Vandenberg AFB, CA climate
Vandenberg AFB has warm winters and cool summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 71°, a January night drops to 44°, and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Vandenberg AFB feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Vandenberg AFB 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 | 64° | 44° | 3.1" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 51° – 59° |
| February | 63° | 44° | 3.3" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 49° – 59° |
| March | 64° | 46° | 2.7" | 0 | 6 | 0 | 49° – 60° |
| April | 66° | 47° | 0.9" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 53° – 60° |
| May | 67° | 49° | 0.3" | 0 | 1 | 0 | 54° – 62° |
| June | 69° | 52° | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 57° – 63° |
| July | 71° | 54° | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60° – 66° |
| August | 72° | 55° | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 61° – 68° |
| September | 74° | 54° | 0.1" | 0 | 0 | 0 | 61° – 69° |
| October | 73° | 52° | 0.7" | 0 | 2 | 0 | 58° – 68° |
| November | 68° | 47° | 1.1" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 51° – 62° |
| December | 63° | 44° | 2.1" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 50° – 58° |
| Year | 68° | 49° | 14.4" | 0.0" | 40 | 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 Vandenberg AFB
Vandenberg AFB gets 14 inches of rain and melted snow a year. February is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 40 days a year.
A year-round growing season
Heating and cooling a home in Vandenberg AFB
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Vandenberg AFB, 93% of that work is heating and 7% 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 Vandenberg AFB 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 Vandenberg AFB averaged 2.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.9°). The shift is larger than in 97% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Vandenberg AFB’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. March swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 49° to 60°. June is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Vandenberg AFB’s climate
What is the coldest month in Vandenberg AFB?
December, with a typical high of 63° and a low of 44°.
What is the hottest month in Vandenberg AFB?
September, with a typical high of 74° and a low of 54°. About 5 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Vandenberg AFB get?
Almost none. A normal year brings 0.0 inches.
When is the first frost in Vandenberg AFB?
Frost is uncommon. Only 81% of years see a night at 32° or below.
What is the rainiest month in Vandenberg AFB?
February, with 3.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 14 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Vandenberg AFB itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Salsipuedes Gaging Stn, CA (12 mi, snow) and Lompoc, CA (6 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.