • Planting window: Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.

ZIP codes: 02910, 02920, 02921

16-Day Forecast — Cranston

  1. Sat94°78°27%
  2. Sun86°73°34%
  3. Mon73°60°69%
  4. Tue62°57°69%
  5. Wed79°55°16%
  6. Thu86°63°8%
  7. Fri88°67°44%
  8. Sat76°64°26%
  9. Sun75°61°22%
  10. Mon64°62°19%
  11. Tue68°63°21%
  12. Wed86°62°36%
  13. Thu94°67°25%
  14. Fri94°74°26%
  15. Sat89°72°27%
  16. Sun87°66°26%

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

Live wind & temperature near Cranston

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 — Cranston

SPC has placed Cranston in the Marginal Risk category for severe thunderstorms today.

  • TODAYMRGLMarginal Risk
  • TOMORROWTSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
  • DAY 3TSTMGeneral Thunderstorms

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.

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

Cranston's warmest month is July (~74°F mean) and its coldest is January (~30°F). Rainfall peaks in March (4.9 inches) and bottoms out in July (2.9 inches).

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January30°4.0″7
February32°3.4″6
March39°4.9″7
April49°4.3″7
May59°3.4″7
June68°3.8″6
July74°2.9″6
August73°3.6″6
September66°4.2″6
October54°4.2″7
November45°4.3″6
December36°4.7″8

Regional context

In Cranston, NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals put January near 30°F and July near 74°F — a 44°F seasonal arc — with about 47.5 inches of precipitation over 79 rainy or snowy days.

Cranston's precipitation spreads evenly: March peaks at 4.9 inches on 7.2 wet days, while July holds 2.9 inches over 5.5 — no month dominates Cranston's rain calendar. That lines Cranston up with places like Warwick, RI, Providence, RI and East Providence, RI, fed by overlapping storm tracks.

Once Cranston passes mid-April, overnight freezes fade and peas, lettuce, spinach, and radishes can be sown. Heat-demanding starts go out a fortnight on in Cranston, after the soil warms and cold snaps clear. The season ends by mid-November in Cranston, once hard frosts set back in. Cranston's low ground holds frost later into spring than Cranston's benches, which run 3-5 days ahead.

Similar climates: Warwick, RI, Providence, RI, East Providence, RI, Greenville, RI, Pawtucket, RI.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Cranston?
Frost typically leaves Cranston by mid-April and returns to Cranston near mid-November.
What is the rainy season in Cranston?
March is the wettest month in Cranston, about 4.9 inches on average; the year totals roughly 48 inches.
What is the warmest month in Cranston?
Cranston peaks in July, when the mean runs near 74°F.
What is the coldest month in Cranston?
January is Cranston's coldest month, averaging about 30°F.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Cranston?
In Cranston, sow peas and hardy greens around mid-April; Cranston's tomatoes and peppers wait two weeks more.
How many rainy days does Cranston get?
Cranston averages about 79 days with measurable rain or snow each year.
What hardiness zone is Cranston?
Since January in Cranston averages 30°F, Cranston's USDA zone follows that floor — confirm it by ZIP.
What is the 10-day forecast for Cranston?
Cranston'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 Cranston?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Cranston in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Cranston?
Current conditions for Cranston and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Cranston forecast updated?
The Cranston forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Cranston?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Cranston 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 Cranston?
The next few days in Cranston's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

In Cranston, Rhode Island, the warm-summer humid continental climate runs from about 30°F in January to 74°F in July, a 44°F seasonal range.

In a typical year Cranston records about 48 inches of precipitation on around 79 days.

From 41.8°N, Cranston sees a 44°F seasonal swing that governs Cranston's planting and frost windows.

All cities in Rhode Island →

Providence, RI weather →

ZIP codes in Cranston

  • 02831
  • 02920
  • 02905
  • 02910
  • 02823
  • 02921

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.