Climate · Elfin Forest

Elfin Forest, CA climate

Elfin Forest has warm winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 45°, and snow is almost unheard of.

NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade
July high
80°
325th coolest of 1,618 California towns
January low
45°
211th mildest of 1,618 California towns
Rain + melted snow
13 in
471st driest of 1,618 California towns
Snow a winter
0.0 in
470th snowiest of 1,499 California towns
A normal year

What a year in Elfin Forest feels like

Winter

67° / 45°
Typical high / low · Snow is rare

Spring

70° / 51°
Typical high / low · Frost is rare by spring

Summer

79° / 61°
Typical high / low · 21 days reach 90° in a normal year

Fall

77° / 55°
Typical high / low · Mild well into the fall
Best months to be outsideJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Month by month

Elfin Forest weather by month

Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January68°45°2.4" 070 53° – 61°
February67°46°2.8" 070 53° – 63°
March68°48°2.3" 060 53° – 65°
April71°51°0.8" 040 56° – 65°
May72°55°0.3" 030 60° – 68°
June76°58°0.1" 010 63° – 71°
July80°62°0.0" 010 68° – 77°
August83°63°0.0" 000 70° – 76°
September82°61°0.1" 010 68° – 76°
October78°56°0.7" 020 62° – 72°
November73°49°1.0" 040 54° – 65°
December67°44°2.0" 060 53° – 59°
Year74°53°12.6"0.0"410

“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 & snow

Rain and snow in Elfin Forest

Elfin Forest gets 13 inches of rain and melted snow a year. February is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 41 days a year.

13 in
Rain + melted snow a year
Less rain than 96% of U.S. towns
0.0 in
Snow in a normal winter
Less snow than 96% of U.S. towns
0 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
Fewer than 94% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water
2.8"

Snowfall by month

No measurable snow in a normal year.
Frost & the growing season

A year-round growing season

🌿 Only about one winter in 5 dip to 32° here (21% of years), so gardens can grow year-round.
<1
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
0
nights below 0° in a normal year
21
days that reach 90° in a normal year

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Elfin Forest

Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Elfin Forest, 61% of that work is heating and 39% is cooling.

61%heating
1,474 heating degree daysLess heating than 95% of U.S. towns
924 cooling degree daysMore cooling than 56% of U.S. towns

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.

Around Elfin Forest

Elfin Forest and its neighbors

Elfin Forest borders 1 town with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.1°. San Marcos has both the coldest January nights (45°) and the hottest July afternoons (82°). Elfin Forest’s January low is 45° and its July high 80°.

Escondido: January low 42°, July high 87°Carlsbad: January low 47°, July high 77°Vista: January low 46°, July high 81°Lake San Marcos: January low 45°, July high 82°Harmony Grove: January low 44°, July high 84°Encinitas: January low 48°, July high 74°San Marcos: January low 45°, July high 82°Elfin Forest: January low 45°, July high 80° Elfin ForestSan Marcos
ColderMilder42° to 48°
Elfin Forest44.9°
San Marcos45.0° +0.1°

Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.

Compared with other towns

How Elfin Forest compares

Summer heat80° July high
Cooler than 87% of U.S. towns325th coolest of 1,618 California towns
Winter cold45° January low
Milder than 97% of U.S. towns211th mildest of 1,618 California towns
Precipitation13" a year
Drier than 96% of U.S. towns471st driest of 1,618 California towns
Snow0.0" a winter
Less snow than 96% of U.S. towns470th snowiest of 1,499 California towns

Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

+2.1°1991–2020 average vs. the 20th century (1901–2000)

The last 30 years in Elfin Forest averaged 2.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.2°). The shift is larger than in 96% of U.S. towns.

❄️ Winter+2.3° now 56°, was 54°
🌷 Spring+2.2° now 61°, was 59°
☀️ Summer+1.8° now 70°, was 69°
🍂 Fall+2.2° now 66°, was 64°

Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Elfin Forest’s spot on NOAA’s grid

Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. March swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 53° to 65°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Questions

Common questions about Elfin Forest’s climate

What is the coldest month in Elfin Forest?

December, with a typical high of 67° and a low of 44°.

What is the hottest month in Elfin Forest?

August, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 63°. About 21 days a year reach 90°.

How much snow does Elfin Forest get?

Almost none. A normal year brings 0.0 inches.

When is the first frost in Elfin Forest?

Frost is uncommon. Only 21% of years see a night at 32° or below.

What is the rainiest month in Elfin Forest?

February, with 2.8 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 13 inches.

Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Elfin Forest itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Poway Valley, CA (10 mi, snow) and Rancho Bernardo, CA (7 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.

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