Lake Mathews reaches 100° on about 42 days a year, more than all but 175 U.S. towns
The depth of winter brings overnight lows near 45°. By precipitation alone, it ranks drier than 97% of U.S. towns. Decade by decade the climate has edged up, 2.1° above 1901–2000. Garden planting can start around January 28; autumn frost returns near December 18.
A year in Lake Mathews at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Lake Mathews’ climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Lake Mathews’ place in California beside it.
What a year in Lake Mathews feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 329 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by January 28 and the first by December 18. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Elsinore, CA, 10 miles from the town’s center, 430 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts Lake Mathews’ center in zone 10a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 30°. 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 10 inches of rain a year
February is the wettest month and June the driest. Rain falls on about 38 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Riverside Citrus Exp, CA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Lake Mathews
45% of the work is heating, so air conditioning is the bigger bill. Months averaging under 55° run from December 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 Elsinore, CA.
Living with Lake Mathews’ climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
329 frost-free days in zone 10a. The last frost comes by Jan 28 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 18.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: January, February, March, April, May, October, November and December. 57 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Lake Mathews from natural hazards, wildfire is the largest share (77%). Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Lake Mathews and its neighbors
Mead Valley has the coldest January nights next door (43°, 2° colder) and Mead Valley the hottest July afternoons (93°, 1° 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 Lake Mathews’, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Mathews, CA | 45° | 92° | 10" | 0.0" |
| Corona de Tucson, AZ | 36° | 96° | 14" | 0.1" |
| Fort Stockton, TX | 33° | 96° | 13" | 1.4" |
| Santa Teresa, NM | 33° | 95° | 9" | 2.0" |
| Ashland, OR | 31° | 91° | 19" | 0.5" |
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 Lake Mathews averaged 2.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.2°).
A bigger shift than in 93% 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 Lake Mathews compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Lake Mathews’ place among California’s.
Lake Mathews weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Lake Mathews’ center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Riverside Citrus Exp, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 65° | 45° | 2.2" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 51° – 61° |
| February | 65° | 45° | 2.5" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 48° – 63° |
| March | 68° | 45° | 1.4" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 50° – 63° |
| April | 72° | 47° | 0.6" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 55° – 64° |
| May | 77° | 52° | 0.2" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 58° – 71° |
| June | 85° | 57° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 66° – 76° |
| July | 92° | 63° | 0.2" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 72° – 83° |
| August | 94° | 64° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 76° – 82° |
| September | 89° | 62° | 0.2" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 72° – 80° |
| October | 80° | 57° | 0.5" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 64° – 74° |
| November | 72° | 50° | 0.7" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 54° – 66° |
| December | 65° | 44° | 1.6" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 50° – 63° |
| Year | 77° | 53° | 10.1" | 0.0" | 38 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 48° to 63°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Lake Mathews’ 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 Lake Mathews’ center.
- Snow: Riverside Citrus Exp, CA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Elsinore, CA, 10 miles from the town’s center, 430 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 Lake Mathews’ climate
What is the weather like in Lake Mathews?
A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 45°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 94% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 87% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Lake Mathews in winter?
December nights average 44°. About 9 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 50°.
How much snow does Lake Mathews get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Riverside Citrus Exp, CA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Lake Mathews?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 63°. About 123 days a year reach 90° and 42 reach 100° (Elsinore, CA).
When is the first and last frost in Lake Mathews?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by January 28 and the first fall frost by December 18, about 329 frost-free days, at Elsinore, CA.
What growing zone is Lake Mathews in?
Zone 10a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 30°.
What is the best time of year to visit Lake Mathews?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), January, February, March, April, May, October, November and December. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Lake Mathews getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 2.1° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 93% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Lake Mathews.
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.