Few U.S. towns get less rain and snow than Bonita: 10 inches a year
Peak summer warmth arrives in July, with afternoons near 81°. By January nights alone, it runs milder than 94% of U.S. towns. Decade by decade the climate has edged up, 2.2° above 1901–2000. Garden chairs stay out from January to December, the months with highs of 68–83°.
A year in Bonita at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Bonita’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Bonita’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Bonita 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 San Diego Brown Fld, CA, 7 miles from the town’s center, 350 ft higher.
The 2023 USDA map puts Bonita’s center in zone 10b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 37°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 10 inches of rain a year
February is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain falls on about 36 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at El Cajon, CA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Bonita
69% of the work is heating. No month averages under 55°.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at San Diego Brown Fld, CA.
Living with Bonita’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 10b. Frost comes about 1 winter in 4, so tender plants can often stay out through winter.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December. 7.2 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Bonita from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (75%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Bonita and its neighbors
La Presa the hottest July afternoons (82°, 1° 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 Bonita’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonita, CA | 45° | 81° | 10" | 0.0" |
| Makawao, HI | 53° | 75° | 23" | 0.0" |
| The Dalles, OR | 31° | 88° | 15" | 5.5" |
| Sequim, WA | 34° | 71° | 18" | 1.4" |
| Sierra Vista Southeast, AZ | 32° | 91° | 15" | 0.7" |
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 Bonita averaged 2.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.2°).
A bigger shift than in 95% 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 Bonita compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Bonita’s place among California’s.
Bonita weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Bonita’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from El Cajon, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 69° | 45° | 2.0" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 53° – 61° |
| February | 68° | 46° | 2.3" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 54° – 63° |
| March | 70° | 49° | 1.7" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 55° – 65° |
| April | 72° | 51° | 0.8" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 58° – 65° |
| May | 73° | 56° | 0.2" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 60° – 69° |
| June | 77° | 59° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 64° – 72° |
| July | 81° | 63° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 68° – 77° |
| August | 83° | 64° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 70° – 77° |
| September | 83° | 61° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 68° – 76° |
| October | 79° | 56° | 0.4" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 64° – 72° |
| November | 74° | 49° | 0.9" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 55° – 64° |
| December | 68° | 45° | 1.7" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 53° – 60° |
| Year | 75° | 53° | 10.1" | 0.0" | 36 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. March swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 55° to 65°. December is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Bonita’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 Bonita’s center.
- Snow: El Cajon, CA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: San Diego Brown Fld, CA, 7 miles from the town’s center, 350 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 Bonita’s climate
What is the weather like in Bonita?
A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 45°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 94% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 88% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Bonita in winter?
December nights average 45°. A night at 32° or below comes in only some winters (0.7 a year on average). In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 53°.
How much snow does Bonita get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at El Cajon, CA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Bonita?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 63°. About 13 days a year reach 90° (San Diego Brown Fld, CA).
When is the first and last frost in Bonita?
Most years have no frost at all: a 32° night comes in about 25% of winters at San Diego Brown Fld, CA, usually in December or January.
What growing zone is Bonita in?
Zone 10b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 37°.
What is the best time of year to visit Bonita?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Bonita getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 2.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 95% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Bonita.
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.