Magalia Community Church · Photo: Frank Schulenburg · CC BY-SA 4.0Magalia sits near the top of U.S. towns for precipitation, with 61 inches a year
July afternoons average 92°. Temperatures cover 55° across the year, low to high. Summer afternoons here are warmer than in 87% of U.S. towns. Plan time outside for April, May and October, when highs sit at 66–75°.
A year in Magalia at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Magalia’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Magalia’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Magalia feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 206 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 17 and the first by November 11. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at De Sabla, CA, 4 miles from the town’s center, 410 ft higher.
The 2023 USDA map puts Magalia’s center in zone 9a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 25°. 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 61 inches of rain a year
December is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain falls on about 78 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.1" in a normal year at Paradise, CA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Magalia
79% of the work is heating. Months averaging under 55° run from November 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 De Sabla, CA.
Living with Magalia’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
206 frost-free days in zone 9a. The last frost comes by Apr 17 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Nov 11.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: April, May and October. 2.9 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Magalia from natural hazards, wildfire is the largest share (55%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 2%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Magalia and its neighbors
Butte Creek Canyon the hottest July afternoons (96°, 4° 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 Magalia’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magalia, CA | 38° | 92° | 61" | 0.1" |
| Columbia, MS | 38° | 92° | 61" | 0.2" |
| Leesville, LA | 38° | 93° | 59" | 0.1" |
| Silsbee, TX | 40° | 92° | 61" | 0.1" |
| Opp, AL | 37° | 91° | 59" | 0.3" |
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 Magalia averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.3°).
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 Magalia compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Magalia’s place among California’s.
Magalia weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Magalia’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Paradise, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 54° | 38° | 11.2" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 42° – 55° |
| February | 56° | 38° | 10.6" | 0.1" | 11 | 0 | 41° – 54° |
| March | 60° | 41° | 9.0" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 42° – 58° |
| April | 66° | 43° | 4.8" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 48° – 59° |
| May | 75° | 50° | 2.7" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 53° – 70° |
| June | 84° | 57° | 1.0" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 65° – 77° |
| July | 92° | 63° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 73° – 81° |
| August | 91° | 62° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 73° – 80° |
| September | 86° | 59° | 0.4" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 68° – 77° |
| October | 74° | 51° | 3.1" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 59° – 69° |
| November | 60° | 42° | 6.1" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 44° – 56° |
| December | 53° | 37° | 11.8" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 41° – 49° |
| Year | 71° | 48° | 60.8" | 0.1" | 78 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. May swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 53° to 70°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Magalia’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 Magalia’s center.
- Snow: Paradise, CA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: De Sabla, CA, 4 miles from the town’s center, 410 ft higher; 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 Magalia’s climate
What is the weather like in Magalia?
A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 38°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 86% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 87% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Magalia in winter?
December nights average 37°. About 63 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 41°.
How much snow does Magalia get?
About 0.1 inches in a normal winter at Paradise, CA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Magalia?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 63°. About 65 days a year reach 90° and 6 reach 100° (De Sabla, CA).
When is the first and last frost in Magalia?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 17 and the first fall frost by November 11, about 206 frost-free days, at De Sabla, CA.
What growing zone is Magalia in?
Zone 9a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 25°.
What is the best time of year to visit Magalia?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), April, May and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Magalia 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 Magalia.
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.