Midwinter lows in Buckhorn stay above those of 79% of U.S. towns
Peak summer warmth arrives in July, with afternoons near 90°. In July, afternoons here are warmer than in 78% of U.S. towns. Decade by decade the climate has edged up, 0.7° above 1901–2000. The heating season runs November to March: each of those months averages under 50°.
A year in Buckhorn at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Buckhorn’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Buckhorn’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Buckhorn feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 191 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 26 and the first by November 2. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Pacific House, CA, 21 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Buckhorn’s center in zone 9a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 22°. 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 4 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at W Pt, CA, falls mostly in February. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 46 inches a year; January is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 63 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Buckhorn
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 Pacific House, CA.
Living with Buckhorn’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
191 frost-free days in zone 9a. The last frost comes by Apr 26 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Nov 2.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: April, May, June and October. 5.2 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Buckhorn from natural hazards, wildfire is the largest share (58%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 3%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Buckhorn and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Buckhorn in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Buckhorn’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buckhorn, CA | 35° | 90° | 46" | 3.7" |
| Pinehurst, NC | 32° | 90° | 47" | 3.3" |
| Five Forks, SC | 33° | 90° | 49" | 3.9" |
| Stuttgart, AR | 33° | 91° | 50" | 3.3" |
| Hampton, VA | 32° | 89° | 47" | 2.7" |
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 Buckhorn averaged 0.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in August (+1.5°).
A smaller shift than in 94% 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 Buckhorn compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Buckhorn’s place among California’s.
Buckhorn weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Buckhorn’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from W Pt, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 53° | 35° | 8.6" | 0.1" | 10 | 0 | 39° – 52° |
| February | 55° | 36° | 7.7" | 1.7" | 10 | 0 | 37° – 54° |
| March | 59° | 38° | 7.2" | 1.5" | 9 | 0 | 40° – 57° |
| April | 64° | 41° | 4.0" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 45° – 57° |
| May | 72° | 47° | 2.5" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 49° – 69° |
| June | 82° | 54° | 0.6" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 61° – 74° |
| July | 90° | 60° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 71° – 80° |
| August | 90° | 59° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 70° – 79° |
| September | 85° | 54° | 0.4" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 65° – 75° |
| October | 74° | 47° | 2.4" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 56° – 69° |
| November | 60° | 39° | 4.6" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 40° – 55° |
| December | 51° | 34° | 7.9" | 0.4" | 9 | 0 | 38° – 50° |
| Year | 70° | 45° | 46.0" | 3.7" | 63 | 1 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. May swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 49° to 69°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Where Buckhorn’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 Buckhorn’s center.
- Snow: W Pt, CA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Pacific House, CA, 21 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 Buckhorn’s climate
What is the weather like in Buckhorn?
A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 35°, and about 4 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 79% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 78% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Buckhorn in winter?
December nights average 34°. About 97 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 38°.
How much snow does Buckhorn get?
About 3.7 inches in a normal winter at W Pt, CA, most of it in February, with snow on the ground about 1 days a year.
How hot does it get in Buckhorn?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 60°. About 58 days a year reach 90° and 2 reach 100° (Pacific House, CA).
When is the first and last frost in Buckhorn?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 26 and the first fall frost by November 2, about 191 frost-free days, at Pacific House, CA.
What growing zone is Buckhorn in?
Zone 9a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 22°.
What is the best time of year to visit Buckhorn?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), April, May, June and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Buckhorn getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.7° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 94% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Buckhorn.
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.