Climate and average weather in West Palm Beach
In West Palm Beach, the summers are oppressive, hot, wet, and partly cloudy and the winters are warm and partly cloudy.
Over the course of the year, the temperature in West Palm Beach typically varies from 64°F to 85°F, and is rarely below 55°F or above 88°F. August is the hottest month of the year, while January is the coldest.
Based on the travel score, the best time of year to visit West Palm Beach for warm-weather activities is from late October to late May.
- Hottest
- Aug
- 85°
- Coldest
- Jan
- 64°
- Wettest
- Sep
- 7.0 in
- Driest
- Dec
- 1.7 in
- Rain / yr
- 46.8 in
- 165 wet days
- Daylight
- 10.3–13.7 h
- shortest–longest
- Elevation
- 13 ft
- 26.7°N
- Clearest
- Apr
- 48% cloud
West Palm Beach is county seat of Palm Beach County, Florida, United States.
- Density
- 809/km²
- people per km²
- Founded
- 1884
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
West Palm Beach weather by month, at a glance
The whole year in one picture — sky, rain, humidity, temperature and travel score. Click any band to jump to its full chart.
Each stripe is one measure across the whole year, stacked so a single day reads top to bottom. The sky band runs overcast grey on top down to clear blue at the base — more blue means sunnier — followed by the rainfall curve, the humidity band, a temperature strip that tints each stretch of the year by how warm its average high is, and the travel-score line at the foot. Scan straight down any date to read that day across every measure at once; the score climbs highest around late October to late May.
Temperature through the year
Daily average highs and lows in West Palm Beach, from 1991–2020 of climate data. The shaded bands show the range most days fall in — 10th to 90th percentile.
The hot season lasts 4.4 months, from May 31 to October 10, with daily high temperatures above 82°F. The hottest month of the year in West Palm Beach is August, with an average high of 85°F and low of 80°F.
The cool season lasts 3.3 months, from December 10 to March 18, with daily high temperatures below 74°F. The coldest month of the year in West Palm Beach is January, with an average low of 64°F and high of 72°F.
Days typically run about 6°F warmer than nights year-round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°F) | 72 | 73 | 74 | 77 | 80 | 83 | 85 | 85 | 84 | 81 | 77 | 74 |
| Avg low (°F) | 64 | 65 | 67 | 71 | 75 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 79 | 76 | 71 | 67 |
| Avg high (°F) | Avg low (°F) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 72 | 64 |
| Feb | 73 | 65 |
| Mar | 74 | 67 |
| Apr | 77 | 71 |
| May | 80 | 75 |
| Jun | 83 | 78 |
| Jul | 85 | 79 |
| Aug | 85 | 80 |
| Sep | 84 | 79 |
| Oct | 81 | 76 |
| Nov | 77 | 71 |
| Dec | 74 | 67 |
How hot and cold West Palm Beach really feels
The felt-temperature range through the year — heat index on the day's high (summer humidity), wind chill on the night's low (winter wind). The dashed lines are the plain thermometer; the gap is how much hotter or colder it really feels.
On the hottest afternoons, once humidity is folded in, West Palm Beach feels like about 97°F (around August 11). About 112 days a year carry some heat stress, peaking in August.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels-like high (°F) | 72 | 73 | 74 | 77 | 82 | 90 | 95 | 96 | 92 | 84 | 77 | 74 |
| Air high (°F) | 72 | 73 | 74 | 77 | 80 | 83 | 85 | 85 | 84 | 81 | 77 | 74 |
| Feels-like low (°F) | 64 | 65 | 67 | 71 | 75 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 79 | 76 | 71 | 67 |
| Air low (°F) | 64 | 65 | 67 | 71 | 75 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 79 | 76 | 71 | 67 |
| Feels-like high (°F) | Air high (°F) | Feels-like low (°F) | Air low (°F) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 72 | 72 | 64 | 64 |
| Feb | 73 | 73 | 65 | 65 |
| Mar | 74 | 74 | 67 | 67 |
| Apr | 77 | 77 | 71 | 71 |
| May | 82 | 80 | 75 | 75 |
| Jun | 90 | 83 | 78 | 78 |
| Jul | 95 | 85 | 79 | 79 |
| Aug | 96 | 85 | 80 | 80 |
| Sep | 92 | 84 | 79 | 79 |
| Oct | 84 | 81 | 76 | 76 |
| Nov | 77 | 77 | 71 | 71 |
| Dec | 74 | 74 | 67 | 67 |
Average hourly temperature in West Palm Beach
A compact picture of the whole year, hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled average temperature. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
Read left to right for the day of the year and top to bottom for the hour of the day; the color is the modeled temperature, cool blues through to hot reds on the same scale as the other charts. A vertical slice is a single day's swing — coolest just before dawn, warmest in the mid-afternoon — while a horizontal slice follows one hour across the seasons. The darker overlay marks night and the lighter one the twilight around sunrise and sunset. Colors run warmest on August afternoons, near 85°F, and coldest before dawn in January, near 64°F.
