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Climate in North Gate · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

North Gate’s winters are milder and less snowy than most of the U.S.

A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 40°, and snow is almost unheard of.

Milder January nights than 89% of U.S. towns#374Mildest winters  of 758 in CA
Drier than 89% of U.S. towns#560 driest of 758 in CA
All CA rankings →

A year in North Gate at a glance

Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.

Jan55°40°
Feb59°42°
Mar64°44°
Apr68°47° 1 day 90°+
May74°51° 3 days 90°+
Jun81°55° 8 days 90°+
Jul86°58° 12 days 90°+
Aug86°59° 12 days 90°+
Sep84°57° 9 days 90°+
Oct76°52° 2 days 90°+
Nov now63°45°
Dec55°40° Wettest

What stands out about North Gate’s climate

Compared with towns across the U.S., with North Gate’s place in California beside it.

A normal year

What a year in North Gate feels like

Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.

Winter
57° / 41°
Snow is rare
Spring
69° / 47°
Frost is rare
Summer
85° / 57°
47 days reach 90°
Fall
74° / 51°
Frost is rare
Best months to be outsideMarAprMayJunSepOctNovHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

A freeze most winters

Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Concord Wwtp, CA, 7 miles from the town’s center, 300 ft lower.

Most winters bring a freeze, but not every one. A night at 32° or below comes in about 80% of years at Concord Wwtp, CA (about 8 winters in 10), and averages 4.3 a year.
4
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
316th fewest of 752 in California
Fewer freezing nights than 93% of U.S. towns
0
nights at or below 0°
None in a normal year
47
days that reach 90°
470th most of 752 in California
More 90° days than 74% of U.S. towns
6
days that reach 100°
467th most of 752 in California
More 100° days than 87% of U.S. towns
9bUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 9b

The 2023 USDA map puts North Gate’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°

2
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

12
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

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.

21"
Rain + melted snow a year
560th driest of 758 in California
Drier than 89% of U.S. towns
0.0"
Snow in a normal winter
Less snow than 93% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

4.4"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in North Gate

65% of the work is heating. Months averaging under 55° run from November through March.

2,029 heating degree daysLess heating than 87% of U.S. towns
1,084 cooling degree daysMore cooling than 59% of U.S. towns

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 here

Living with North Gate’s climate

What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.

The garden window

Zone 9b. Frost comes about 8 winters in 10, so tender plants can often stay out through winter.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: March, April, May, June, September, October and November. 0.9 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in North Gate from natural hazards, earthquakes are the largest share (53%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door

North Gate and its neighbors

Walnut Creek has the coldest January nights next door (39°, 1° colder). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.

Saranap: January low 39°, July high 86°Acalanes Ridge: January low 39°, July high 86°Contra Costa Centre: January low 39°, July high 87°Alamo: January low 39°, July high 86°Pleasant Hill: January low 39°, July high 87°Reliez Valley: January low 40°, July high 85°Concord: January low 39°, July high 87°Lafayette: January low 39°, July high 85°Castle Hill: January low 40°, July high 84°Walnut Creek: January low 39°, July high 87°North Gate: January low 40°, July high 86°North GateWalnut Creek
ColderMilder39° to 40°
Walnut Creek39.0° −1.1°
North Gate40.1°

Climates most like North Gate’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.

TownJan. lowJuly highPrecip.Snow
North Gate, CA40°86°21"0.0"
Green, OR37°86°32"0.0"
Sierra Vista Southeast, AZ32°91°15"0.7"
Alpine, TX30°90°15"2.2"
College Place, WA30°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.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

The last 30 years in North Gate averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.1°).

+1.6°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A bigger shift than in 65% of U.S. towns.

Winter+1.5°now 49°, was 47°
Spring+1.5°now 58°, was 56°
Summer+1.8°now 71°, was 69°
Fall+1.6°now 63°, was 61°

Change by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.

Compared with other towns

How North Gate compares

Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with North Gate’s place among California’s.

Summer heat86° July high
Hotter July afternoons than 56% of U.S. towns468th hottest of 758 in California
Winter cold40° January low
Milder January nights than 89% of U.S. towns374th mildest of 758 in California
Precipitation21" a year
Drier than 89% of U.S. towns560th driest of 758 in California
Snow0.0" a winter
Less snow than 93% of U.S. townsNot ranked: under an inch a year
Hot days47 days at 90°+
More 90° days than 74% of U.S. towns470th most of 752 in California
Freezing nights4 a year
Fewer freezing nights than 93% of U.S. towns316th fewest of 752 in California
Month by month

North Gate weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at North Gate’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Concord Wwtp, CA. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January55°40°4.4"0.0"10044° – 55°
February59°42°3.9"0.0"10045° – 57°
March64°44°3.2"0.0"8048° – 61°
April68°47°1.4"0.0"5052° – 62°
May74°51°0.6"0.0"3055° – 70°
June81°55°0.1"0.0"1063° – 72°
July86°58°0.0"0.0"0069° – 77°
August86°59°0.0"0.0"0069° – 77°
September84°57°0.1"0.0"1066° – 74°
October76°52°1.0"0.0"3060° – 71°
November63°45°2.1"0.0"6047° – 59°
December55°40°4.4"0.0"9044° – 51°
Year71°49°21.2"0.0"560
Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average. May swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 55° to 70°. December is the most reliable, staying within 7°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where North Gate’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 North Gate’s center.
  • Snow: Concord Wwtp, CA.
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Concord Wwtp, CA, 7 miles from the town’s center, 300 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 North Gate’s climate

What is the weather like in North Gate?

A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 40°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 89% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 56% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in North Gate in winter?

December nights average 40°. About 4 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 44°.

How much snow does North Gate get?

About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Concord Wwtp, CA, so most winters see none.

How hot does it get in North Gate?

July, with a typical high of 86° and a low of 58°. About 47 days a year reach 90° and 6 reach 100° (Concord Wwtp, CA).

When is the first and last frost in North Gate?

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 North Gate 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 North Gate?

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 North Gate getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.6° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 65% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in North Gate.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.