Photo: Trios2007 · Public domainDry weather: only 16 inches of rain and melted snow a year in Anza, less than in 93% of U.S. towns
Nights in January average 36°. Rain follows the seasons: February brings about 71 times as much as June. In January, nights here are milder than in 83% of U.S. towns. Homes need heating from December to March, the months averaging under 50°.
A year in Anza at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Anza’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Anza’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Anza feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 201 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 29 and the first by November 18. Frost dates and degree days from Palomar Mtn Obsy, CA, 15 miles away.
The 2023 USDA map puts Anza’s center in zone 8b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 19°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 26 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Palomar Mtn Obsy, CA, falls mostly in February. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 16 inches a year; February is the wettest month and June the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 42 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Anza
80% of the work is heating. Months averaging under 55° run from November through April.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Palomar Mtn Obsy, CA.
Living with Anza’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
201 frost-free days in zone 8b. The last frost comes by Apr 29 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Nov 18.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: April, May, June, October and November. 102 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Anza from natural hazards, wildfire is the largest share (78%). Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Anza and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Anza yet.
Climates most like Anza’s, farther away
TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anza, CA | 36° | 90° | 16" | 26" |
| Pendleton, OR | 28° | 90° | 14" | 16" |
| Lewiston, ID | 30° | 92° | 14" | 13" |
| Payson, AZ | 30° | 92° | 20" | 19" |
| Clarkston Heights-Vineland, WA | 29° | 92° | 13" | 13" |
Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Anza averaged 2.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.0°).
A bigger shift than in 91% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.
How Anza compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Anza’s place among California’s.
Anza weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Anza’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Palomar Mtn Obsy, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 57° | 36° | 2.8" | 6.2" | 7 | 42° – 53° |
| February | 57° | 36° | 3.6" | 10.6" | 8 | 39° – 54° |
| March | 62° | 38° | 2.3" | 3.1" | 6 | 42° – 57° |
| April | 67° | 40° | 1.2" | 3.5" | 4 | 48° – 58° |
| May | 74° | 46° | 0.5" | 0.0" | 2 | 53° – 68° |
| June | 84° | 53° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 0 | 62° – 73° |
| July | 90° | 61° | 0.3" | 0.0" | 1 | 69° – 79° |
| August | 90° | 61° | 0.3" | 0.0" | 1 | 72° – 79° |
| September | 85° | 56° | 0.4" | 0.0" | 1 | 67° – 75° |
| October | 75° | 48° | 0.7" | 0.0" | 2 | 57° – 67° |
| November | 64° | 40° | 1.2" | 0.4" | 3 | 43° – 58° |
| December | 56° | 35° | 2.3" | 2.4" | 6 | 41° – 53° |
| Year | 72° | 46° | 15.5" | 26.2" | 42 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. March swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 42° to 57°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Anza’s numbers come from
Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →
- Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at Anza’s center.
- Snow: Palomar Mtn Obsy, CA.
- Frost dates, heating and cooling: Palomar Mtn Obsy, CA, 15 miles away.
- Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
- Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).
Common questions about Anza’s climate
What is the weather like in Anza?
A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 36°, and about 26 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 83% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 76% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Anza in winter?
December nights average 35°. About 49 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 41°.
How much snow does Anza get?
About 26 inches in a normal winter at Palomar Mtn Obsy, CA, most of it in February.
How hot does it get in Anza?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 61°. About 10 days a year reach 90° (Palomar Mtn Obsy, CA).
When is the first and last frost in Anza?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 29 and the first fall frost by November 18, about 201 frost-free days, at Palomar Mtn Obsy, CA.
What growing zone is Anza in?
Zone 8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 19°.
What is the best time of year to visit Anza?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), April, May, June, October and November. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Anza getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 2.0° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 91% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Anza.
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.