Big Creek has chilly winters and pleasant summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 24°.
A year in Big Creek at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Big Creek’s climate
Read from where Big Creek sits among California’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
About 129 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by June 1 and the first by October 6.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
Living with Big Creek’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
129 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Jun 1 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 6.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through May. Heating is 99% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
90° days are rare: July afternoons average 78°.
The nicest months are June, July, August and September. 2.1 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →What a year in Big Creek feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Rain and snow in Big Creek
January is the wettest month and August the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
No snow records from a nearby station.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Big Creek averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.1°).
A smaller shift than in 52% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Big Creek compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in California.
Big Creek weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 46° | 24° | 7.2" | 30° – 41° |
| February | 46° | 24° | 6.8" | 28° – 42° |
| March | 50° | 26° | 6.0" | 30° – 44° |
| April | 53° | 29° | 3.6" | 35° – 47° |
| May | 60° | 36° | 2.0" | 39° – 56° |
| June | 70° | 43° | 0.6" | 50° – 61° |
| July | 78° | 50° | 0.3" | 59° – 68° |
| August | 77° | 49° | 0.1" | 59° – 67° |
| September | 72° | 45° | 0.3" | 54° – 62° |
| October | 62° | 36° | 1.9" | 45° – 55° |
| November | 52° | 29° | 3.1" | 33° – 46° |
| December | 46° | 24° | 6.2" | 31° – 39° |
| Year | 59° | 35° | 38.1" |
Heating and cooling a home in Big Creek
99% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. May swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 39° to 56°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Big Creek’s climate
What is the coldest month in Big Creek?
February, with a typical high of 46° and a low of 24°.
What is the hottest month in Big Creek?
July, with a typical high of 78° and a low of 50°.
When is the first frost in Big Creek?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 6, and the last spring frost by June 1.
What is the rainiest month in Big Creek?
January, with 7.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 38 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Big Creek.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Big Creek itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Huntington Lake, CA (2 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.