Photo: Federico Pizano · CC BY 3.0Precipitation in Martinez trails that of 89% of U.S. towns: 21 inches a year
Sunny July days climb to about 85°. Expect the heaviest rain or snow in December and the lightest in July. Winters are mild: January nights here are milder than in 88% of U.S. towns. Plan time outside from March to June and September to November, when highs sit at 65–84°.
A year in Martinez at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Martinez’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Martinez’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Martinez feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
A freeze most winters
Day counts come from NOAA’s station at Martinez Wtp, CA, 1.1 miles from the town’s center, 120 ft lower; frost dates and degree days from Concord Wwtp, CA, 2.7 miles away.
The 2023 USDA map puts Martinez’s center in zone 9b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 28°. 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 21 inches of rain a year
December is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain falls on about 56 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Concord Wwtp, CA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Martinez
65% of the work is heating. Months averaging under 55° run from November through March.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Concord Wwtp, CA.
Living with Martinez’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 9b. Frost comes about 8 winters in 10, so tender plants can often stay out through winter.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: March, April, May, June, September, October and November. 38 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Martinez from natural hazards, earthquakes are the largest share (59%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 2%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Martinez and its neighbors
Pleasant Hill the hottest July afternoons (87°, 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 Martinez’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martinez, CA | 39° | 85° | 21" | 0.0" |
| Green, OR | 37° | 86° | 32" | 0.0" |
| Sierra Vista Southeast, AZ | 32° | 91° | 15" | 0.7" |
| Alpine, TX | 30° | 90° | 15" | 2.2" |
| College Place, WA | 30° | 91° | 15" | 7.2" |
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 Martinez averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.2°).
A bigger shift than in 67% 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 Martinez compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Martinez’s place among California’s.
Martinez weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Martinez’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Concord Wwtp, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 56° | 39° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 45° – 55° |
| February | 61° | 42° | 4.1" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 46° – 57° |
| March | 65° | 44° | 3.1" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 49° – 61° |
| April | 70° | 46° | 1.5" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 53° – 61° |
| May | 75° | 50° | 0.6" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 57° – 69° |
| June | 82° | 54° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 64° – 71° |
| July | 85° | 56° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 67° – 75° |
| August | 85° | 56° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 67° – 75° |
| September | 84° | 54° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 65° – 73° |
| October | 76° | 51° | 1.0" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 60° – 71° |
| November | 65° | 44° | 2.0" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 47° – 59° |
| December | 57° | 39° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 44° – 51° |
| Year | 72° | 48° | 20.9" | 0.0" | 56 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. May swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 57° to 69°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Martinez’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 Martinez’s center.
- Snow: Concord Wwtp, CA.
- Frost dates, heating and cooling: Concord Wwtp, CA, 2.7 miles away.
- Freezing nights, 90° and 100° days: Martinez Wtp, CA, 1.1 miles from the town’s center, 120 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 Martinez’s climate
What is the weather like in Martinez?
A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 39°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 88% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 52% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Martinez in winter?
December nights average 39°. About 16 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 44°.
How much snow does Martinez get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Concord Wwtp, CA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Martinez?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 56°. About 47 days a year reach 90° and 6 reach 100° (Concord Wwtp, CA).
When is the first and last frost in Martinez?
There is no reliable frost date: a 32° night comes in about 80% of winters at Concord Wwtp, CA, so most years bring a freeze but some pass without one.
What growing zone is Martinez in?
Zone 9b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 28°.
What is the best time of year to visit Martinez?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), March, April, May, June, September, October and November. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Martinez getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.6° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 67% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Martinez.
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.