Bishop, CA climate
Bishop has chilly winters and hot summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 98°, a January night drops to 26°.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Bishop feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Bishop 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 | 54° | 26° | 0.7" | 32° – 46° |
| February | 57° | 29° | 0.6" | 37° – 51° |
| March | 65° | 34° | 0.5" | 42° – 56° |
| April | 71° | 39° | 0.3" | 50° – 60° |
| May | 81° | 47° | 0.3" | 55° – 69° |
| June | 91° | 55° | 0.1" | 66° – 78° |
| July | 98° | 61° | 0.3" | 75° – 83° |
| August | 96° | 58° | 0.2" | 74° – 81° |
| September | 88° | 51° | 0.1" | 65° – 74° |
| October | 76° | 41° | 0.4" | 54° – 63° |
| November | 62° | 31° | 0.3" | 38° – 53° |
| December | 53° | 25° | 0.4" | 35° – 43° |
| Year | 74° | 41° | 4.0" |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Bishop
Bishop gets 4 inches of rain and melted snow a year. January is the wettest month and September the driest.
About 166 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 29 and the first one by October 15. That leaves about 166 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 64% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Bishop
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Bishop, 77% of that work is heating and 23% is cooling.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How Bishop compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Bishop averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.6°). The shift is larger than in 75% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Bishop’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. November swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 38° to 53°. July is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Bishop’s climate
What is the coldest month in Bishop?
December, with a typical high of 53° and a low of 25°.
What is the hottest month in Bishop?
July, with a typical high of 98° and a low of 61°. About 104 days a year reach 90°.
When is the first frost in Bishop?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 15, and the last spring frost by April 29.
What is the rainiest month in Bishop?
January, with 0.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 4 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Bishop itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Bishop Airport, 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.