January in Empire State Building: expect compromises
Hardest · 2.9/10January averages 3°C (37°F), cold enough that sightseeing works in bursts rather than in one long day on foot.
At 156 mm this is a genuinely wet month: almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine in total, and outdoor plans need an indoor fallback.
It scores 2.9/10 here, 12th of 12 months, against 8.5/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
Flexible dates? June scores 5.6 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
February in Empire State Building — off-season conditions
Hardest · 4.8/10February averages 3°C (37°F), cold enough that sightseeing works in bursts rather than in one long day on foot.
Rainfall runs 75 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 5 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 10.4 hours of daylight.
It scores 4.8/10 here, 9th of 12 months, against 8.5/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for mid-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.
Pack insulated layers, a windproof shell, gloves and boots with grip, a packable rain layer.
Flexible dates? June scores 3.7 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
March in Empire State Building: expect compromises
Hardest · 4.5/10Expect 6°C (42°F) in March. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
165 mm of rain signals a properly wet month, with only about 12 days with 6+ hours of sunshine to count on — build indoor options into the schedule.
That is 4.5/10 on the same scale — 10th of 12 months, versus 8.5/10 for the best month here.
Budget for low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Empire State Building — 4 points higher on the same scale.
April in Empire State Building: mixed conditions, plan around the weather
Trade-offs · 5.9/10April averages 10°C (50°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
At 151 mm this is a genuinely wet month: about 19 days with 6+ hours of sunshine in total, and outdoor plans need an indoor fallback.
It scores 5.9/10 here, 7th of 12 months, against 8.5/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
Flexible dates? June scores 2.6 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
May in Empire State Building — reliably good (2nd best month)
Good · 8.2/10Temperatures hover around 15°C (59°F) — the kind of month where neither heat nor cold forces the schedule.
Budget for roughly 78 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 27 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 14.3 hours of daylight to work around it.
That is 8.2/10 on the same scale — 2nd of 12 months, versus 8.5/10 for the best month here.
Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.
June in Empire State Building — the year's strongest window
Best window · 8.5/10June averages 20°C (68°F) — pleasant for mornings and evenings on foot in the city, with a midday break when the sun is strongest.
Rainfall runs 70 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 30 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 14.9 hours of daylight.
On our climate-comfort scale this is the top-ranked month of the year for Empire State Building at 8.5/10 — the reference point every other month on this page is measured against.
Figure on peak pricing, with crowds are moderate. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a packable rain layer.
July in Empire State Building — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 6.6/10July averages 25°C (76°F) — pleasant for mornings and evenings on foot in the city, with a midday break when the sun is strongest.
Monthly rainfall reaches 109 mm — wet for this destination — but about 29 days with 6+ hours of sunshine still break through, so keep one indoor fallback in the plan.
It scores 6.6/10 here, 5th of 12 months, against 8.5/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for mid-season pricing, with this is one of the busiest months here.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
Flexible dates? June scores 1.9 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
August in Empire State Building — reliably good (3rd best month)
Good · 7.1/10At 24°C (75°F) this is comfortable city weather in August, with sightseeing easiest before lunch and after the afternoon peak.
104 mm of rain makes this a wet month here, though with about 24 days with 6+ hours of sunshine there is still bright weather between the fronts.
That is 7.1/10 on the same scale — 3rd of 12 months, versus 8.5/10 for the best month here.
Expect peak pricing, and this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
September in Empire State Building: mixed conditions, plan around the weather
Trade-offs · 6.6/10At 21°C (69°F) this is comfortable city weather in September, with sightseeing easiest before lunch and after the afternoon peak.
152 mm of rain signals a properly wet month, with only about 15 days with 6+ hours of sunshine to count on — build indoor options into the schedule.
That is 6.6/10 on the same scale — 6th of 12 months, versus 8.5/10 for the best month here.
Budget for mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.
Pack light clothing, a hat and real sun protection, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Empire State Building — 1.9 points higher on the same scale.
October in Empire State Building: strong conditions, 4th of 12
Good · 7.1/10October averages 15°C (60°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.
Rainfall runs 89 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 9 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 10.9 hours of daylight.
It scores 7.1/10 here, 4th of 12 months, against 8.5/10 in the destination's best month.
Figure on mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.
November in Empire State Building — workable with trade-offs
Trade-offs · 5.6/10November averages 10°C (50°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.
Rainfall runs 90 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 1 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 9.7 hours of daylight.
It scores 5.6/10 here, 8th of 12 months, against 8.5/10 in the destination's best month.
Plan for mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.
Flexible dates? June scores 2.9 points higher here — enough to change the trip.
December in Empire State Building — off-season conditions
Hardest · 3.1/10Expect 5°C (41°F) in December. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.
178 mm of rain signals a properly wet month, with only almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine to count on — build indoor options into the schedule.
That is 3.1/10 on the same scale — 11th of 12 months, versus 8.5/10 for the best month here.
Budget for low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.
Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.
If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Empire State Building — 5.4 points higher on the same scale.
