Sierra, CA climate
Sierra has mild, snowy winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 33°, and about 51 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Sierra feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Sierra 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 | 50° | 33° | 8.6" | 9.7" | 11 | 10 | 36° – 48° |
| February | 51° | 32° | 8.0" | 13.5" | 10 | 7 | 35° – 49° |
| March | 55° | 33° | 7.2" | 10.8" | 11 | 5 | 36° – 52° |
| April | 60° | 36° | 4.0" | 4.3" | 8 | 2 | 42° – 53° |
| May | 68° | 43° | 2.5" | 0.1" | 6 | 0 | 46° – 63° |
| June | 78° | 50° | 0.7" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 58° – 69° |
| July | 85° | 57° | 0.1" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 67° – 76° |
| August | 85° | 57° | 0.1" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 67° – 75° |
| September | 80° | 53° | 0.4" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 62° – 71° |
| October | 69° | 45° | 2.6" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 53° – 65° |
| November | 57° | 37° | 4.5" | 3.0" | 7 | 2 | 37° – 53° |
| December | 49° | 32° | 8.0" | 10.0" | 10 | 8 | 36° – 47° |
| Year | 66° | 42° | 46.4" | 51.4" | 74 | 34 |
“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 Sierra
Sierra gets 46 inches of rain and melted snow a year. January is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 74 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 34 days of the year.
About 208 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 16 and the first one by November 12. That leaves about 208 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 77% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Sierra
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Sierra, 86% of that work is heating and 14% 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 Sierra 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 Sierra averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+1.9°). The shift is smaller than in 79% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Sierra’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 46° to 63°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Sierra’s climate
What is the coldest month in Sierra?
December, with a typical high of 49° and a low of 32°.
What is the hottest month in Sierra?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 57°. About 22 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Sierra get?
About 51 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Sierra?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 12, and the last spring frost by April 16.
What is the rainiest month in Sierra?
January, with 8.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 46 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Sierra itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Hetch Hetchy, CA (22 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.