Less rain and snow falls on Johnstonville than on 94% of U.S. towns: 14 inches a year
The coldest hours of a January night bottom out at 22° on average. Expect the heaviest rain or snow in December and the lightest in August. Its July heat outdoes that of 77% of U.S. towns. The frost-free window for a garden runs roughly May 16 to October 8.
A year in Johnstonville at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Johnstonville’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Johnstonville’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Johnstonville feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 143 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 16 and the first by October 8. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Susanville 2sw, CA, 5 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Johnstonville’s center in zone 7a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 3°. 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 14 inches of rain a year
December is the wettest month and August the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Johnstonville
93% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Susanville 2sw, CA.
Living with Johnstonville’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
143 frost-free days in zone 7a. The last frost comes by May 16 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 8.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June and September. 2.0 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Johnstonville from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (65%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Johnstonville and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Johnstonville 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 Johnstonville averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.6°).
A smaller shift than in 52% 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 Johnstonville compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Johnstonville’s place among California’s.
Johnstonville weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Johnstonville’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 44° | 22° | 2.2" | 23° – 41° |
| February | 49° | 25° | 2.1" | 29° – 44° |
| March | 55° | 29° | 1.8" | 34° – 49° |
| April | 62° | 32° | 1.0" | 41° – 51° |
| May | 71° | 39° | 0.9" | 47° – 63° |
| June | 81° | 45° | 0.6" | 58° – 69° |
| July | 90° | 51° | 0.2" | 64° – 74° |
| August | 89° | 49° | 0.2" | 65° – 73° |
| September | 82° | 42° | 0.2" | 58° – 66° |
| October | 69° | 34° | 0.9" | 46° – 56° |
| November | 53° | 27° | 1.1" | 31° – 46° |
| December | 43° | 22° | 2.6" | 26° – 37° |
| Year | 65° | 35° | 13.9" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 23° to 41°. September is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where Johnstonville’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 Johnstonville’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Susanville 2sw, CA, 5 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 Johnstonville’s climate
What is the weather like in Johnstonville?
A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 22°. Milder January nights than 52% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 77% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Johnstonville in winter?
December nights average 22°. About 149 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 26°.
How hot does it get in Johnstonville?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 51°. About 31 days a year reach 90° (Susanville 2sw, CA).
When is the first and last frost in Johnstonville?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 16 and the first fall frost by October 8, about 143 frost-free days, at Susanville 2sw, CA.
What growing zone is Johnstonville in?
Zone 7a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 3°.
What is the best time of year to visit Johnstonville?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), June and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Johnstonville getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.3° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 52% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Johnstonville.
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.