Lake Forest, CA climate
Lake Forest has warm winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 47°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Lake Forest feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Lake Forest 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 | 68° | 47° | 2.8" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 54° – 63° |
| February | 68° | 47° | 3.3" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 51° – 65° |
| March | 69° | 49° | 1.9" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 53° – 66° |
| April | 72° | 50° | 0.8" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 57° – 65° |
| May | 74° | 54° | 0.3" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 60° – 70° |
| June | 79° | 58° | 0.1" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 65° – 72° |
| July | 84° | 62° | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 70° – 79° |
| August | 86° | 63° | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 71° – 78° |
| September | 85° | 61° | 0.1" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 69° – 77° |
| October | 79° | 57° | 0.5" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 63° – 73° |
| November | 74° | 50° | 0.9" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 56° – 66° |
| December | 68° | 46° | 2.1" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 54° – 63° |
| Year | 75° | 54° | 12.7" | 0.0" | 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 Forest
Lake 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 32 days a year.
A year-round growing season
Heating and cooling a home in Lake Forest
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Lake Forest, 51% of that work is heating and 49% 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 Forest and its neighbors
Lake Forest borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 1.4°. Irvine has the coldest January nights (47°) and Modjeska the hottest July afternoons (87°). Lake Forest’s January low is 47° and its July high 84°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Lake Forest 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 Forest averaged 2.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.0°). The shift is larger than in 93% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Lake Forest’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 51° to 65°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Lake Forest’s climate
What is the coldest month in Lake Forest?
December, with a typical high of 68° and a low of 46°.
What is the hottest month in Lake Forest?
August, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 63°. About 35 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Lake Forest get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.0 inches.
When is the first frost in Lake Forest?
Frost is uncommon. Only 50% of years see a night at 32° or below.
What is the rainiest month in Lake Forest?
February, with 3.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 13 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Lake Forest itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Tustin Irvine Rch, CA (6 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.