West Palm Beach weather by month
Every month at a glance. Click a month for its detailed page.
| Month | High / Low (°F) | Rainfall (inches) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 72° / 64° | 2.0 | 7.1 | 10.5 | 7.2 |
| Feb | 73° / 65° | 1.9 | 6.5 | 11.1 | 7.4 |
| Mar | 74° / 67° | 2.6 | 7.8 | 11.8 | 7.4 |
| Apr | 77° / 71° | 2.6 | 8.4 | 12.6 | 7.2 |
| May | 80° / 75° | 4.0 | 12.4 | 13.3 | 6.3 |
| Jun | 83° / 78° | 6.5 | 21.1 | 13.6 | 4.2 |
| Jul | 85° / 79° | 5.3 | 22.5 | 13.5 | 3.7 |
| Aug | 85° / 80° | 6.5 | 24.2 | 12.9 | 3.5 |
| Sep | 84° / 79° | 7.0 | 23.3 | 12.2 | 3.8 |
| Oct | 81° / 76° | 4.5 | 15.1 | 11.4 | 5.7 |
| Nov | 77° / 71° | 2.2 | 9.3 | 10.7 | 7.1 |
| Dec | 74° / 67° | 1.7 | 7.4 | 10.4 | 7.3 |
Chance of rain
How likely it is to rain on a typical day, and how that shifts across the wetter and drier seasons.
West Palm Beach gets about 46.8 in of precipitation a year. On a typical day the chance of rain is very wet, but that rises and falls sharply with the seasons.
The wetter season lasts 5.0 months, from around May 20 to Oct 19, peaking in September at about 82% chance on a given day. The drier stretch runs the rest of the year, bottoming out around Jan 21.
September is the wettest month by volume, with 7.0 in over about 23 wet days; December is the driest, with 1.7 in.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain on a day (%) | 23 | 22 | 26 | 28 | 42 | 68 | 73 | 78 | 76 | 50 | 31 | 25 |
| Rain days | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 15 | 9 | 7 |
| Rain on a day (%) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23 | 7 |
| Feb | 22 | 7 |
| Mar | 26 | 8 |
| Apr | 28 | 8 |
| May | 42 | 12 |
| Jun | 68 | 21 |
| Jul | 73 | 23 |
| Aug | 78 | 24 |
| Sep | 76 | 23 |
| Oct | 50 | 15 |
| Nov | 31 | 9 |
| Dec | 25 | 7 |
Monthly rainfall
Over a full year, West Palm Beach collects about 46.8 in of rain across 165 wet days — roughly 3.9 in in an average month.
It doesn’t fall evenly. September is the wettest month with 7.0 in, while December is the driest at just 1.7 in. The three wettest months alone bring about 43% of the year’s total.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainfall (in) | 2.0 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 4.0 | 6.5 | 5.3 | 6.5 | 7.0 | 4.5 | 2.2 | 1.7 |
| Rain days | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 15 | 9 | 7 |
| Rainfall (in) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.0 | 7 |
| Feb | 1.9 | 7 |
| Mar | 2.6 | 8 |
| Apr | 2.6 | 8 |
| May | 4.0 | 12 |
| Jun | 6.5 | 21 |
| Jul | 5.3 | 23 |
| Aug | 6.5 | 24 |
| Sep | 7.0 | 23 |
| Oct | 4.5 | 15 |
| Nov | 2.2 | 9 |
| Dec | 1.7 | 7 |
Clouds and sunshine
How often the daytime sky is clear, partly cloudy or overcast.
