Lee Vining, CA climate
Lee Vining has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 70 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Lee Vining feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Lee Vining 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 | 44° | 18° | 2.2" | 19.0" | 7 | 19 | 25° – 38° |
| February | 47° | 20° | 2.1" | 16.1" | 7 | 16 | 26° – 42° |
| March | 53° | 24° | 1.4" | 11.6" | 6 | 9 | 31° – 45° |
| April | 59° | 28° | 0.6" | 3.3" | 3 | 1 | 38° – 50° |
| May | 68° | 35° | 0.5" | 1.6" | 4 | 0 | 44° – 57° |
| June | 77° | 42° | 0.3" | 0.2" | 2 | 0 | 54° – 64° |
| July | 85° | 48° | 0.4" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 62° – 69° |
| August | 84° | 46° | 0.4" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 61° – 68° |
| September | 77° | 40° | 0.3" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 54° – 62° |
| October | 66° | 31° | 0.7" | 1.4" | 3 | 1 | 44° – 54° |
| November | 54° | 24° | 1.2" | 4.7" | 4 | 3 | 29° – 45° |
| December | 44° | 18° | 1.9" | 11.6" | 6 | 15 | 25° – 36° |
| Year | 63° | 31° | 11.8" | 69.5" | 50 | 64 |
“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 Lee Vining
Lee Vining gets 12 inches of rain and melted snow a year. January is the wettest month and September the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 50 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 64 days of the year.
About 139 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 23 and the first one by October 9. That leaves about 139 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 90% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Lee Vining
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Lee Vining, 95% of that work is heating and 5% 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.
How Lee Vining 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 Lee Vining averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.7°). The shift is larger than in 59% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Lee Vining’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 29° to 45°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Lee Vining’s climate
What is the coldest month in Lee Vining?
January, with a typical high of 44° and a low of 18°.
What is the hottest month in Lee Vining?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 48°. About 7 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Lee Vining get?
About 70 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Lee Vining?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 9, and the last spring frost by May 23.
What is the rainiest month in Lee Vining?
January, with 2.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 12 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Lee Vining itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Lee Vining, CA (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.