Summer afternoons in Herald are warmer than in 93% of U.S. towns
Deep winter brings January lows near 39°. January is the wettest month here, with about 359 times the rain of July. By precipitation alone, it ranks drier than 90% of U.S. towns. Seedlings are safe outdoors from about February 9, with the first autumn frost due around December 5.
A year in Herald at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Herald’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Herald’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Herald feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 301 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by February 9 and the first by December 5. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Lodi, CA, 13 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Herald’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°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 18 inches of rain a year
January is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain falls on about 54 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Acampo 5ne, CA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Herald
64% of the work is heating. Months averaging under 55° run from November through February.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Lodi, CA.
Living with Herald’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
301 frost-free days in zone 9b. The last frost comes by Feb 9 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.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: March, April, May, October and November. 0.0 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Herald from natural hazards, drought is the largest share (42%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Herald and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Herald yet.
Climates most like Herald’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herald, CA | 39° | 94° | 18" | 0.0" |
| Corona de Tucson, AZ | 36° | 96° | 14" | 0.1" |
| Big Spring, TX | 33° | 95° | 18" | 2.0" |
| Ashland, OR | 31° | 91° | 19" | 0.5" |
| Chaparral, NM | 31° | 95° | 9" | 0.0" |
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 Herald averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+1.8°).
A smaller 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 Herald compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Herald’s place among California’s.
Herald weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Herald’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Acampo 5ne, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 56° | 39° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 43° – 52° |
| February | 62° | 42° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 47° – 57° |
| March | 67° | 44° | 2.7" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 50° – 62° |
| April | 73° | 47° | 1.6" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 56° – 64° |
| May | 81° | 52° | 0.8" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 59° – 73° |
| June | 89° | 57° | 0.2" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 68° – 77° |
| July | 94° | 60° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 73° – 81° |
| August | 93° | 59° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 73° – 81° |
| September | 89° | 57° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 70° – 77° |
| October | 79° | 51° | 0.8" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 62° – 70° |
| November | 66° | 43° | 1.9" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 48° – 59° |
| December | 56° | 39° | 3.2" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 43° – 52° |
| Year | 75° | 49° | 18.3" | 0.0" | 54 | 0 |
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 73°. September is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Herald’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 Herald’s center.
- Snow: Acampo 5ne, CA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Lodi, CA, 13 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 Herald’s climate
What is the weather like in Herald?
A typical July afternoon reaches 94°, a January night drops to 39°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 87% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 93% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Herald in winter?
December nights average 39°. About 20 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 43°.
How much snow does Herald get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Acampo 5ne, CA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Herald?
July, with a typical high of 94° and a low of 60°. About 78 days a year reach 90° and 9 reach 100° (Lodi, CA).
When is the first and last frost in Herald?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by February 9 and the first fall frost by December 5, about 301 frost-free days, at Lodi, CA.
What growing zone is Herald 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 Herald?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), March, April, May, October and November. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Herald getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 63% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Herald.
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.