July in Big Bend runs hotter than in 94% of U.S. towns
The coldest hours of a January night bottom out at 30° on average. Its yearly precipitation tops that of 89% of U.S. towns. Warming shows here too: 1.2° more than in 1901–2000, led by September. The frost-free window for a garden runs roughly April 23 to October 27.
A year in Big Bend at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Big Bend’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Big Bend’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Big Bend feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 185 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 23 and the first by October 27. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Dunsmuir Trtmt Pl, CA, 22 miles from the town’s center, 230 ft higher.
The 2023 USDA map puts Big Bend’s center in zone 8b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 16°. 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 19 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Pit Rvr Ph 5, CA, falls mostly in December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 52 inches a year; December is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 97 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Big Bend
89% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. 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 Dunsmuir Trtmt Pl, CA.
Living with Big Bend’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
185 frost-free days in zone 8b. The last frost comes by Apr 23 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 27.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May and October.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Big Bend from natural hazards, wildfire is the largest share (67%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Big Bend and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Big Bend yet.
Climates most like Big Bend’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Bend, CA | 30° | 94° | 52" | 19" |
| Alma, AR | 29° | 93° | 51" | 4.1" |
| Pryor Creek, OK | 27° | 92° | 45" | 7.5" |
| Caruthersville, MO | 30° | 90° | 50" | 6.6" |
| Bowling Green, KY | 28° | 89° | 51" | 8.5" |
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 Big Bend averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in September (+2.3°).
A smaller 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 Big Bend compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Big Bend’s place among California’s.
Big Bend weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Big Bend’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Pit Rvr Ph 5, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 51° | 30° | 8.9" | 4.3" | 14 | 4 | 35° – 47° |
| February | 56° | 32° | 8.2" | 5.5" | 12 | 2 | 37° – 50° |
| March | 61° | 35° | 7.4" | 1.3" | 14 | 1 | 41° – 54° |
| April | 67° | 38° | 4.2" | 0.2" | 11 | 0 | 47° – 58° |
| May | 77° | 45° | 2.9" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 53° – 68° |
| June | 86° | 51° | 1.1" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 63° – 75° |
| July | 94° | 56° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 70° – 79° |
| August | 93° | 53° | 0.2" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 70° – 78° |
| September | 88° | 48° | 0.6" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 64° – 72° |
| October | 74° | 40° | 2.8" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 53° – 62° |
| November | 59° | 34° | 5.6" | 0.8" | 11 | 0 | 38° – 52° |
| December | 50° | 30° | 10.0" | 6.7" | 14 | 2 | 36° – 45° |
| Year | 71° | 41° | 52.0" | 18.8" | 97 | 10 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. May swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 53° to 68°. September is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where Big Bend’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 Big Bend’s center.
- Snow: Pit Rvr Ph 5, CA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Dunsmuir Trtmt Pl, CA, 22 miles from the town’s center, 230 ft higher; 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 Big Bend’s climate
What is the weather like in Big Bend?
A typical July afternoon reaches 94°, a January night drops to 30°, and about 19 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 73% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 94% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Big Bend in winter?
December nights average 30°. About 105 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 36°.
How much snow does Big Bend get?
About 19 inches in a normal winter at Pit Rvr Ph 5, CA, most of it in December, with snow on the ground about 10 days a year.
How hot does it get in Big Bend?
July, with a typical high of 94° and a low of 56°. About 59 days a year reach 90° and 6 reach 100° (Dunsmuir Trtmt Pl, CA).
When is the first and last frost in Big Bend?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 23 and the first fall frost by October 27, about 185 frost-free days, at Dunsmuir Trtmt Pl, CA.
What growing zone is Big Bend in?
Zone 8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 16°.
What is the best time of year to visit Big Bend?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Big Bend getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 64% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Big Bend.
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.