Lake Elsinore, CA climate
Lake Elsinore has warm winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 42°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Lake Elsinore feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Lake Elsinore 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° | 42° | 2.7" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 50° – 62° |
| February | 67° | 43° | 3.3" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 47° – 63° |
| March | 69° | 45° | 1.6" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 50° – 64° |
| April | 74° | 47° | 0.8" | 0.2" | 3 | 0 | 55° – 64° |
| May | 78° | 51° | 0.3" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 58° – 72° |
| June | 85° | 55° | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 65° – 76° |
| July | 92° | 61° | 0.1" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 71° – 82° |
| August | 94° | 62° | 0.1" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 75° – 81° |
| September | 90° | 59° | 0.1" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 70° – 79° |
| October | 81° | 53° | 0.4" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 62° – 72° |
| November | 73° | 46° | 0.7" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 52° – 65° |
| December | 66° | 41° | 1.7" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 49° – 62° |
| Year | 78° | 50° | 11.7" | 0.2" | 32 | 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 Lake Elsinore
Lake Elsinore gets 12 inches of rain and melted snow a year. February is the wettest month and June the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 32 days a year.
About 329 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by January 28 and the first one by December 18. That leaves about 329 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 96% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Lake Elsinore
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Lake Elsinore, 45% of that work is heating and 55% 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.
Lake Elsinore and its neighbors
Lake Elsinore borders 7 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 2.5°. Menifee has both the coldest January nights (41°) and the hottest July afternoons (93°). Lake Elsinore’s January low is 42° and its July high 92°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Lake Elsinore 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 Lake Elsinore averaged 2.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.3°). The shift is larger than in 98% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Lake Elsinore’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. February swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 47° to 63°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Lake Elsinore’s climate
What is the coldest month in Lake Elsinore?
December, with a typical high of 66° and a low of 41°.
What is the hottest month in Lake Elsinore?
August, with a typical high of 94° and a low of 62°. About 123 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Lake Elsinore get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.2 inches.
When is the first frost in Lake Elsinore?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by December 18, and the last spring frost by January 28.
What is the rainiest month in Lake Elsinore?
February, with 3.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 12 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Lake Elsinore itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Elsinore, CA (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.