Searles Valley, CA climate
Searles Valley has mild winters and scorching summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 105°, a January night drops to 36°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Searles Valley feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Searles 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 | 60° | 36° | 0.7" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 44° – 54° |
| February | 65° | 39° | 0.9" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 47° – 59° |
| March | 72° | 45° | 0.5" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 52° – 66° |
| April | 79° | 50° | 0.1" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 58° – 69° |
| May | 89° | 59° | 0.1" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 64° – 80° |
| June | 99° | 67° | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 76° – 88° |
| July | 105° | 74° | 0.1" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 85° – 94° |
| August | 103° | 72° | 0.1" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 85° – 91° |
| September | 96° | 65° | 0.1" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 76° – 84° |
| October | 84° | 53° | 0.2" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 65° – 75° |
| November | 70° | 42° | 0.3" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 47° – 62° |
| December | 59° | 35° | 0.5" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 43° – 51° |
| Year | 82° | 53° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 16 | 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 Searles Valley
Searles Valley gets 4 inches of rain and melted snow a year. February is the wettest month and June the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 16 days a year.
About 285 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by February 15 and the first one by November 28. That leaves about 285 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 94% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Searles Valley
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Searles Valley, 38% of that work is heating and 62% is cooling, so air conditioning is the bigger bill.
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 Searles 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 Searles Valley averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in September (+2.4°). The shift is larger than in 79% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Searles Valley’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. May swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 64° to 80°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Searles Valley’s climate
What is the coldest month in Searles Valley?
December, with a typical high of 59° and a low of 35°.
What is the hottest month in Searles Valley?
July, with a typical high of 105° and a low of 74°. About 137 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Searles Valley get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.0 inches.
When is the first frost in Searles Valley?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 28, and the last spring frost by February 15.
What is the rainiest month in Searles Valley?
February, with 0.9 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 4 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Searles Valley itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Trona, CA (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.