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Climate in Ladera · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Ladera’s winters are milder and less snowy than most of the U.S.

A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 40°, and snow is almost unheard of.

Milder January nights than 89% of U.S. towns#393Mildest winters  of 758 in CA
Cooler July afternoons than 89% of U.S. towns#168Coolest summers  of 758 in CA
All CA rankings →

A year in Ladera at a glance

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

Jan60°40° Wettest
Feb62°41°
Mar65°43°
Apr68°45°
May72°48° 1 day 90°+
Jun78°51° 4 days 90°+
Jul81°54° 4 days 90°+
Aug81°54° 4 days 90°+
Sep80°53° 4 days 90°+
Oct75°49° 2 days 90°+
Nov now65°43°
Dec59°39°

What stands out about Ladera’s climate

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

A normal year

What a year in Ladera feels like

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

Winter
60° / 40°
Snow is rare
Spring
68° / 45°
Frost is rare
Summer
80° / 53°
18 days reach 90°
Fall
74° / 48°
Frost is rare
Best months to be outsideMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

A freeze most winters

Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Redwood City, CA, 6 miles from the town’s center, 310 ft lower.

Most winters bring a freeze, but not every one. A night at 32° or below comes in about 88% of years at Redwood City, CA (about 9 winters in 10), and averages 6.1 a year.
6
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
340th fewest of 752 in California
Fewer freezing nights than 92% of U.S. towns
0
nights at or below 0°
None in a normal year
18
days that reach 90°
166th fewest of 752 in California
Fewer 90° days than 53% of U.S. towns
2
days that reach 100°
567th most of 752 in California
More 100° days than 77% of U.S. towns
9bUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 9b

The 2023 USDA map puts Ladera’s center in zone 9b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 29°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

3
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

4.2
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 25 inches of rain a year

January is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain falls on about 55 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Redwood City, CA, so most winters see none.

25"
Rain + melted snow a year
627th driest of 758 in California
Drier than 87% 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

5.1"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Ladera

84% of the work is heating. Months averaging under 55° run from November through March.

2,519 heating degree daysLess heating than 82% of U.S. towns
475 cooling degree daysLess cooling than 87% 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 Redwood City, CA.

Living here

Living with Ladera’s climate

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

The garden window

Zone 9b. Frost comes about 9 winters in 10, so tender plants can often stay out through winter.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November. 0.2 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Ladera from natural hazards, earthquakes are the largest share (68%). Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

Ladera and its neighbors

Every town next door is within a degree of Ladera in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.

Woodside: January low 40°, July high 80°Palo Alto: January low 40°, July high 80°Portola Valley: January low 41°, July high 80°Ladera: January low 40°, July high 81°LaderaPortola Valley
ColderMilder40° to 41°
Ladera39.8°
Portola Valley41.4° +1.6°

Climates most like Ladera’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
Ladera, CA40°81°25"0.0"
Winston, OR37°86°33"0.0"
Mercer Island, WA37°77°37"3.8"
Makawao, HI53°75°23"0.0"
Corpus Christi, TX49°91°34"0.0"

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.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

The last 30 years in Ladera averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in August (+2.2°).

+1.8°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A bigger shift than in 79% of U.S. towns.

Winter+1.6°now 50°, was 49°
Spring+1.9°now 57°, was 55°
Summer+2.1°now 66°, was 64°
Fall+1.6°now 61°, was 59°

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 Ladera compares

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

Summer heat81° July high
Cooler July afternoons than 89% of U.S. towns168th coolest of 758 in California
Winter cold40° January low
Milder January nights than 89% of U.S. towns393rd mildest of 758 in California
Precipitation25" a year
Drier than 87% of U.S. towns627th driest of 758 in California
Snow0.0" a winter
Less snow than 93% of U.S. townsNot ranked: under an inch a year
Hot days18 days at 90°+
Fewer 90° days than 53% of U.S. towns166th fewest of 752 in California
Freezing nights6 a year
Fewer freezing nights than 92% of U.S. towns340th fewest of 752 in California
Month by month

Ladera weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Ladera’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Redwood City, CA. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January60°40°5.1"0.0"9047° – 54°
February62°41°4.9"0.0"9048° – 57°
March65°43°3.8"0.0"9049° – 59°
April68°45°1.8"0.0"5052° – 60°
May72°48°0.7"0.0"3056° – 65°
June78°51°0.2"0.0"1061° – 67°
July81°54°0.0"0.0"0065° – 71°
August81°54°0.0"0.0"0065° – 71°
September80°53°0.1"0.0"1063° – 70°
October75°49°1.0"0.0"3059° – 67°
November65°43°2.6"0.0"6048° – 58°
December59°39°5.1"0.0"9045° – 54°
Year70°47°25.3"0.0"550
Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average. March swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 49° to 59°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Ladera’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 Ladera’s center.
  • Snow: Redwood City, CA.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Redwood City, CA, 6 miles from the town’s center, 310 ft lower; 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 Ladera’s climate

What is the weather like in Ladera?

A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 40°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 89% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 89% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Ladera in winter?

December nights average 39°. About 6 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 45°.

How much snow does Ladera get?

About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Redwood City, CA, so most winters see none.

How hot does it get in Ladera?

July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 54°. About 18 days a year reach 90° and 2 reach 100° (Redwood City, CA).

When is the first and last frost in Ladera?

There is no reliable frost date: a 32° night comes in about 88% of winters at Redwood City, CA, so most years bring a freeze but some pass without one.

What growing zone is Ladera in?

Zone 9b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 29°.

What is the best time of year to visit Ladera?

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

Is Ladera getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.8° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 79% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

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

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.