Lafayette, CA climate
Lafayette has mild winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 39°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Lafayette feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Lafayette 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° | 39° | 4.5" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 45° – 55° |
| February | 61° | 42° | 4.3" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 46° – 57° |
| March | 65° | 44° | 3.4" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 48° – 61° |
| April | 69° | 46° | 1.6" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 53° – 61° |
| May | 75° | 50° | 0.7" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 56° – 69° |
| June | 81° | 53° | 0.1" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 63° – 70° |
| July | 85° | 56° | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 67° – 75° |
| August | 85° | 56° | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 67° – 75° |
| September | 83° | 54° | 0.1" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 65° – 73° |
| October | 76° | 51° | 1.0" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 60° – 70° |
| November | 64° | 44° | 2.2" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 47° – 59° |
| December | 56° | 39° | 4.6" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 44° – 51° |
| Year | 71° | 48° | 22.6" | 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 Lafayette
Lafayette gets 23 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 Lafayette
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Lafayette, 65% of that work is heating and 35% 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.
Lafayette and its neighbors
Lafayette borders 6 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.9°. Walnut Creek has both the coldest January nights (39°) and the hottest July afternoons (87°). Lafayette’s January low is 39° and its July high 85°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Lafayette 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 Lafayette averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.2°). The shift is larger than in 79% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Lafayette’s spot on NOAA’s grid
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 48° to 61°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Lafayette’s climate
What is the coldest month in Lafayette?
January, with a typical high of 56° and a low of 39°.
What is the hottest month in Lafayette?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 56°. About 47 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Lafayette get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.0 inches.
When is the first frost in Lafayette?
Frost is uncommon. Only 80% of years see a night at 32° or below.
What is the rainiest month in Lafayette?
December, with 4.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 23 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Lafayette itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Upper San Leandro Filters, CA (9 mi, snow) and Concord WWTP, 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.