In West Palm Beach, the average share of the sky covered by clouds shows significant seasonal variation over the course of the year.
The clearer part of the year begins around January 31 and lasts for 3.9 months, ending around May 29. The clearest month is April, when the sky is clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 64% of the time on average.
The cloudier part of the year begins around May 30 and lasts for 4.4 months, ending around October 9. The cloudiest month is August, when it is overcast or mostly cloudy 60% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 54 | 60 | 62 | 64 | 62 | 44 | 42 | 40 | 40 | 55 | 59 | 55 |
| Cloudier (%) | 46 | 40 | 38 | 36 | 38 | 56 | 58 | 60 | 60 | 45 | 41 | 45 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54 | 46 |
| Feb | 60 | 40 |
| Mar | 62 | 38 |
| Apr | 64 | 36 |
| May | 62 | 38 |
| Jun | 44 | 56 |
| Jul | 42 | 58 |
| Aug | 40 | 60 |
| Sep | 40 | 60 |
| Oct | 55 | 45 |
| Nov | 59 | 41 |
| Dec | 55 | 45 |
Daylight, sunrise and sunset
Hours of daylight through the year, with sunrise and sunset times.
The gold band is daylight — sunrise runs along its lower edge, sunset along the upper — so it widens toward summer and pinches toward winter, with night the dark area above and below. The longest day, around June 13, brings about 13 h 42 min of light; the shortest, around January 1, only 10 h 18 min — a swing of roughly 3 h 24 min.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.5 | 11.1 | 11.8 | 12.6 | 13.3 | 13.6 | 13.5 | 12.9 | 12.2 | 11.4 | 10.7 | 10.4 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 7:15 | 7:03 | 6:36 | 6:01 | 5:37 | 5:30 | 5:40 | 5:56 | 6:10 | 6:25 | 6:46 | 7:06 |
| Sunset (PM) | 5:44 | 6:07 | 6:24 | 6:39 | 6:56 | 7:11 | 7:12 | 6:53 | 6:19 | 5:46 | 5:25 | 5:26 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10.5 | 7:15 | 5:44 |
| Feb | 11.1 | 7:03 | 6:07 |
| Mar | 11.8 | 6:36 | 6:24 |
| Apr | 12.6 | 6:01 | 6:39 |
| May | 13.3 | 5:37 | 6:56 |
| Jun | 13.6 | 5:30 | 7:11 |
| Jul | 13.5 | 5:40 | 7:12 |
| Aug | 12.9 | 5:56 | 6:53 |
| Sep | 12.2 | 6:10 | 6:19 |
| Oct | 11.4 | 6:25 | 5:46 |
| Nov | 10.7 | 6:46 | 5:25 |
| Dec | 10.4 | 7:06 | 5:26 |
Sunny days
How many genuinely sunny days each month brings — days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — banded into plain-language zones.
West Palm Beach averages about 10 sunny days a month — counting the days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — with a clear seasonal swing between 6 and 14 days.
The sunnier stretch runs 4.0 months, from around Jan 25 to May 27. The sunniest month is May, with roughly 13 sunny days (mixed).
The greyest month is August, down near 7 sunny days — about 45% fewer than the May peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunny days | 10 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 10 |
| Sky | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed |
| Sunny days | Sky | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10 | Mixed |
| Feb | 11 | Mixed |
| Mar | 13 | Mixed |
| Apr | 13 | Mixed |
| May | 13 | Mixed |
| Jun | 7 | Gloomy |
| Jul | 8 | Gloomy |
| Aug | 7 | Gloomy |
| Sep | 7 | Gloomy |
| Oct | 11 | Mixed |
| Nov | 11 | Mixed |
| Dec | 10 | Mixed |
Humidity comfort
Share of days at each humidity comfort level, based on the dew point — the measure that tracks how muggy it actually feels.
