Photo: Stammberger1973 · CC BY-SA 3.0Few U.S. towns get less rain and snow than Darwin: 6 inches a year
On a normal January night the air cools to about 35°. Winter and summer sit 59° apart. Summer afternoons here are warmer than in 92% of U.S. towns. Warm coats and heating bills mark the months from December to February, when means dip under 50°.
A year in Darwin at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Darwin’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Darwin’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Darwin feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 6 inches of rain a year
February is the wettest month and June the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Living with Darwin’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 8b.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: April, May and October. 5.5 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Darwin from natural hazards, avalanches are the largest share (37%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 26%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Darwin and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Darwin 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 Darwin averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in March (+2.3°).
A bigger shift than in 63% 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 Darwin compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Darwin’s place among California’s.
Darwin weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Darwin’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 52° | 35° | 1.1" | 39° – 49° |
| February | 54° | 36° | 1.2" | 38° – 52° |
| March | 62° | 39° | 0.7" | 43° – 58° |
| April | 68° | 44° | 0.3" | 50° – 61° |
| May | 78° | 52° | 0.2" | 55° – 71° |
| June | 88° | 61° | 0.1" | 67° – 79° |
| July | 93° | 68° | 0.4" | 75° – 85° |
| August | 92° | 67° | 0.2" | 76° – 83° |
| September | 85° | 60° | 0.2" | 69° – 76° |
| October | 73° | 50° | 0.3" | 58° – 68° |
| November | 61° | 40° | 0.3" | 42° – 57° |
| December | 51° | 34° | 0.8" | 38° – 48° |
| Year | 71° | 49° | 5.6" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. May swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 55° to 71°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Darwin’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 Darwin’s center.
- 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 Darwin’s climate
What is the weather like in Darwin?
A typical July afternoon reaches 93°, a January night drops to 35°. Milder January nights than 80% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 92% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Darwin in winter?
December nights average 34°. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 38°.
How hot does it get in Darwin?
July, with a typical high of 93°. 90° days are rare.
What growing zone is Darwin in?
Zone 8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 19°.
What is the best time of year to visit Darwin?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), April, May and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Darwin getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.6° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 63% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Darwin.
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.