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Climate in Bostonia · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Bostonia’s winters are milder and less snowy than most of the U.S.

A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 42°, and snow is almost unheard of.

Milder January nights than 91% of U.S. towns#292Mildest winters  of 757 in CA
Drier than 95% of U.S. towns#254 driest of 757 in CA
All CA rankings →

A year in Bostonia at a glance

Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.

Jan69°42°
Feb69°44° Wettest
Mar71°46° 1 day 90°+
Apr74°49° 2 days 90°+
May77°54° 3 days 90°+
Jun82°58° 4 days 90°+
Jul87°62° 10 days 90°+
Aug89°63° 15 days 90°+
Sep87°60° 14 days 90°+
Oct81°54° 7 days 90°+
Nov now75°46° 2 days 90°+
Dec68°42°

What stands out about Bostonia’s climate

Compared with towns across the U.S., with Bostonia’s place in California beside it.

A normal year

What a year in Bostonia feels like

Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.

Winter
69° / 42°
Snow is rare
Spring
74° / 50°
Frost is rare
Summer
86° / 61°
57 days reach 90°
Fall
81° / 53°
Frost is rare
Best months to be outsideJanFebMarAprMayJunOctNovDecHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

A freeze most winters

Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at El Cajon, CA, 1.5 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.

Most winters bring a freeze, but not every one. A night at 32° or below comes in about 73% of years at El Cajon, CA (about 7 winters in 10), and averages 2.5 a year.
3
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
227th fewest of 751 in California
Fewer freezing nights than 94% of U.S. towns
0
nights at or below 0°
None in a normal year
57
days that reach 90°
436th most of 751 in California
More 90° days than 78% of U.S. towns
7
days that reach 100°
441st most of 751 in California
More 100° days than 88% of U.S. towns
10aUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 10a

The 2023 USDA map puts Bostonia’s center in zone 10a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 34°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

1
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

15
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 13 inches of rain a year

February is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain falls on about 45 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Lakeside 2 E, CA, so most winters see none.

13"
Rain + melted snow a year
254th driest of 757 in California
Drier than 95% of U.S. towns
0.0"
Snow in a normal winter
Less snow than 93% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

2.9"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Bostonia

49% of the work is heating, so air conditioning is the bigger bill. Months averaging under 55° run from December.

1,309 heating degree daysLess heating than 92% of U.S. towns
1,377 cooling degree daysMore cooling than 70% of U.S. towns

Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at El Cajon, CA.

Living here

Living with Bostonia’s climate

What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.

The garden window

Zone 10a. Frost comes about 7 winters in 10, so tender plants can often stay out through winter.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: January, February, March, April, May, June, October, November and December.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Bostonia from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (67%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 5%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Bostonia and its neighbors

Every town next door is within a degree of Bostonia in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.

Casa de Oro-Mount Helix: January low 44°, July high 85°Granite Hills: January low 42°, July high 88°La Mesa: January low 44°, July high 83°Rancho San Diego: January low 43°, July high 86°San Diego: January low 45°, July high 80°Lakeside: January low 41°, July high 89°Eucalyptus Hills: January low 41°, July high 88°El Cajon: January low 43°, July high 85°Winter Gardens: January low 42°, July high 88°Santee: January low 42°, July high 86°Bostonia: January low 42°, July high 87°BostoniaEl CajonWinter GardensSantee
ColderMilder41° to 45°
Winter Gardens41.5° about the same
Bostonia42.0°
Santee42.2° about the same
El Cajon42.7° about the same

Climates most like Bostonia’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.

TownJan. lowJuly highPrecip.Snow
Bostonia, CA42°87°13"0.0"
Sierra Vista Southeast, AZ32°91°15"0.7"
The Dalles, OR31°88°15"5.5"
Alpine, TX30°90°15"2.2"
Kennewick, WA29°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.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

The last 30 years in Bostonia averaged 2.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.2°).

+2.1°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A bigger shift than in 94% of U.S. towns.

Winter+2.2°now 56°, was 53°
Spring+2.2°now 62°, was 60°
Summer+1.9°now 73°, was 71°
Fall+2.2°now 67°, was 65°

Change by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.

Compared with other towns

How Bostonia compares

Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Bostonia’s place among California’s.

Summer heat87° July high
Hotter July afternoons than 60% of U.S. towns451st hottest of 757 in California
Winter cold42° January low
Milder January nights than 91% of U.S. towns292nd mildest of 757 in California
Precipitation13" a year
Drier than 95% of U.S. towns254th driest of 757 in California
Snow0.0" a winter
Less snow than 93% of U.S. townsNot ranked: under an inch a year
Hot days57 days at 90°+
More 90° days than 78% of U.S. towns436th most of 751 in California
Freezing nights3 a year
Fewer freezing nights than 94% of U.S. towns227th fewest of 751 in California
Month by month

Bostonia weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Bostonia’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Lakeside 2 E, CA. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January69°42°2.5"0.0"7052° – 61°
February69°44°2.9"0.0"8052° – 62°
March71°46°2.0"0.0"7054° – 65°
April74°49°0.9"0.0"4057° – 66°
May77°54°0.4"0.0"3061° – 71°
June82°58°0.1"0.0"1066° – 74°
July87°62°0.1"0.0"1070° – 80°
August89°63°0.0"0.0"0073° – 79°
September87°60°0.1"0.0"1070° – 78°
October81°54°0.5"0.0"3064° – 72°
November75°46°1.1"0.0"4054° – 64°
December68°42°2.0"0.0"7052° – 59°
Year77°52°12.6"0.0"450
Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average. March swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 54° to 65°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Bostonia’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 Bostonia’s center.
  • Snow: Lakeside 2 E, CA.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: El Cajon, CA, 1.5 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; 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 Bostonia’s climate

What is the weather like in Bostonia?

A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 42°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 91% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 60% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Bostonia in winter?

December nights average 42°. About 3 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 52°.

How much snow does Bostonia get?

About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Lakeside 2 E, CA, so most winters see none.

How hot does it get in Bostonia?

July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 62°. About 57 days a year reach 90° and 7 reach 100° (El Cajon, CA).

When is the first and last frost in Bostonia?

There is no reliable frost date: a 32° night comes in about 73% of winters at El Cajon, CA, so most years bring a freeze but some pass without one.

What growing zone is Bostonia in?

Zone 10a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 34°.

What is the best time of year to visit Bostonia?

By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), January, February, March, April, May, June, October, November and December. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.

Is Bostonia getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 2.1° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 94% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Bostonia.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.