Best time to visit Buffalo
The best time to visit Buffalo is May–June and August–September, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Buffalo, New York, United States
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0 °C / 32 °F | -5.4 °C / 22 °F | 72 mm / 2.8 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 0.2 °C / 32 °F | -5.8 °C / 22 °F | 70 mm / 2.7 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 5.1 °C / 41 °F | -1.6 °C / 29 °F | 78 mm / 3.1 in | neither best nor good |
| April | 11 °C / 52 °F | 4 °C / 39 °F | 100 mm / 3.9 in | neither best nor good |
| May | 17.9 °C / 64 °F | 10.7 °C / 51 °F | 79 mm / 3.1 in | best month |
| June | 22.8 °C / 73 °F | 16.1 °C / 61 °F | 98 mm / 3.9 in | best month |
| July | 25.6 °C / 78 °F | 19.2 °C / 67 °F | 104 mm / 4.1 in | good month |
| August | 24.8 °C / 77 °F | 18.4 °C / 65 °F | 83 mm / 3.3 in | best month |
| September | 21.5 °C / 71 °F | 14.8 °C / 59 °F | 78 mm / 3.1 in | best month |
| October | 15.1 °C / 59 °F | 8.9 °C / 48 °F | 101 mm / 4 in | good month |
| November | 8.5 °C / 47 °F | 2.9 °C / 37 °F | 70 mm / 2.8 in | neither best nor good |
| December | 3.2 °C / 38 °F | -1.5 °C / 29 °F | 87 mm / 3.4 in | neither best nor good |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: neither
- MMay: best
- JJune: best
- JJuly: good
- AAugust: best
- SSeptember: best
- OOctober: good
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- May–June, August–September
- Good
- July, October
Best for exploring outdoors from May through September, peaking in dry, sunny September, with June-August bringing the year's heaviest and most daytime-skewed rain. Cold, dark winters from November through April rule out outdoor days.
Why these months
May · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 16.8 °C / 62 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 76%, average daily high 17.9 °C / 64 °F, precipitation 79 mm / 3.1 in, days with heavy rain 2.2 days, average daily low 10.7 °C / 51 °F, relative humidity 70%.
Against: wet days 11.7 days.
Also on: Smallmouth bass fishing (spring).
Watch out for: Memorial Day.
June · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 23.3 °C / 74 °F, average daily high 22.8 °C / 73 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 80%, average daily low 16.1 °C / 61 °F, relative humidity 72%.
Against: wet days 11.9 days, precipitation 98 mm / 3.9 in, days with heavy rain 3.4 days.
Also on: Buffalo Greek Fest, Smallmouth bass fishing (spring).
Watch out for: Juneteenth.
July · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 27.3 °C / 81 °F, average daily high 25.6 °C / 78 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 84%, average daily low 19.2 °C / 67 °F.
Against: wet days 12.4 days, precipitation 104 mm / 4.1 in, days with heavy rain 3.1 days, relative humidity 74%, share of rain falling in the daytime 49%.
Also on: Buffalo Infringement Festival, Galbani Buffalo Italian Heritage Festival.
Watch out for: Independence Day.
August · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 26.1 °C / 79 °F, average daily high 24.8 °C / 77 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 83%, precipitation 83 mm / 3.3 in, average daily low 18.4 °C / 65 °F, relative humidity 75%.
Against: wet days 11.6 days, days with heavy rain 2.6 days.
Also on: Buffalo Infringement Festival, Jack Craft Fair.
September · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 21.4 °C / 71 °F, average daily high 21.5 °C / 71 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 77%, precipitation 78 mm / 3.1 in, days with heavy rain 2.4 days, average daily low 14.8 °C / 59 °F, relative humidity 76%.
Against: wet days 9.6 days.
Also on: Buffalo International Film Festival, Curtain Up!.
Watch out for: Labor Day.
October · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 64%, average daily high 15.1 °C / 59 °F, average daily low 8.9 °C / 48 °F, relative humidity 75%.
Against: feels like (high) 12.6 °C / 55 °F, wet days 13.7 days, precipitation 101 mm / 4 in, days with heavy rain 3.3 days, sunshine per day 7.1 h.
Also on: Autumn leaf viewing, Buffalo International Film Festival, Smallmouth bass fishing (fall).
Watch out for: Columbus Day.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Bristol Mountain Ski Resort, 119 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | -5 °C | -4.9 °C | 0.8 °C | 7.9 °C | 16.8 °C | 23.3 °C | 27.3 °C | 26.1 °C | 21.4 °C | 12.6 °C | 4.6 °C | -1.4 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 2 days | 2 days | 3 days | 3.2 days | 2.2 days | 3.4 days | 3.1 days | 2.6 days | 2.4 days | 3.3 days | 1.9 days | 2.8 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 5 am | 9 am | 11 pm | 10 am | 2 am | 8 am | 11 am | 12 am | 8 am | 6 am | 10 pm | 5 am |
| Sunshine per day | 5.1 h | 6.5 h | 8.1 h | 9.3 h | 11.2 h | 12.2 h | 12.6 h | 11.5 h | 9.6 h | 7.1 h | 6 h | 4.2 h |
| Relative humidity | 76% | 74% | 70% | 69% | 70% | 72% | 74% | 75% | 76% | 75% | 73% | 77% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 5.8 µg/m³ | 7.3 µg/m³ | 7.4 µg/m³ | 8.7 µg/m³ | 10.6 µg/m³ | 16.4 µg/m³ | 12 µg/m³ | 10.5 µg/m³ | 8.2 µg/m³ | 5.9 µg/m³ | 5.5 µg/m³ | 5.8 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 10.8 µg/m³ | 13.1 µg/m³ | 13.6 µg/m³ | 14.9 µg/m³ | 17.5 µg/m³ | 25.7 µg/m³ | 19.9 µg/m³ | 16.7 µg/m³ | 13.2 µg/m³ | 10.1 µg/m³ | 10.3 µg/m³ | 10.4 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.
Events and seasons
What the weather records cannot show. A major event can lift a month to good or best. The warnings are there to help you plan, and never count against a month.
Reasons to go
- Vietnamese New Year celebration
January and February, dates vary from year to year
- Dyngus Day
March and April, dates vary from year to year
- Smallmouth bass fishing (spring)
1 May–15 June
- Buffalo Greek Fest
1–7 June, dates vary from year to year
- Galbani Buffalo Italian Heritage Festival
1–7 July, dates vary from year to year
- Buffalo Infringement Festival
25 July–7 August, dates vary from year to year
- Jack Craft Fair
11–20 August
- Buffalo International Film Festival
21 September–10 October
- Curtain Up!
September
- Smallmouth bass fishing (fall)
1 October–30 November
- Autumn leaf viewing
October and November
- A Christmas Carol at Alleyway Theatre
December
Worth knowing before you go
- New Year's Day
1 January
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
January, dates vary from year to year
- Holiday season travel rush
January, November and December, dates vary from year to year
- Presidents' Day
February, dates vary from year to year
- Memorial Day
May, dates vary from year to year
- Juneteenth
19 June
- Independence Day
4 July
- Labor Day
September, dates vary from year to year
- Columbus Day
October, dates vary from year to year
- Veterans Day
11 November
- Thanksgiving travel rush
November, dates vary from year to year
- Christmas
24–25 December