Squaw Valley, CA climate
Squaw Valley has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 97°, a January night drops to 39°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Squaw Valley feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Squaw 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 | 57° | 39° | 4.1" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 44° – 55° |
| February | 60° | 41° | 3.9" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 45° – 57° |
| March | 65° | 43° | 3.5" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 45° – 61° |
| April | 70° | 46° | 1.9" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 52° – 63° |
| May | 80° | 53° | 0.9" | 0 | 3 | 0 | 56° – 74° |
| June | 89° | 60° | 0.2" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 66° – 79° |
| July | 97° | 68° | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78° – 86° |
| August | 96° | 67° | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78° – 85° |
| September | 90° | 63° | 0.1" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 72° – 80° |
| October | 78° | 54° | 1.0" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 61° – 72° |
| November | 65° | 45° | 1.7" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 46° – 61° |
| December | 56° | 39° | 3.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 44° – 52° |
| Year | 75° | 51° | 20.8" | 0.0" | 54 | 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 Squaw Valley
Squaw Valley gets 21 inches of rain and melted snow a year. January is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 54 days a year.
About 294 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by February 23 and the first one by December 12. That leaves about 294 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 94% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Squaw Valley
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Squaw Valley, 62% of that work is heating and 38% 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 Squaw 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 Squaw Valley averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.5°). The shift is larger than in 84% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Squaw 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 56° to 74°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Squaw Valley’s climate
What is the coldest month in Squaw Valley?
December, with a typical high of 56° and a low of 39°.
What is the hottest month in Squaw Valley?
July, with a typical high of 97° and a low of 68°. About 90 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Squaw Valley get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.0 inches.
When is the first frost in Squaw Valley?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by December 12, and the last spring frost by February 23.
What is the rainiest month in Squaw Valley?
January, with 4.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 21 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Squaw Valley itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Pine Flat Dam, CA (10 mi, snow) and Balch Pwr House, CA (15 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.