Humidity comfort is graded by the dew point — the temperature at which the air would be fully saturated — because it tracks how muggy it actually feels far better than relative humidity does. A low dew point feels dry and crisp; a high one feels sticky and oppressive no matter the reading on a humidity gauge.
In West Palm Beach, how humid it feels changes dramatically over the year.
The more humid part of the year lasts 6.9 months, from around April 19 to November 15. The muggiest month is May, when the air feels humid, muggy or worse about 97% of the time.
The most comfortable stretch runs from around November 16 to April 18, and January is the most comfortable month — the air is dry or comfortable 48% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 28 | 24 | 17 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 17 |
| Comfortable (%) | 20 | 19 | 20 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 16 |
| Humid (%) | 24 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 26 | 23 |
| Muggy (%) | 26 | 31 | 33 | 40 | 32 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 22 | 32 | 34 |
| Oppressive (%) | 2 | 2 | 4 | 17 | 51 | 69 | 40 | 25 | 46 | 49 | 23 | 11 |
| Miserable (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 27 | 60 | 75 | 51 | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | Oppressive (%) | Miserable (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28 | 20 | 24 | 26 | 2 | 0 |
| Feb | 24 | 19 | 24 | 31 | 2 | 0 |
| Mar | 17 | 20 | 26 | 33 | 4 | 0 |
| Apr | 6 | 11 | 26 | 40 | 17 | 0 |
| May | 1 | 3 | 11 | 32 | 51 | 2 |
| Jun | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 69 | 27 |
| Jul | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 60 |
| Aug | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 75 |
| Sep | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 46 | 51 |
| Oct | 1 | 2 | 9 | 22 | 49 | 16 |
| Nov | 6 | 11 | 26 | 32 | 23 | 1 |
| Dec | 17 | 16 | 23 | 34 | 11 | 0 |
Wind
Average wind speed through the year, banded into plain-language speed zones so a number reads as 'breezy' or 'calm' without knowing the scale.
This is the average sustained wind speed at the standard 10 metres above open ground — the steady flow a weather station reports, not the sharper gusts that come and go, which can run half again as fast. It's the number that says whether a place is generally breezy or calm.
Across the year, average wind speed in West Palm Beach is typically light breeze, near 9 mph, and varies moderately with the seasons.
The windier part of the year lasts 7.2 months, from around Oct 7 to May 13. The windiest month is November, averaging about 11 mph (light breeze).
The calmer part of the year runs from around May 14 to Oct 6, with August the calmest month at about 7 mph.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (mph) | 11 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 10 |
| Feels | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | calm | calm | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze |
| Wind speed (mph) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | light breeze |
| Feb | 10 | light breeze |
| Mar | 11 | light breeze |
| Apr | 10 | light breeze |
| May | 9 | light breeze |
| Jun | 8 | light breeze |
| Jul | 7 | calm |
| Aug | 7 | calm |
| Sep | 8 | light breeze |
| Oct | 10 | light breeze |
| Nov | 11 | light breeze |
| Dec | 10 | light breeze |
Hazard calendar for West Palm Beach
When the seasonal hazards worth planning around — the rainy season, tropical-cyclone risk and dust haze — are active through the year.
West Palm Beach sits in the Atlantic hurricane belt; the season peaks August–October.
West Palm Beach's rainy season runs May–October, when most of the year's rain falls.
Best time to visit West Palm Beach
To characterize how pleasant the weather is in West Palm Beach throughout the year, we compute two travel scores — one for general sightseeing, one for beach and pool weather.
Around late October, West Palm Beach is still near the start of its best-weather window — great conditions with the peak-season crowds not yet at full swing.
Inferred from the travel-score curve; month-by-month visitor numbers are a planned addition.
The travel score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 64°F and 82°F. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit West Palm Beach for general outdoor tourist activities is from late October to late May, with a peak score in the first week of March.
