Big Creek’s winters are milder than most of the U.S.; July afternoons average 78°
A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 24°.
A year in Big Creek at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Big Creek’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Big Creek’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Big Creek feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 129 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by June 1 and the first by October 6. Frost dates and degree days from Huntington Lake, CA, 2.2 miles away.
The 2023 USDA map puts Big Creek’s center in zone 8a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 13°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
About 38 inches of rain a year
January is the wettest month and August the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Big Creek
99% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through May.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Huntington Lake, CA.
Living with Big Creek’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
129 frost-free days in zone 8a. The last frost comes by Jun 1 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 6.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 2.1 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Big Creek from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (50%). Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Big Creek and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Big Creek 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 Big Creek averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.1°).
A smaller shift than in 62% 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 Creek compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Big Creek’s place among California’s.
Big Creek weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Big Creek’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 46° | 24° | 7.2" | 30° – 41° |
| February | 46° | 24° | 6.8" | 28° – 42° |
| March | 50° | 26° | 6.0" | 30° – 44° |
| April | 53° | 29° | 3.6" | 35° – 47° |
| May | 60° | 36° | 2.0" | 39° – 56° |
| June | 70° | 43° | 0.6" | 50° – 61° |
| July | 78° | 50° | 0.3" | 59° – 68° |
| August | 77° | 49° | 0.1" | 59° – 67° |
| September | 72° | 45° | 0.3" | 54° – 62° |
| October | 62° | 36° | 1.9" | 45° – 55° |
| November | 52° | 29° | 3.1" | 33° – 46° |
| December | 46° | 24° | 6.2" | 31° – 39° |
| Year | 59° | 35° | 38.1" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. May swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 39° to 56°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where Big Creek’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 Creek’s center.
- Frost dates, heating and cooling: Huntington Lake, CA, 2.2 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 Big Creek’s climate
What is the weather like in Big Creek?
A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 24°. Milder January nights than 60% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Big Creek in winter?
February nights average 24°. About 155 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest February of the last 30 years the month averaged 28°.
How hot does it get in Big Creek?
July, with a typical high of 78°. 90° days are rare: none in a normal year at Huntington Lake, CA.
When is the first and last frost in Big Creek?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by June 1 and the first fall frost by October 6, about 129 frost-free days, at Huntington Lake, CA.
What growing zone is Big Creek in?
Zone 8a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 13°.
What is the best time of year to visit Big Creek?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Big Creek getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 62% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Big Creek.
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.