Midwinter lows in Middletown stay above those of 83% of U.S. towns
Midsummer highs settle at about 91°. In July, afternoons here are warmer than in 81% of U.S. towns. Decade by decade the climate has edged up, 1.4° above 1901–2000. Garden planting can start around April 10; autumn frost returns near November 6.
A year in Middletown at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Middletown’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Middletown’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Middletown feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 209 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 10 and the first by November 6. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Clearlake 4 Se, CA, 12 miles from the town’s center, 240 ft higher.
The 2023 USDA map puts Middletown’s center in zone 9a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 23°. 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 41 inches of rain a year
December is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain falls on about 62 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.3" in a normal year at Middletown, CA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Middletown
82% 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 Clearlake 4 Se, CA.
Living with Middletown’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
209 frost-free days in zone 9a. The last frost comes by Apr 10 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 6.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: April, May and October. 4.6 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Middletown from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (49%). Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Middletown and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Middletown yet.
Climates most like Middletown’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middletown, CA | 36° | 91° | 41" | 0.3" |
| Lugoff, SC | 33° | 92° | 43" | 0.4" |
| Thomson, GA | 35° | 91° | 46" | 0.5" |
| Marvin, NC | 31° | 91° | 43" | 0.2" |
| Anna, TX | 34° | 94° | 41" | 0.2" |
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 Middletown averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.2°).
A bigger shift than in 52% 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 Middletown compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Middletown’s place among California’s.
Middletown weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Middletown’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Middletown, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 56° | 36° | 8.6" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 42° – 54° |
| February | 59° | 38° | 7.7" | 0.2" | 9 | 0 | 42° – 55° |
| March | 63° | 40° | 5.4" | 0.1" | 8 | 0 | 44° – 58° |
| April | 69° | 42° | 2.6" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 49° – 60° |
| May | 76° | 47° | 1.5" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 54° – 70° |
| June | 85° | 52° | 0.3" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 63° – 73° |
| July | 91° | 56° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 70° – 77° |
| August | 90° | 55° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 69° – 76° |
| September | 87° | 51° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 65° – 73° |
| October | 77° | 46° | 1.8" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 57° – 69° |
| November | 64° | 40° | 4.0" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 44° – 56° |
| December | 56° | 36° | 8.6" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 42° – 50° |
| Year | 73° | 45° | 40.7" | 0.3" | 62 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. May swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 54° to 70°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Middletown’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 Middletown’s center.
- Snow: Middletown, CA (NOAA station in town).
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Clearlake 4 Se, CA, 12 miles from the town’s center, 240 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 Middletown’s climate
What is the weather like in Middletown?
A typical July afternoon reaches 91°, a January night drops to 36°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 83% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 81% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Middletown in winter?
December nights average 36°. About 72 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 42°.
How much snow does Middletown get?
About 0.3 inches in a normal winter at Middletown, CA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Middletown?
July, with a typical high of 91° and a low of 56°. About 66 days a year reach 90° and 10 reach 100° (Clearlake 4 Se, CA).
When is the first and last frost in Middletown?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 10 and the first fall frost by November 6, about 209 frost-free days, at Clearlake 4 Se, CA.
What growing zone is Middletown in?
Zone 9a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 23°.
What is the best time of year to visit Middletown?
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 Middletown getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.4° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 52% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Middletown.
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.