California Pines has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain
A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 22°, and about 45 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in California Pines at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about California Pines’s climate
Read from where California Pines sits among California’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
About 97 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by June 3 and the first by September 12.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Living with California Pines’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
97 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Jun 3 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Sep 12.
About 45" a winter over 15 days with an inch or more, most in December. Snow covers the ground about 26 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through May. Heating is 97% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 40 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 88°.
The nicest months are June and September.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →45 inches of snow, 15 of rain and melt
December is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 82 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
What a year in California Pines feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in California Pines averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.6°).
A bigger shift than in 72% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How California Pines compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in California.
California Pines weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 44° | 22° | 1.8" | 9.3" | 11 | 9 | 25° – 41° |
| February | 46° | 24° | 1.5" | 8.1" | 9 | 4 | 27° – 42° |
| March | 52° | 28° | 1.5" | 7.1" | 11 | 2 | 34° – 46° |
| April | 58° | 31° | 1.7" | 3.9" | 9 | 0 | 39° – 49° |
| May | 67° | 38° | 1.8" | 0.8" | 8 | 0 | 46° – 59° |
| June | 77° | 43° | 0.8" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 56° – 68° |
| July | 88° | 50° | 0.3" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 61° – 72° |
| August | 86° | 47° | 0.3" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 63° – 71° |
| September | 79° | 41° | 0.4" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 56° – 65° |
| October | 65° | 32° | 0.9" | 0.4" | 5 | 0 | 44° – 54° |
| November | 51° | 26° | 1.5" | 5.2" | 9 | 2 | 28° – 44° |
| December | 42° | 21° | 2.0" | 10.3" | 11 | 8 | 26° – 36° |
| Year | 63° | 33° | 14.5" | 45.1" | 82 | 26 |
Heating and cooling a home in California Pines
97% 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. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 25° to 41°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about California Pines’s climate
What is the coldest month in California Pines?
December, with a typical high of 42° and a low of 21°.
What is the hottest month in California Pines?
July, with a typical high of 88° and a low of 50°. About 40 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does California Pines get?
About 45 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in California Pines?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 12, and the last spring frost by June 3.
What is the rainiest month in California Pines?
December, with 2.0 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 15 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in California Pines.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for California Pines itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Adin Rs, CA (21 mi, snow) and Alturas Municipal Airport, CA (8 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.