Benton is among the driest of U.S. towns: 7 inches of precipitation a year
The warmest part of a July day comes in at 93° on average. By July afternoons alone, it runs hotter than 91% of U.S. towns. Since 1901–2000, the year has warmed by 1.8°, most of all in January. Picnics, hikes and garden evenings suit May and September, with highs of 75–83°.
A year in Benton at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Benton’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Benton’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Benton feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 7 inches of rain a year
January is the wettest month and September the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Living with Benton’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 7a.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May and September. 65 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Benton from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (37%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 2%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Benton and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Benton yet.
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 Benton averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.8°).
A bigger shift than in 76% 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 Benton compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Benton’s place among California’s.
Benton weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Benton’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 49° | 21° | 1.0" | 29° – 42° |
| February | 52° | 24° | 1.0" | 31° – 46° |
| March | 60° | 28° | 0.9" | 36° – 50° |
| April | 66° | 33° | 0.5" | 44° – 55° |
| May | 75° | 41° | 0.5" | 49° – 64° |
| June | 86° | 49° | 0.2" | 61° – 72° |
| July | 93° | 55° | 0.4" | 70° – 78° |
| August | 91° | 52° | 0.2" | 68° – 75° |
| September | 83° | 45° | 0.2" | 60° – 68° |
| October | 71° | 35° | 0.5" | 49° – 58° |
| November | 58° | 26° | 0.5" | 32° – 48° |
| December | 48° | 20° | 0.9" | 30° – 39° |
| Year | 69° | 36° | 6.7" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. November swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 32° to 48°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Benton’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 Benton’s center.
- 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 Benton’s climate
What is the weather like in Benton?
A typical July afternoon reaches 93°, a January night drops to 21°. Colder January nights than 54% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 91% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Benton in winter?
December nights average 20°. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 30°.
How hot does it get in Benton?
July, with a typical high of 93°. 90° days are rare.
What growing zone is Benton in?
Zone 7a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 2°.
What is the best time of year to visit Benton?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Benton getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.8° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 76% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Benton.
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.