What to wear in 70 degree weather (21 °C): one light layer, such as a T-shirt or a light long-sleeve top, with jeans, chinos, a skirt or shorts, and sneakers or loafers. If you will be out early, bring a light jacket or a cardigan. The morning can be much cooler: in the NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, seven US cities have a month with an average high of about 70 °F (21 °C). In that month, their average low is 44 °F (6 °C) in Denver to 56 °F (13 °C) in San Francisco.
Wearton’s What to wear tomorrow and What to wear this week tools show the morning, the afternoon and the evening of each day for your city. So you can see whether your 70 degree day starts cold before you choose the jacket.
How cold is the morning of a 70 degree day?
In the NOAA 1991-2020 normals of seven US cities, the month with an average high of about 70 °F (21 °C) has an average low of 43.6 to 55.6 °F (6.4 to 13.1 °C). These are averages for seven chosen city-months, not the low of every 70 degree day. NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) publish climate normals: a normal is the 30-year average of a measurement, and the current set covers 1991 to 2020. For each of seven NOAA stations, we chose one month with an average daily high near 70 °F (21 °C), then subtracted its average daily low from its average daily high, using the NOAA monthly normals of these stations.
| City and month | Average high | Average low | High minus low | Average low in the Wearton bands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver, May | 71.2 °F (21.8 °C) | 43.6 °F (6.4 °C) | 27.6 °F (15.3 °C) | Cold |
| Phoenix, February | 70.8 °F (21.6 °C) | 49.0 °F (9.4 °C) | 21.8 °F (12.1 °C) | Cold |
| Chicago (O’Hare), May | 70.5 °F (21.4 °C) | 50.6 °F (10.3 °C) | 19.9 °F (11.1 °C) | Mild |
| Los Angeles (downtown), March | 69.9 °F (21.1 °C) | 52.4 °F (11.3 °C) | 17.5 °F (9.7 °C) | Mild |
| Seattle, June | 71.1 °F (21.7 °C) | 53.0 °F (11.7 °C) | 18.1 °F (10.1 °C) | Mild |
| New York (Central Park), May | 71.4 °F (21.9 °C) | 55.0 °F (12.8 °C) | 16.4 °F (9.1 °C) | Mild |
| San Francisco (downtown), September | 70.2 °F (21.2 °C) | 55.6 °F (13.1 °C) | 14.6 °F (8.1 °C) | Mild |
The last column uses the three bands of Wearton’s What to wear tools. At 10 °C (50 °F) or less it is “cold”: a warm knit and a coat, and closed shoes. Above 10 °C and up to 18 °C (64.4 °F) it is “mild”: a light layer you can take off, and trousers or jeans. Above 18 °C it is “warm”: something light and breathable, linen or cotton. Every average high in the table is in the warm band. The average low is in the cold band in Denver and Phoenix and in the mild band in the other five cities.
The NOAA normals are averages over 30 years, not a forecast. A single 70 degree day can start warmer or colder, so check the forecast for the hours you will be outside.
What to wear in 70 degree weather, from morning to evening
For a 70 degree day, we suggest one light outfit for the afternoon and one layer you can take off for the cooler hours. The table is our suggestion for each temperature, with its Wearton band.
| Temperature during your 70 °F (21 °C) day | Wearton band | What to wear |
|---|---|---|
| 50 °F (10 °C) or less, for example early in the morning | Cold | A warm knit or a light coat over your outfit, long pants, closed shoes |
| Above 50 °F (10 °C) and up to 64.4 °F (18 °C) | Mild | A cardigan, a light jacket or a hoodie over a T-shirt, jeans or chinos |
| About 70 °F (21 °C) in the afternoon, sunny | Warm | A T-shirt or a light top, jeans, chinos, a skirt or shorts, sneakers or loafers |
| About 70 °F (21 °C) in the afternoon, windy | Warm | The same, with the light jacket at hand; trousers rather than a skirt if the wind is strong |
| Evening after sunset | Check the hourly forecast | Put the morning layer back on if the forecast is cooler than the afternoon |
Wearton’s tools use the same lines for wind and rain. At 20 km/h (12 mph) of wind or more, they say that skirts will fly and to wear trousers. When the chance of rain is 40% or more, they say to leave the suede at home.
Do you need a jacket in 70 degree weather?
For a 70 °F (21 °C) afternoon, we suggest treating a jacket as optional. For a morning or evening above 50 °F (10 °C) and up to 64.4 °F (18 °C), the “mild” band of Wearton’s tools, we suggest carrying a light jacket or a cardigan. At 50 °F (10 °C) or less, the “cold” band, the tools suggest a warm knit and a coat.
Is 70 degrees hoodie weather?
For a 70 °F (21 °C) afternoon, we suggest a lightweight hoodie over a T-shirt only if you like extra warmth. On a cool morning, a hoodie is a practical removable layer: you can take it off and carry it when the day warms up.
Should you wear shorts or pants in 70 degree weather?
At 70 °F (21 °C), we suggest shorts or a skirt for a warm, sunny afternoon, and jeans or chinos if you leave early or stay out after sunset. Wearton’s tools suggest trousers rather than a skirt when the wind reaches 20 km/h (12 mph).
Do you need sunscreen at 70 degrees?
At 70 °F (21 °C), use the UV index rather than the temperature to plan sun protection. The EPA UV Index scale says that protection is needed from a UV index of 3. The CDC says that the sun’s UV rays can reach you on cloudy and cool days, and that they are strongest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daylight saving time. As a reminder, Wearton’s tools show “SPF 30 on your face” from UV 3 and “SPF 50 + sunglasses” from UV 6. This is general information, not medical advice: the EPA and CDC pages list more ways to protect your skin.
What is 70 degrees Fahrenheit in Celsius?
Seventy degrees Fahrenheit is 21.1 degrees Celsius. To convert Fahrenheit to Celsius, subtract 32 and multiply by 5/9: (70 − 32) × 5/9 = 21.1. That is above 18 °C (64.4 °F), the line where Wearton’s tools move from the “mild” to the “warm” band.
What to do next
Check the forecast for every hour you will be outside, and dress for the coldest one.
- Check the morning, the afternoon and the evening of your day in What to wear tomorrow, or of the next seven days in What to wear this week. For the “feels like” temperature now, use What to wear today, which needs no sign-up.
- Take off a layer when it warms up, and carry it with you for the evening.
- For a cooler start, read what to wear in 60 degree weather and what to wear in 50 degree weather.
In the Wearton web app, the Today page shows an outfit of the day made from the clothes you own, and leaves suede shoes and suede coats out when the chance of rain is 40% or more. After a day out, it asks how you felt, and moves your personal “feels like” temperature up or down.
You know your colors. Now see which of your clothes match them, and what to wear today.