Fairbanks Ranch is among the driest of U.S. towns: 11 inches of precipitation a year
The depth of winter brings overnight lows near 46°. Its July afternoons stay fresher than in 96% of U.S. towns. Warming shows here too: 2.2° more than in 1901–2000, led by January. The outdoor season runs from January to December, with highs of 67–81°.
A year in Fairbanks Ranch at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Fairbanks Ranch’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Fairbanks Ranch’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Fairbanks Ranch feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Frost is rare
Day counts come from NOAA’s station at San Diego Miramar Nas, CA, 9 miles from the town’s center, 300 ft higher; frost dates and degree days from Rancho Bernardo, CA, 6 miles away.
The 2023 USDA map puts Fairbanks Ranch’s center in zone 10a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 35°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 11 inches of rain a year
February is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain falls on about 41 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Poway Valley, CA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Fairbanks Ranch
61% of the work is heating. No month averages under 55°.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Rancho Bernardo, CA.
Living with Fairbanks Ranch’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 10a. Frost comes about 1 winter in 5, so tender plants can often stay out through winter.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December. 6.2 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Fairbanks Ranch from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (62%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Fairbanks Ranch and its neighbors
San Diego the hottest July afternoons (80°, 2° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Fairbanks Ranch’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks Ranch, CA | 46° | 78° | 11" | 0.0" |
| Makawao, HI | 53° | 75° | 23" | 0.0" |
| Sequim, WA | 34° | 71° | 18" | 1.4" |
| Hood River, OR | 32° | 85° | 23" | 17" |
| Alpine, TX | 30° | 90° | 15" | 2.2" |
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 Fairbanks Ranch averaged 2.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.2°).
A bigger 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 Fairbanks Ranch compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Fairbanks Ranch’s place among California’s.
Fairbanks Ranch weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Fairbanks Ranch’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Poway Valley, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 68° | 46° | 2.2" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 53° – 62° |
| February | 67° | 47° | 2.6" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 53° – 63° |
| March | 68° | 49° | 1.9" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 54° – 65° |
| April | 70° | 51° | 0.8" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 56° – 65° |
| May | 71° | 56° | 0.3" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 60° – 68° |
| June | 74° | 59° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 63° – 71° |
| July | 78° | 63° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 67° – 76° |
| August | 81° | 64° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 69° – 76° |
| September | 80° | 62° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 67° – 75° |
| October | 77° | 56° | 0.6" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 62° – 72° |
| November | 72° | 49° | 0.9" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 54° – 64° |
| December | 67° | 45° | 1.8" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 53° – 59° |
| Year | 73° | 54° | 11.3" | 0.0" | 41 | 0 |
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°. December is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Fairbanks Ranch’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 Fairbanks Ranch’s center.
- Snow: Poway Valley, CA.
- Frost dates, heating and cooling: Rancho Bernardo, CA, 6 miles away.
- Freezing nights, 90° and 100° days: San Diego Miramar Nas, CA, 9 miles from the town’s center, 300 ft higher; 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 Fairbanks Ranch’s climate
What is the weather like in Fairbanks Ranch?
A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 46°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 94% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Fairbanks Ranch in winter?
December nights average 45°. A night at 32° or below comes in only some winters (0.3 a year on average). In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 53°.
How much snow does Fairbanks Ranch get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Poway Valley, CA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Fairbanks Ranch?
July, with a typical high of 78° and a low of 63°. About 20 days a year reach 90° and 2 reach 100° (Rancho Bernardo, CA).
When is the first and last frost in Fairbanks Ranch?
Most years have no frost at all: a 32° night comes in about 21% of winters at Rancho Bernardo, CA, usually in December or January.
What growing zone is Fairbanks Ranch in?
Zone 10a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 35°.
What is the best time of year to visit Fairbanks Ranch?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Fairbanks Ranch getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 2.2° 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 Fairbanks Ranch.
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.