The travel score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel score (0–10) | 7.2 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.2 | 6.3 | 4.3 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 5.7 | 7.0 | 7.3 |
| Rating | good | good | good | good | good | fair | fair | fair | fair | good | good | good |
| Travel score (0–10) | Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7.2 | good |
| Feb | 7.4 | good |
| Mar | 7.4 | good |
| Apr | 7.2 | good |
| May | 6.3 | good |
| Jun | 4.3 | fair |
| Jul | 3.7 | fair |
| Aug | 3.5 | fair |
| Sep | 3.8 | fair |
| Oct | 5.7 | good |
| Nov | 7.0 | good |
| Dec | 7.3 | good |
The beach/pool score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 75°F and 93°F. Based on this score, the best times of year to visit West Palm Beach for hot-weather activities run from mid February to early June and again from early October to late December, with a peak score in the first week of May.
The beach/pool score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
What to pack for West Palm Beach, by month
Month by month, what's worth putting in the bag — from the temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind. Tap a month for a quick packing note.
For a warm-season trip around August (highs near 85°F), the essentials are light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. In the cold season around January (highs near 72°F), pack light clothes.
In August, West Palm Beach sees daytime highs around 85°F and nights near 80°F. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 24 days see rain.
Sea temperature near West Palm Beach
Average ocean temperature at the nearest coast, month by month, banded into swim-comfort zones — the other half of the beach question.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 12 mi away) is warmest in August at about 85°F and coldest in February near 77°F.
The water stays above 68°F all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°F) | 77 | 77 | 77 | 79 | 81 | 83 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 83 | 81 | 79 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°F) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 77 | Warm |
| Feb | 77 | Warm |
| Mar | 77 | Warm |
| Apr | 79 | Warm |
| May | 81 | Warm |
| Jun | 83 | Tropical |
| Jul | 85 | Tropical |
| Aug | 85 | Tropical |
| Sep | 85 | Tropical |
| Oct | 83 | Tropical |
| Nov | 81 | Warm |
| Dec | 79 | Warm |
UV index (midday) in West Palm Beach by month
Clear-sky midday UV index through the year, shaded by the WHO exposure levels — how much sun protection each month calls for.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in West Palm Beach peaks around July 12 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 5 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 5 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 5 |
| Level | High | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | High | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5 | High |
| Feb | 7 | Very high |
| Mar | 9 | Very high |
| Apr | 9 | Very high |
| May | 9 | Very high |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 12 | Extreme |
| Aug | 11 | Extreme |
| Sep | 9 | Very high |
| Oct | 8 | Very high |
| Nov | 6 | High |
| Dec | 5 | Moderate |
Average hourly UV index in West Palm Beach
Modeled clear-sky UV for every hour of every day — when in the day sun protection actually matters.
The whole year hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled clear-sky UV index — the midday peak scaled down as the sun sits lower in the sky. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
UV falls off far faster than brightness as the sun drops, so even in July the burn window is concentrated in the middle of the day: about 8.5 hours a day reach index 3 (protection recommended), and 6 hours reach 6 or more. Mornings and late afternoons stay comparatively gentle year round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 5 | 4 |
| UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | 0 | 3 | 4.5 | 5 | 5.5 | 6 | 6 | 5.5 | 5 | 3.5 | 0 | 0 |
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5 | 0 |
| Feb | 6 | 3 |
| Mar | 7 | 4.5 |
| Apr | 7.5 | 5 |
| May | 8 | 5.5 |
| Jun | 8.5 | 6 |
| Jul | 8.5 | 6 |
| Aug | 8 | 5.5 |
| Sep | 7.5 | 5 |
| Oct | 6.5 | 3.5 |
| Nov | 5 | 0 |
| Dec | 4 | 0 |
Air quality in West Palm Beach by month
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see which months the air is worst, not just the yearly average.
