Barstow, WA climate
Barstow has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 22°, and about 43 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Barstow feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Barstow 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 | 33° | 22° | 2.0" | 14.5" | 12 | 25 | 20° – 34° |
| February | 40° | 23° | 1.4" | 5.4" | 10 | 14 | 22° – 38° |
| March | 52° | 30° | 1.5" | 2.7" | 11 | 3 | 36° – 47° |
| April | 62° | 35° | 1.5" | 0.2" | 10 | 0 | 44° – 55° |
| May | 72° | 43° | 2.0" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 52° – 63° |
| June | 78° | 49° | 2.0" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 60° – 70° |
| July | 87° | 53° | 0.9" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 63° – 76° |
| August | 87° | 52° | 0.6" | 0 | 4 | 0 | 65° – 72° |
| September | 77° | 44° | 0.8" | 0 | 5 | 0 | 57° – 65° |
| October | 59° | 35° | 1.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 42° – 52° |
| November | 42° | 29° | 2.0" | 5.6" | 12 | 3 | 30° – 42° |
| December | 32° | 22° | 2.2" | 15.0" | 12 | 16 | 22° – 33° |
| Year | 60° | 37° | 18.4" | 43.4" | 108 | 61 |
“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 Barstow
Barstow gets 18 inches of rain and melted snow a year. December is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 108 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 61 days of the year.
About 153 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 2 and the first one by October 2. That leaves about 153 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 78% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Barstow
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Barstow, 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 Barstow 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 Barstow averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.7°). The shift is smaller than in 71% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Barstow’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. February swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 22° to 38°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Barstow’s climate
What is the coldest month in Barstow?
January, with a typical high of 33° and a low of 22°.
What is the hottest month in Barstow?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 53°. About 38 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Barstow get?
About 43 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in Barstow?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 2, and the last spring frost by May 2.
What is the rainiest month in Barstow?
December, with 2.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 18 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Barstow itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Colville, WA (17 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.