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Aerial view of Dunnigan, California, December 2021Photo: Pi.1415926535 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Climate in Dunnigan · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Dunnigan reaches 100° on about 21 days a year, more than 95% of U.S. towns

January mornings start at about 38°. Precipitation is light here, less than falls on 89% of U.S. towns. Decade by decade the climate has edged up, 1.5° above 1901–2000. Picnics, hikes and garden evenings come into their own from February to May and October to November, with highs of 62–83°.

Hotter July afternoons than 97% of U.S. towns#140Hottest summers  of 758 in CA
Drier than 89% of U.S. towns#545 driest of 758 in CA
All CA rankings →

A year in Dunnigan at a glance

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

Jan57°38°
Feb62°42° Last frost ~Feb 7Wettest
Mar68°44°
Apr74°47° 1 day 90°+
May83°53° 7 days 90°+
Jun91°58° 16 days 90°+
Jul96°61° 25 days 90°+
Aug96°59° 25 days 90°+
Sep91°56° 18 days 90°+
Oct81°50° 4 days 90°+
Nov now66°43°
Dec57°38° First frost ~Dec 5

What stands out about Dunnigan’s climate

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

A normal year

What a year in Dunnigan feels like

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

Winter
59° / 39°
Snow is rare
Spring
75° / 48°
Last frost around Feb 7
Summer
94° / 59°
21 days reach 100°
Fall
79° / 50°
First frost around Dec 5
Best months to be outsideFebMarAprMayOctNovHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 301 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by February 7 and the first by December 5. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Woodland 1 Wnw, CA, 17 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.

9
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
410th fewest of 752 in California
Fewer freezing nights than 91% of U.S. towns
0
nights at or below 0°
None in a normal year
96
days that reach 90°
211th most of 752 in California
More 90° days than 91% of U.S. towns
21
days that reach 100°
242nd most of 752 in California
More 100° days than 95% of U.S. towns
9bUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 9b

The 2023 USDA map puts Dunnigan’s center in zone 9b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 26°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

5
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

25
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 21 inches of rain a year

February is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain falls on about 56 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Woodland 1 Wnw, CA, so most winters see none.

21"
Rain + melted snow a year
545th driest of 758 in California
Drier than 89% 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

4.3"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Dunnigan

63% of the work is heating. Months averaging under 55° run from November through February.

2,432 heating degree daysLess heating than 84% of U.S. towns
1,416 cooling degree daysMore cooling than 72% 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 Woodland 1 Wnw, CA.

Living here

Living with Dunnigan’s climate

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

The garden window

301 frost-free days in zone 9b. The last frost comes by Feb 7 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Dec 5.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: February, March, April, May, October and November. 2.5 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Dunnigan from natural hazards, drought is the largest share (81%). Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door & far away

Dunnigan and similar climates

TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Dunnigan yet.

Climates most like Dunnigan’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
Dunnigan, CA38°96°21"0.0"
Del Rio, TX40°98°19"0.2"
Vail, AZ36°97°14"0.1"
Central Point, OR32°93°22"3.4"
Anthony, NM31°96°9"0.0"

Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

The last 30 years in Dunnigan averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.1°).

+1.5°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A bigger shift than in 57% of U.S. towns.

Winter+1.7°now 49°, was 47°
Spring+1.5°now 62°, was 60°
Summer+1.1°now 77°, was 76°
Fall+1.5°now 65°, was 63°

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 Dunnigan compares

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

Summer heat96° July high
Hotter July afternoons than 97% of U.S. towns140th hottest of 758 in California
Winter cold38° January low
Milder January nights than 86% of U.S. towns622nd mildest of 758 in California
Precipitation21" a year
Drier than 89% of U.S. towns545th driest of 758 in California
Snow0.0" a winter
Less snow than 93% of U.S. townsNot ranked: under an inch a year
Hot days96 days at 90°+
More 90° days than 91% of U.S. towns211th most of 752 in California
Freezing nights9 a year
Fewer freezing nights than 91% of U.S. towns410th fewest of 752 in California
Growing season301 frost-free days
A longer frost-free season than 98% of U.S. towns114th longest of 359 in California
Month by month

Dunnigan weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Dunnigan’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Woodland 1 Wnw, CA. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January57°38°4.1"0.0"11043° – 54°
February62°42°4.3"0.0"9047° – 57°
March68°44°2.9"0.0"8049° – 61°
April74°47°1.2"0.0"5054° – 65°
May83°53°1.0"0.0"3059° – 76°
June91°58°0.2"0.0"1070° – 78°
July96°61°0.0"0.0"0075° – 82°
August96°59°0.0"0.0"0074° – 81°
September91°56°0.1"0.0"1070° – 77°
October81°50°0.8"0.0"3062° – 70°
November66°43°2.0"0.0"6047° – 60°
December57°38°3.9"0.0"9043° – 52°
Year77°49°20.7"0.0"560
Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average. May swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 59° to 76°. September is the most reliable, staying within 7°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Dunnigan’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 Dunnigan’s center.
  • Snow: Woodland 1 Wnw, CA.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Woodland 1 Wnw, CA, 17 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 Dunnigan’s climate

What is the weather like in Dunnigan?

A typical July afternoon reaches 96°, a January night drops to 38°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 86% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 97% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Dunnigan in winter?

December nights average 38°. About 9 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 43°.

How much snow does Dunnigan get?

About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Woodland 1 Wnw, CA, so most winters see none.

How hot does it get in Dunnigan?

July, with a typical high of 96° and a low of 61°. About 96 days a year reach 90° and 21 reach 100° (Woodland 1 Wnw, CA).

When is the first and last frost in Dunnigan?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by February 7 and the first fall frost by December 5, about 301 frost-free days, at Woodland 1 Wnw, CA.

What growing zone is Dunnigan in?

Zone 9b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 26°.

What is the best time of year to visit Dunnigan?

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

Is Dunnigan getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.5° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 57% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

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

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.