Air quality in West Palm Beach is worst in July — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (December, 8 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 8 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 15 | 20 | 17 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 8 |
| Level | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | Good |
| Feb | 10 | Good |
| Mar | 11 | Good |
| Apr | 11 | Good |
| May | 11 | Good |
| Jun | 15 | Moderate |
| Jul | 20 | Moderate |
| Aug | 17 | Moderate |
| Sep | 12 | Good |
| Oct | 9 | Good |
| Nov | 8 | Good |
| Dec | 8 | Good |
Growing season
West Palm Beach is frost-free year round — even the coldest nights rarely reach freezing, so there is no start or end to the growing season.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frost-free chance (%) | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Frost nights | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Frost-free chance (%) | Frost nights | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 100 | 0 |
| Feb | 100 | 0 |
| Mar | 100 | 0 |
| Apr | 100 | 0 |
| May | 100 | 0 |
| Jun | 100 | 0 |
| Jul | 100 | 0 |
| Aug | 100 | 0 |
| Sep | 100 | 0 |
| Oct | 100 | 0 |
| Nov | 100 | 0 |
| Dec | 100 | 0 |
Growing degree days
Growing degree days tally heat above 50°F: each day adds however many degrees its average temperature runs over that threshold, and cold days add nothing. West Palm Beach banks about 9,398 degree days a year, and the running total — which growers use to time plantings and predict maturity — climbs fastest around August.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growing degree days (°F·days) | 556 | 529 | 643 | 720 | 852 | 921 | 999 | 1,007 | 941 | 884 | 716 | 630 |
| Growing degree days (°F·days) | |
|---|---|
| Jan | 556 |
| Feb | 529 |
| Mar | 643 |
| Apr | 720 |
| May | 852 |
| Jun | 921 |
| Jul | 999 |
| Aug | 1,007 |
| Sep | 941 |
| Oct | 884 |
| Nov | 716 |
| Dec | 630 |
Solar energy
Average daily shortwave solar energy reaching the ground, banded into brightness zones so the number means something at a glance.
Solar energy is how much sunlight actually reaches the ground each day, measured in kilowatt-hours per square metre (kWh/m²) — the combined effect of how long the sun is up, how high it climbs, and how much cloud gets in the way. It's the raw fuel a solar panel has to work with: for scale, 1 kWh/m² a day is dim and wintry, while 7+ is desert-bright.
West Palm Beach receives about 4.9 kWh/m² a day of solar energy on average — bright — with a clear seasonal swing between 3.1 and 6.4 kWh/m².
The brighter stretch of the year lasts 6.3 months, from around Mar 10 to Sep 18. The brightest month is May, averaging about 6.2 kWh/m² (intense).
The dimmest month is December, down near 3.1 kWh/m² — roughly 50% less than the May peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 3.3 | 4.1 | 5.1 | 6.0 | 6.3 | 6.0 | 6.2 | 5.8 | 4.9 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 3.1 |
| Level | Moderate | Bright | Bright | Bright | Intense | Bright | Intense | Bright | Bright | Bright | Moderate | Moderate |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.3 | Moderate |
| Feb | 4.1 | Bright |
| Mar | 5.1 | Bright |
| Apr | 6.0 | Bright |
| May | 6.3 | Intense |
| Jun | 6.0 | Bright |
| Jul | 6.2 | Intense |
| Aug | 5.8 | Bright |
| Sep | 4.9 | Bright |
| Oct | 4.2 | Bright |
| Nov | 3.5 | Moderate |
| Dec | 3.1 | Moderate |
Where is West Palm Beach?
West Palm Beach sits at 26.7°N, 80.1°W, 13 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Riviera Beach, 4.3 mi away.
Topography around West Palm Beach
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of West Palm Beach.
Within 2 miles, the terrain around West Palm Beach has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 69 ft around an average of 13 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 157 ft; within 50 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 200 ft.
The land around West Palm Beach is covered by artificial surfaces (47%) and water (35%) within 2 miles, water (49%) and artificial surfaces (26%) within 10 miles, and water (42%) within 50 miles.
United States travel facts
- Power plugs
- Type A / B
- 120 V · 60 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 100% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $90,027
- 2025
- Happiness
- 6.8 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 98%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 5.8
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 12.7
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- High
- World Bank
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for West Palm Beach (26.7153°, -80.0534°, elevation 13 ft), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).