Kensington, CA climate
Kensington has warm winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 76°, a January night drops to 42°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Kensington feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Kensington 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 | 56° | 42° | 5.2" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 46° – 54° |
| February | 59° | 44° | 5.1" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 47° – 57° |
| March | 63° | 46° | 3.9" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 49° – 60° |
| April | 66° | 47° | 1.8" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 53° – 60° |
| May | 70° | 50° | 0.8" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 56° – 65° |
| June | 75° | 53° | 0.2" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 60° – 66° |
| July | 76° | 55° | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 63° – 69° |
| August | 77° | 56° | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 64° – 71° |
| September | 77° | 55° | 0.1" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 63° – 70° |
| October | 73° | 52° | 1.2" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 60° – 69° |
| November | 63° | 47° | 2.8" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 48° – 60° |
| December | 56° | 42° | 5.4" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 45° – 54° |
| Year | 68° | 49° | 26.5" | 0.0" | 68 | 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 Kensington
Kensington gets 26 inches of rain and melted snow a year. December is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 68 days a year.
A year-round growing season
Heating and cooling a home in Kensington
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Kensington, 93% of that work is heating and 7% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
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.
Kensington and its neighbors
Kensington borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.3°. El Cerrito has both the coldest January nights (42°) and the hottest July afternoons (76°). Kensington’s January low is 42° and its July high 76°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Kensington 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 Kensington averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.3°). The shift is larger than in 76% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Kensington’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 48° to 60°. June is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Kensington’s climate
What is the coldest month in Kensington?
January, with a typical high of 56° and a low of 42°.
What is the hottest month in Kensington?
September, with a typical high of 77° and a low of 55°. About 6 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Kensington get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.0 inches.
When is the first frost in Kensington?
Frost is uncommon. Only 27% of years see a night at 32° or below.
What is the rainiest month in Kensington?
December, with 5.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 26 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Kensington itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Upper San Leandro Filters, CA (11 mi, snow) and Berkeley, 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.