Imperial Beach, CA climate
Imperial Beach has warm winters and cool summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 74°, a January night drops to 47°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Imperial Beach feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Imperial Beach 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 | 66° | 47° | 1.8" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 53° – 61° |
| February | 65° | 49° | 1.9" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 53° – 62° |
| March | 67° | 51° | 1.5" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 55° – 64° |
| April | 68° | 54° | 0.7" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 57° – 65° |
| May | 69° | 58° | 0.2" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 60° – 68° |
| June | 71° | 61° | 0.1" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 62° – 70° |
| July | 74° | 64° | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 65° – 74° |
| August | 77° | 65° | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 67° – 75° |
| September | 76° | 63° | 0.1" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 66° – 74° |
| October | 74° | 58° | 0.3" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 63° – 71° |
| November | 70° | 52° | 0.8" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 55° – 65° |
| December | 66° | 47° | 1.5" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 54° – 59° |
| Year | 70° | 56° | 8.9" | 0.0" | 33 | 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 Imperial Beach
Imperial Beach gets 9 inches of rain and melted snow a year. February is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 33 days a year.
A year-round growing season
Heating and cooling a home in Imperial Beach
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Imperial Beach, 74% of that work is heating and 26% 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.
Imperial Beach and its neighbors
Imperial Beach borders 2 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 3.2°. San Diego has both the coldest January nights (45°) and the hottest July afternoons (80°). Imperial Beach’s January low is 47° and its July high 74°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Imperial Beach 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 Imperial Beach averaged 2.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.0°). The shift is larger than in 95% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Imperial Beach’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 55° to 65°. December is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Common questions about Imperial Beach’s climate
What is the coldest month in Imperial Beach?
December, with a typical high of 66° and a low of 47°.
What is the hottest month in Imperial Beach?
August, with a typical high of 77° and a low of 65°. About 2 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Imperial Beach get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.0 inches.
When is the first frost in Imperial Beach?
Frost is uncommon. Only 6% of years see a night at 32° or below.
What is the rainiest month in Imperial Beach?
February, with 1.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 9 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Imperial Beach itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Chula Vista, CA (5 mi, snow) and Imperial Beach Ream Fld Nas, CA (1 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.