Tehachapi, CA climate
Tehachapi has mild winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 89°, a January night drops to 33°.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Tehachapi feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Tehachapi weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 53° | 33° | 2.3" | 40° – 49° |
| February | 54° | 34° | 2.6" | 39° – 51° |
| March | 59° | 38° | 1.9" | 41° – 55° |
| April | 64° | 41° | 0.8" | 46° – 57° |
| May | 73° | 48° | 0.4" | 51° – 68° |
| June | 82° | 56° | 0.1" | 62° – 74° |
| July | 89° | 64° | 0.1" | 72° – 80° |
| August | 89° | 62° | 0.1" | 72° – 80° |
| September | 84° | 56° | 0.1" | 64° – 73° |
| October | 72° | 46° | 0.5" | 56° – 64° |
| November | 61° | 39° | 0.9" | 41° – 54° |
| December | 52° | 32° | 1.6" | 38° – 47° |
| Year | 69° | 46° | 11.4" |
“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 Tehachapi
Tehachapi gets 11 inches of rain and melted snow a year. February is the wettest month and June the driest.
About 183 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 28 and the first one by October 26. That leaves about 183 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 56% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Tehachapi
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Tehachapi, 88% of that work is heating and 12% 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.
Tehachapi and its neighbors
Tehachapi borders 2 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 2.1°. Golden Hills has both the coldest January nights (33°) and the hottest July afternoons (90°). Tehachapi’s January low is 33° and its July high 89°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Tehachapi 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 Tehachapi averaged 1.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in September (+2.6°). The shift is larger than in 92% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Tehachapi’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 51° to 68°. July is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Tehachapi’s climate
What is the coldest month in Tehachapi?
December, with a typical high of 52° and a low of 32°.
What is the hottest month in Tehachapi?
July, with a typical high of 89° and a low of 64°. About 28 days a year reach 90°.
When is the first frost in Tehachapi?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 26, and the last spring frost by April 28.
What is the rainiest month in Tehachapi?
February, with 2.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 11 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Tehachapi itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Tehachapi 4 Se, CA (3 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.