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Rain and gloom to pour cold water on start of NYC beach season
By
Liam Quigley
Published May 22, 2026
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Photo by Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images
By
Liam Quigley
Published May 22, 2026
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Memorial Day weekend will offer no warm respite for those hoping to bask in the sun as the city’s beaches open for the summer.
There’s a good chance of rain for most of the weekend, with a possibility for a downpour on Saturday, according to Bill Goodman, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service.
It’ll also be unseasonably chilly.
“Temperatures will not be at all mild Saturday and Sunday. We're looking at highs maybe close to 60 on Saturday, 60 to 65 on Sunday,” Goodman said.
Sunday looks no better, with rain not tapering off until later in the day.
The best chance for a decent beach day is Memorial Day, when temperatures could climb to the low 70s. Water temperatures will still be chilly, Goodman said.
“If you do make it to the beach, water temperatures are still on the cold side,” he said. “They're only in the mid-50s at best. So we have some warming to do.”
This week’s wet weather could also mire weekend swimming plans, with the state Department of Environmental Conservation warning of raw sewage leaking into New York City waterways.
City lifeguards will climb atop their chairs at the 14 miles of beaches across the five boroughs on Saturday, though there may not be many bathers given the weather. They’re on duty from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through September 13, according to the parks department.
There will be plenty of time to make up for the cold. May 25 is the earliest date that Memorial Day can land, while Labor Day will fall on Sep. 7, its latest possible date. That means this beach season will run 106 days, the longest possible.
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environment
new york city
Liam Quigley
Liam Quigley is a reporter covering parks & sanitation for Gothamist and WNYC. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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