Photo: Famartin · CC BY-SA 4.0Hawthorne has some of the coolest summers among U.S. towns
January mornings start at about 49°. Winters are mild: January nights here are milder than in 96% of U.S. towns. Since 1901–2000, the year has warmed by 2.3°, most of all in January. Picnics, hikes and garden evenings come into their own from January to December, with highs of 67–79°.
A year in Hawthorne at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Hawthorne’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Hawthorne’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Hawthorne feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Frost is rare
Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Los Angeles International Airport, 2.9 miles from the city’s center point, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Hawthorne’s center in zone 10b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 39°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 12 inches of rain a year
February is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain falls on about 29 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Culver City, CA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Hawthorne
63% 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 Los Angeles International Airport.
Living with Hawthorne’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 10b. Frost almost never comes, 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. 2.8 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Hawthorne from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (55%). Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Hawthorne and its neighbors
West Athens the hottest July afternoons (81°, 4° 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 Hawthorne’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawthorne, CA | 49° | 77° | 12" | 0.0" |
| Makawao, HI | 53° | 75° | 23" | 0.0" |
| Sequim, WA | 34° | 71° | 18" | 1.4" |
| Winston, OR | 37° | 86° | 33" | 0.0" |
| 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 Hawthorne averaged 2.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.1°).
A bigger shift than in 98% 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 Hawthorne compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Hawthorne’s place among California’s.
Hawthorne weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Hawthorne’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Culver City, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 67° | 49° | 2.8" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 55° – 63° |
| February | 67° | 49° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 54° – 64° |
| March | 68° | 51° | 1.8" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 54° – 66° |
| April | 70° | 53° | 0.6" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 58° – 66° |
| May | 71° | 56° | 0.2" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 60° – 68° |
| June | 74° | 60° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 64° – 70° |
| July | 77° | 63° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 67° – 75° |
| August | 79° | 63° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 68° – 75° |
| September | 79° | 62° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 67° – 76° |
| October | 76° | 58° | 0.5" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 63° – 74° |
| November | 72° | 52° | 0.8" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 57° – 65° |
| December | 67° | 48° | 2.1" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 55° – 61° |
| Year | 72° | 55° | 12.1" | 0.0" | 29 | 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 66°. December is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Hawthorne’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 Hawthorne’s center.
- Snow: Culver City, CA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Los Angeles International Airport, 2.9 miles from the city’s center point, 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 Hawthorne’s climate
What is the weather like in Hawthorne?
A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 49°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 96% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 97% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Hawthorne in winter?
December nights average 48°. A night at 32° or below comes in only some winters (0.0 a year on average). In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 55°.
How much snow does Hawthorne get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Culver City, CA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Hawthorne?
July, with a typical high of 77° and a low of 63°. About 5 days a year reach 90° (Los Angeles International Airport).
When is the first and last frost in Hawthorne?
Most years have no frost at all: a 32° night comes in about 0% of winters at Los Angeles International Airport, usually in December or January.
What growing zone is Hawthorne in?
Zone 10b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 39°.
What is the best time of year to visit Hawthorne?
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 Hawthorne getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 2.3° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 98% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Hawthorne.
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.