Ashland’s winters are milder and less snowy than most of the U.S.
A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 41°, and snow is almost unheard of.
A year in Ashland at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Ashland’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Ashland’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Ashland feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Frost is rare
Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Hayward Air Terminal, CA, 2.7 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Ashland’s center in zone 10a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 32°. 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 20 inches of rain a year
December is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain falls on about 68 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Upper San Leandro Filters, CA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Ashland
86% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from December through February.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Hayward Air Terminal, CA.
Living with Ashland’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 10a. Frost comes about 1 winter in 2, so tender plants can often stay out through winter.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November. 0.2 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Ashland from natural hazards, earthquakes are the largest share (71%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Ashland and its neighbors
Castro Valley the hottest July afternoons (82°, 3° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Ashland’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland, CA | 41° | 80° | 20" | 0.0" |
| Makawao, HI | 53° | 75° | 23" | 0.0" |
| Poulsbo, WA | 35° | 75° | 33" | 3.0" |
| Winston, OR | 37° | 86° | 33" | 0.0" |
| Alpine, TX | 30° | 90° | 15" | 2.2" |
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Ashland averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.3°).
A bigger shift than in 64% 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 Ashland compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Ashland’s place among California’s.
Ashland weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Ashland’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Upper San Leandro Filters, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 58° | 41° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 47° – 55° |
| February | 62° | 44° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 48° – 58° |
| March | 65° | 45° | 2.9" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 51° – 61° |
| April | 68° | 47° | 1.5" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 54° – 61° |
| May | 72° | 50° | 0.7" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 56° – 67° |
| June | 78° | 54° | 0.2" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 62° – 69° |
| July | 80° | 56° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 65° – 71° |
| August | 80° | 56° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 65° – 72° |
| September | 80° | 55° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 64° – 71° |
| October | 75° | 51° | 0.9" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 60° – 69° |
| November | 65° | 45° | 2.0" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 48° – 60° |
| December | 58° | 41° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 46° – 53° |
| Year | 70° | 49° | 19.6" | 0.0" | 68 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. November swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 48° to 60°. July is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Ashland’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 Ashland’s center.
- Snow: Upper San Leandro Filters, CA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Hayward Air Terminal, CA, 2.7 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
- 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 Ashland’s climate
What is the weather like in Ashland?
A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 41°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 90% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 93% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Ashland in winter?
December nights average 41°. About 1 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 46°.
How much snow does Ashland get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Upper San Leandro Filters, CA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Ashland?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 56°. About 9 days a year reach 90° (Hayward Air Terminal, CA).
When is the first and last frost in Ashland?
Most years have no frost at all: a 32° night comes in about 45% of winters at Hayward Air Terminal, CA, usually in December or January.
What growing zone is Ashland in?
Zone 10a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 32°.
What is the best time of year to visit Ashland?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Ashland getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.6° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 64% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Ashland.
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.