Scotts Valley, CA climate
Scotts Valley has mild winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, a January night drops to 39°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Scotts Valley feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Scotts Valley 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 | 61° | 39° | 8.1" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 46° – 55° |
| February | 62° | 40° | 7.0" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 47° – 56° |
| March | 65° | 42° | 5.3" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 48° – 59° |
| April | 67° | 44° | 2.5" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 51° – 59° |
| May | 72° | 47° | 0.9" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 55° – 64° |
| June | 77° | 49° | 0.2" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 59° – 66° |
| July | 79° | 53° | 0.0" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 62° – 70° |
| August | 80° | 53° | 0.0" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 64° – 71° |
| September | 80° | 51° | 0.1" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 62° – 70° |
| October | 75° | 47° | 1.4" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 59° – 67° |
| November | 66° | 42° | 3.8" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 47° – 58° |
| December | 60° | 39° | 7.7" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 46° – 53° |
| Year | 70° | 45° | 37.0" | 0.0" | 65 | 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 Scotts Valley
Scotts Valley gets 37 inches of rain and melted snow a year. January is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 65 days a year.
About 323 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by January 29 and the first one by December 13. That leaves about 323 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 96% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Scotts Valley
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Scotts Valley, 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.
How Scotts Valley 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 Scotts Valley averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.4°). The shift is larger than in 87% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Scotts Valley’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 59°. December is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Scotts Valley’s climate
What is the coldest month in Scotts Valley?
December, with a typical high of 60° and a low of 39°.
What is the hottest month in Scotts Valley?
August, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 53°. About 6 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Scotts Valley get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.0 inches.
When is the first frost in Scotts Valley?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by December 13, and the last spring frost by January 29.
What is the rainiest month in Scotts Valley?
January, with 8.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 37 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Scotts Valley itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Santa Cruz, CA (5 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.