Little Grass Valley gets about 82 inches of snow a winter, more than 95% of U.S. towns
Peak summer warmth arrives in July, with afternoons near 81°. December is the wettest month here, with about 123 times the rain of July. Its yearly precipitation tops that of 97% of U.S. towns. Warm coats and heating bills mark the months from November to April, when means dip under 50°.
A year in Little Grass Valley at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Little Grass Valley’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Little Grass Valley’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Little Grass Valley feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 167 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 12 and the first by October 29. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Bowman Dam, CA, 25 miles from the town’s center, 100 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts Little Grass Valley’s center in zone 8a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 12°. 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 82 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Strawberry Valley, CA, is heaviest from January through February, about 19 inches a month. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 60 inches a year; December is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 85 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Little Grass Valley
94% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through May.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Bowman Dam, CA.
Living with Little Grass Valley’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
167 frost-free days in zone 8a. The last frost comes by May 12 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 29.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 2.3 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Little Grass Valley from natural hazards, wildfire is the largest share (47%). Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Little Grass Valley and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Little Grass Valley yet.
Climates most like Little Grass Valley’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Grass Valley, CA | 28° | 81° | 60" | 82" |
| Elkins, WV | 21° | 82° | 50" | 69" |
| Randolph Town, MA | 20° | 83° | 51" | 70" |
| Scituate, RI | 19° | 82° | 51" | 62" |
| Killingly, CT | 18° | 82° | 50" | 62" |
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 Little Grass Valley averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in September (+2.1°).
A smaller shift than in 72% 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 Little Grass Valley compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Little Grass Valley’s place among California’s.
Little Grass Valley weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Little Grass Valley’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Strawberry Valley, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 44° | 28° | 10.7" | 17.7" | 13 | 14 | 31° – 41° |
| February | 46° | 27° | 10.1" | 19.4" | 12 | 12 | 29° – 43° |
| March | 50° | 30° | 9.1" | 17.1" | 12 | 10 | 32° – 46° |
| April | 55° | 32° | 4.7" | 8.1" | 9 | 5 | 38° – 48° |
| May | 64° | 39° | 3.0" | 0.6" | 7 | 0 | 43° – 59° |
| June | 73° | 46° | 1.0" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 55° – 65° |
| July | 81° | 52° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 63° – 70° |
| August | 81° | 51° | 0.2" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 63° – 70° |
| September | 76° | 47° | 0.6" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 58° – 65° |
| October | 65° | 39° | 3.2" | 0.5" | 5 | 0 | 48° – 56° |
| November | 51° | 32° | 6.2" | 3.5" | 9 | 2 | 33° – 47° |
| December | 43° | 28° | 11.1" | 15.1" | 12 | 10 | 32° – 39° |
| Year | 61° | 38° | 59.9" | 82.0" | 85 | 54 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. May swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 43° to 59°. December is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Little Grass Valley’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 Little Grass Valley’s center.
- Snow: Strawberry Valley, CA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Bowman Dam, CA, 25 miles from the town’s center, 100 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 Little Grass Valley’s climate
What is the weather like in Little Grass Valley?
A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 28°, and about 82 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 70% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 85% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Little Grass Valley in winter?
February nights average 27°. About 127 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest February of the last 30 years the month averaged 29°.
How much snow does Little Grass Valley get?
About 82 inches in a normal winter at Strawberry Valley, CA, heaviest from January through February, about 19 inches a month, with snow on the ground about 54 days a year.
How hot does it get in Little Grass Valley?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 52°. About 9 days a year reach 90° (Bowman Dam, CA).
When is the first and last frost in Little Grass Valley?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 12 and the first fall frost by October 29, about 167 frost-free days, at Bowman Dam, CA.
What growing zone is Little Grass Valley in?
Zone 8a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 12°.
What is the best time of year to visit Little Grass Valley?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Little Grass Valley getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.1° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 72% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Little Grass Valley.
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.