Canyondam gets about 109 inches of snow a winter, more than 98% of U.S. towns
The warmest part of a July day comes in at 86° on average. December is the wettest month here, with about 43 times the rain of August. Its yearly precipitation falls short of 77% of U.S. towns. The heating season runs November to April: each of those months averages under 50°.
A year in Canyondam at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Canyondam’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Canyondam’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Canyondam feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 143 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 18 and the first by October 8. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Canyon Dam, CA, 0.6 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Canyondam’s center in zone 7b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 7°. 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 109 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Canyon Dam, CA, falls mostly in January. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 35 inches a year; December is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 81 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Canyondam
96% 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 Canyon Dam, CA.
Living with Canyondam’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
143 frost-free days in zone 7b. The last frost comes by May 18 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 8.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June and September. 2.1 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Canyondam from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (56%). Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Canyondam and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Canyondam yet.
Climates most like Canyondam’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canyondam, CA | 25° | 86° | 35" | 109" |
| Allegan, MI | 18° | 83° | 39" | 109" |
| Bountiful, UT | 22° | 89° | 24" | 119" |
| Richmond Heights, OH | 21° | 82° | 41" | 114" |
| East Rochester, NY | 18° | 81° | 35" | 102" |
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 Canyondam averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.5°).
A smaller shift than in 66% 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 Canyondam compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Canyondam’s place among California’s.
Canyondam weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Canyondam’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Canyon Dam, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 43° | 25° | 6.1" | 28.5" | 11 | 22 | 27° – 40° |
| February | 47° | 27° | 5.8" | 22.3" | 11 | 20 | 30° – 43° |
| March | 52° | 30° | 5.2" | 17.1" | 11 | 19 | 33° – 48° |
| April | 58° | 33° | 2.7" | 7.3" | 9 | 5 | 39° – 49° |
| May | 67° | 40° | 1.9" | 0.5" | 7 | 0 | 44° – 60° |
| June | 77° | 46° | 0.8" | 0.1" | 3 | 0 | 56° – 68° |
| July | 86° | 51° | 0.2" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 64° – 73° |
| August | 85° | 50° | 0.2" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 64° – 72° |
| September | 79° | 44° | 0.4" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 58° – 65° |
| October | 66° | 36° | 1.8" | 0.8" | 5 | 0 | 47° – 56° |
| November | 51° | 29° | 3.4" | 7.1" | 8 | 4 | 32° – 46° |
| December | 42° | 25° | 6.5" | 25.6" | 12 | 18 | 30° – 37° |
| Year | 63° | 36° | 34.7" | 109.3" | 81 | 88 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. May swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 44° to 60°. December is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Canyondam’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 Canyondam’s center.
- Snow: Canyon Dam, CA (NOAA station in town).
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Canyon Dam, CA, 0.6 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 Canyondam’s climate
What is the weather like in Canyondam?
A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 25°, and about 109 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 63% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 55% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Canyondam in winter?
December nights average 25°. About 159 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 30°.
How much snow does Canyondam get?
About 109 inches in a normal winter at Canyon Dam, CA, most of it in January, with snow on the ground about 88 days a year.
How hot does it get in Canyondam?
July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 51°. About 18 days a year reach 90° (Canyon Dam, CA).
When is the first and last frost in Canyondam?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 18 and the first fall frost by October 8, about 143 frost-free days, at Canyon Dam, CA.
What growing zone is Canyondam in?
Zone 7b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 7°.
What is the best time of year to visit Canyondam?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), June and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Canyondam getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 66% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Canyondam.
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.