Shafter, CA climate
Shafter has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 99°, a January night drops to 40°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decade7° warmer than normal today. The forecast high is 94°, and a typical Sep 30 in Shafter peaks around 87°.Live forecast: National Weather Service · Normal: NOAA 1991–2020
What a year in Shafter feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Shafter 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 | 59° | 40° | 1.4" | 0.1" | 6 | 0 | 43° – 54° |
| February | 65° | 43° | 1.3" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 50° – 59° |
| March | 71° | 47° | 1.3" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 52° – 65° |
| April | 77° | 50° | 0.6" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 59° – 68° |
| May | 85° | 57° | 0.3" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 62° – 79° |
| June | 93° | 64° | 0.1" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 72° – 82° |
| July | 99° | 69° | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 80° – 88° |
| August | 98° | 68° | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 79° – 86° |
| September | 92° | 63° | 0.0" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 73° – 81° |
| October | 82° | 54° | 0.3" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 64° – 72° |
| November | 68° | 44° | 0.6" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 49° – 60° |
| December | 59° | 39° | 1.2" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 45° – 53° |
| Year | 79° | 53° | 7.0" | 0.1" | 38 | 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 Shafter
Shafter gets 7 inches of rain and melted snow a year. January is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 38 days a year.
A year-round growing season
Heating and cooling a home in Shafter
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Shafter, 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.
How Shafter 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 Shafter averaged 1.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.6°). The shift is larger than in 92% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Shafter’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 62° to 79°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Shafter’s climate
What is the coldest month in Shafter?
December, with a typical high of 59° and a low of 39°.
What is the hottest month in Shafter?
July, with a typical high of 99° and a low of 69°. About 112 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Shafter get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.1 inches.
When is the first frost in Shafter?
Frost is uncommon. Only 90% of years see a night at 32° or below.
What is the rainiest month in Shafter?
January, with 1.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 7 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Shafter itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Bakersfield Airport, CA (9 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.