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Weather & Climate in Kingston, RI
Temperature, precipitation, air quality, natural hazards, and monthly weather data.
Kingston experiences four distinct seasons with an average annual temperature of 49°F (10°C). Winters average 28°F in January while summers reach 70°F in July. The area gets 271 sunny days per year, well above the U.S. average of 205 / making it one of the sunnier locations in the country. Annual precipitation totals 51.6 inches (wetter than the 38-inch national average). Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 35. The city sits at an elevation of 224 feet.
Temperature
28°F Jan (-2°C)
70°F Jul (21°C)
| Annual Average | 49.2°F |
| 9% below US avg | |
| January Average | 28°F (-2°C) |
| July Average | 70°F (21°C) |
| Sunny Days | 271 days/yr |
Geography
| Elevation | 224 ft (68 m) |
| Area | 1.6 sq mi (4.0 km²) |
| Population Density | 4,457/sq mi |
| Coordinates | 41.4732°N, 71.5241°W |
| Timezone | America/New_York |
| County | Washington County County |
| Nearest Airport | Rhode Island Tf Green International (PVD) 18 miles away |
Precipitation & Snow
Air Quality
| AQI Median | 35.0 |
| Rating | Good |
Natural Hazard Risk
| Overall Risk | Relatively Low |
| Risk Score | 64.0 / 100 |
| Social Vulnerability | 12.2 / 100 |
| Community Resilience | 97.1 / 100 |
Hazard Breakdown
| Tornado | Relatively Low |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low |
| Wildfire | Very Low |
| Flood | Relatively Moderate |
| Hail | Very Low |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate |
| Drought | Relatively Low |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low |
| Landslide | Very Low |
| Coastal Flood | Relatively Moderate |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (Dec 2025)
Earthquake History
14 earthquakes (M2.5+) recorded within 150 km since 1990. Strongest on record: M3.7.
| Oct 2, 1994 | 6 km W of Hardwick, Massachusetts | M3.7 | 115 km | 10 km |
| Jan 12, 2015 | 0 km NE of Wauregan, Connecticut | M3.3 | 44 km | 5 km |
| Jun 16, 2000 | 5 km NE of Granville, Massachusetts | M3.3 | 128 km | 10 km |
| Oct 2, 1994 | 1 km NW of Hardwick, Massachusetts | M3.3 | 114 km | 10 km |
| Mar 22, 1996 | 2 km NE of Bristol, Rhode Island | M3.1 | 34 km | 12 km |
| Apr 9, 2019 | 63 km SSE of Sagaponack, New York | M3.0 | 126 km | 7 km |
| Mar 10, 1992 | 2 km SW of Napeague, New York | M2.8 | 71 km | 10 km |
| Oct 11, 1990 | 5 km NNE of The Pinehills, Massachusetts | M2.7 | 94 km | 13 km |
| Oct 13, 1999 | 2 km E of Littleton Common, Massachusetts | M2.7 | 120 km | 2 km |
| Aug 14, 2014 | 6 km SW of Deep River Center, Connecticut | M2.7 | 82 km | 4 km |
| Apr 22, 1996 | 3 km NE of North Westport, Massachusetts | M2.6 | 45 km | 5 km |
| Jan 13, 2015 | 2 km E of Wauregan, Connecticut | M2.6 | 42 km | 9 km |
| Jun 7, 2002 | 3 km NNW of Hopedale, Massachusetts | M2.5 | 76 km | 5 km |
| Jan 23, 1990 | 3 km NNW of Boxborough, Massachusetts | M2.5 | 117 km | 5 km |
Source: USGS Earthquake Catalog (M2.5+, 1990–2025). Sorted by magnitude.
Hurricane History
5 hurricanes (Category 1+) recorded within 500 km since 1980. Strongest on record: Category 2.
| Year | Name | Category | Max Wind | Closest |
| 2021 | Henri | Category 1 | 75 mph | 235 km |
| 2014 | Arthur | Category 1 | 75 mph | 209 km |
| 1996 | Edouard | Category 1 | 81 mph | 258 km |
| 1991 | Bob | Category 2 | 109 mph | 13 km |
| 1985 | Gloria | Category 1 | 86 mph | 116 km |
Source: NOAA IBTrACS (Category 1+, 1980–2026).
Tornado History
130 tornadoes (EF0+) recorded within 100 km since 1950. Strongest on record: EF3. Total: 2 fatalities, 71 injuries.
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Fatalities |
| May 10, 1954 | EF3 | 93 km | 0.3 mi | 0 |
| Jun 9, 1953 | EF3 | 80 km | 28.0 mi | 0 |
| Aug 21, 1951 | EF3 | 82 km | 0.1 mi | 0 |
| Aug 18, 2023 | EF2 | 36 km | 9.1 mi | 0 |
| Aug 8, 1999 | EF2 | 99 km | 4.0 mi | 0 |
| Aug 7, 1986 | EF2 | 34 km | 4.0 mi | 0 |
| Sep 6, 1973 | EF2 | 91 km | 3.3 mi | 0 |
| Aug 28, 1970 | EF2 | 54 km | 1.0 mi | 0 |
| Nov 18, 1967 | EF2 | 76 km | 0.1 mi | 0 |
| Aug 31, 1966 | EF2 | 95 km | 1.0 mi | 0 |
| Aug 19, 1965 | EF2 | 96 km | 6.6 mi | 0 |
| Oct 12, 1962 | EF2 | 82 km | 4.1 mi | 0 |
| Sep 7, 1958 | EF2 | 80 km | 1.3 mi | 0 |
| Nov 21, 1956 | EF2 | 83 km | 0.1 mi | 0 |
| Dec 18, 1951 | EF2 | 84 km | 0.1 mi | 0 |
| Aug 20, 1951 | EF2 | 75 km | 0.1 mi | 0 |
| Jul 12, 1950 | EF2 | 88 km | 10.0 mi | 0 |
| Jun 26, 2024 | EF1 | 49 km | 8.6 mi | 0 |
| Jun 26, 2024 | EF1 | 41 km | 0.6 mi | 0 |
| Sep 13, 2023 | EF1 | 45 km | 0.2 mi | 0 |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center (EF0+, 1950–2024, US only).
Wildfire History
1 wildfire (100+ acres) recorded within 100 km. Largest: NOMANS AERIAL RX (546 acres, 2008).
| Year | Name | Acres Burned | Distance |
| 2008 | NOMANS AERIAL RX | 546 | 64 km |
Source: NIFC/IRWIN Wildfire Records (100+ acres).
Monthly Weather
| Month | Avg Temperature | Precipitation | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28°F (-2°C) | 4.2 in | Coldest |
| February | 29°F (-1°C) | 3.7 in | |
| March | 37°F (3°C) | 4.5 in | |
| April | 46°F (8°C) | 4.4 in | |
| May | 56°F (13°C) | 3.9 in | |
| June | 65°F (18°C) | 3.6 in | |
| July | 70°F (21°C) | 3.2 in | Driest |
| August | 70°F (21°C) | 4.0 in | Warmest |
| September | 63°F (17°C) | 3.9 in | |
| October | 53°F (12°C) | 3.7 in | |
| November | 44°F (7°C) | 4.8 in | Wettest |
| December | 34°F (1°C) | 4.4 in |
Kingston has a seasonal temperature swing of 42°F / from 28°F in January to 70°F in August. Total annual precipitation is 48.3 inches, with November being the wettest month (4.8") and July the driest (3.2").