Less rain and snow falls on Ballard than on 90% of U.S. towns: 19 inches a year
July afternoons average 85°. In January, nights here are milder than in 86% of U.S. towns. Compared with 1901–2000, the average now sits 2.4° higher. For walks and days out, the stretch from March to June and September to November brings highs of 68–84°.
A year in Ballard at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Ballard’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Ballard’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Ballard feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 19 inches of rain a year
February is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain falls on about 41 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Los Alamos, CA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Living with Ballard’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 9a.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: March, April, May, June, September, October and November. 2.2 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Ballard from natural hazards, landslides are the largest share (45%). Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Ballard and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Ballard in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Ballard’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballard, CA | 38° | 85° | 19" | 0.0" |
| Green, OR | 37° | 86° | 32" | 0.0" |
| Sierra Vista Southeast, AZ | 32° | 91° | 15" | 0.7" |
| Alpine, TX | 30° | 90° | 15" | 2.2" |
| Kennewick, WA | 29° | 90° | 8" | 2.0" |
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 Ballard averaged 2.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.1°).
A bigger shift than in all but 129 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 Ballard compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Ballard’s place among California’s.
Ballard weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Ballard’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Los Alamos, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 66° | 38° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 48° – 57° |
| February | 66° | 40° | 4.4" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 47° – 59° |
| March | 68° | 42° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 49° – 61° |
| April | 72° | 44° | 1.1" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 54° – 62° |
| May | 75° | 48° | 0.4" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 58° – 67° |
| June | 80° | 51° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 62° – 69° |
| July | 85° | 55° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 67° – 74° |
| August | 86° | 55° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 67° – 73° |
| September | 84° | 53° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 65° – 73° |
| October | 79° | 48° | 0.7" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 60° – 69° |
| November | 71° | 41° | 1.3" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 50° – 60° |
| December | 65° | 37° | 2.8" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 48° – 54° |
| Year | 75° | 46° | 18.5" | 0.0" | 41 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. March swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 49° to 61°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Ballard’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 Ballard’s center.
- Snow: Los Alamos, CA.
- 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 Ballard’s climate
What is the weather like in Ballard?
A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 38°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 86% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 53% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Ballard in winter?
December nights average 37°. About 19 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 48°.
How much snow does Ballard get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Los Alamos, CA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Ballard?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 55°. About 86 days a year reach 90° and 19 reach 100°.
What growing zone is Ballard in?
Zone 9a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 25°.
What is the best time of year to visit Ballard?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), March, April, May, June, September, October and November. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Ballard getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 2.4° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than all but 129 U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Ballard.
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.