Few U.S. towns have cooler summers than McKinleyville
In January the night’s low is typically 41°. The gap between a January night and a July afternoon is 30°. Winters are mild: January nights here are milder than in 89% of U.S. towns. Warm coats and heating bills mark the months from December to March, when means dip under 50°.
A year in McKinleyville at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about McKinleyville’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with McKinleyville’s place in California beside it.
What a year in McKinleyville feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 262 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 8 and the first by November 30. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Arcata Eureka Airport, 2.5 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts McKinleyville’s center in zone 9b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 27°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
About 49 inches of rain a year
December is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain falls on about 128 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Eureka Wfo Woodley Island, CA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in McKinleyville
Nearly all of the work is heating: a normal year has almost no cooling days. Months averaging under 55° run from November 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 Arcata Eureka Airport.
Living with McKinleyville’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
262 frost-free days in zone 9b. The last frost comes by Mar 8 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 30.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August, September and October. 23 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in McKinleyville from natural hazards, earthquakes are the largest share (60%). Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →McKinleyville and its neighbors
Fieldbrook has the coldest January nights next door (40°, 1° colder) and Fieldbrook the hottest July afternoons (74°, 5° 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 McKinleyville’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McKinleyville, CA | 41° | 69° | 49" | 0.0" |
| Coos Bay, OR | 40° | 66° | 61" | 0.2" |
| Lake Goodwin, WA | 36° | 73° | 44" | 2.5" |
| Makawao, HI | 53° | 75° | 23" | 0.0" |
| Nantucket, MA | 26° | 76° | 44" | 25" |
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 McKinleyville averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.5°).
A bigger shift than in 58% 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 McKinleyville compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with McKinleyville’s place among California’s.
McKinleyville weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at McKinleyville’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Eureka Wfo Woodley Island, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 55° | 41° | 8.0" | 0.0" | 17 | 0 | 42° – 53° |
| February | 56° | 41° | 6.9" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 | 44° – 53° |
| March | 58° | 42° | 7.0" | 0.0" | 16 | 0 | 46° – 53° |
| April | 60° | 43° | 4.5" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 | 48° – 56° |
| May | 63° | 47° | 2.3" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 51° – 58° |
| June | 66° | 50° | 0.9" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 54° – 61° |
| July | 69° | 53° | 0.2" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 58° – 63° |
| August | 70° | 53° | 0.2" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 59° – 65° |
| September | 70° | 50° | 0.8" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 57° – 63° |
| October | 66° | 46° | 2.9" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 52° – 60° |
| November | 58° | 43° | 5.9" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 | 44° – 54° |
| December | 54° | 40° | 9.7" | 0.0" | 17 | 0 | 42° – 52° |
| Year | 62° | 45° | 49.2" | 0.0" | 128 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 42° to 53°. July is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Where McKinleyville’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 McKinleyville’s center.
- Snow: Eureka Wfo Woodley Island, CA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Arcata Eureka Airport, 2.5 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; 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 McKinleyville’s climate
What is the weather like in McKinleyville?
A typical July afternoon reaches 69°, a January night drops to 41°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 89% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than all but 68 U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in McKinleyville in winter?
December nights average 40°. About 19 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 42°.
How much snow does McKinleyville get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Eureka Wfo Woodley Island, CA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in McKinleyville?
July, with a typical high of 69°. 90° days are rare: none in a normal year at Arcata Eureka Airport.
When is the first and last frost in McKinleyville?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 8 and the first fall frost by November 30, about 262 frost-free days, at Arcata Eureka Airport.
What growing zone is McKinleyville in?
Zone 9b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 27°.
What is the best time of year to visit McKinleyville?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June, July, August, September and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is McKinleyville getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.5° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 58% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in McKinleyville.
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.