Photo: Dysepsion · CC BY-SA 3.0Dry weather: only 13 inches of rain and melted snow a year in Pala, less than in 94% of U.S. towns
Peak summer warmth arrives in July, with afternoons near 91°. Precipitation peaks in February and eases off in August. In January, nights here are milder than in 90% of U.S. towns. Garden chairs stay out from October to May, the months with highs of 68–82°.
A year in Pala at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Pala’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Pala’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Pala feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Frost is rare
Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Escondido #2, CA, 17 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Pala’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 13 inches of rain a year
February is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain falls on about 41 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at San Pasqual Animal Park, CA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Pala
44% of the work is heating, so air conditioning is the bigger bill. Months averaging under 55°: December and January.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Escondido #2, CA.
Living with Pala’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 9b. Frost comes about 1 winter in 3, so tender plants can often stay out through winter.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: January, February, March, April, May, October, November and December. 3.7 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Pala from natural hazards, wildfire is the largest share (60%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 2%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Pala and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Pala yet.
Climates most like Pala’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pala, CA | 41° | 91° | 13" | 0.0" |
| Sierra Vista, AZ | 32° | 91° | 14" | 0.4" |
| Ashland, OR | 31° | 91° | 19" | 0.5" |
| Fort Stockton, TX | 33° | 96° | 13" | 1.4" |
| Chaparral, NM | 31° | 95° | 9" | 0.0" |
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 Pala averaged 2.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.1°).
A bigger shift than in 92% 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 Pala compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Pala’s place among California’s.
Pala weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Pala’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from San Pasqual Animal Park, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 68° | 41° | 2.9" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 51° – 61° |
| February | 69° | 43° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 50° – 64° |
| March | 71° | 45° | 2.0" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 52° – 65° |
| April | 75° | 48° | 0.9" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 56° – 66° |
| May | 79° | 53° | 0.3" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 60° – 73° |
| June | 85° | 57° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 65° – 75° |
| July | 91° | 62° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 73° – 82° |
| August | 93° | 63° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 75° – 80° |
| September | 90° | 59° | 0.2" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 71° – 78° |
| October | 82° | 53° | 0.5" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 63° – 72° |
| November | 75° | 45° | 1.0" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 52° – 64° |
| December | 68° | 40° | 1.9" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 50° – 60° |
| Year | 79° | 51° | 13.3" | 0.0" | 41 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 50° to 64°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Pala’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 Pala’s center.
- Snow: San Pasqual Animal Park, CA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Escondido #2, CA, 17 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 Pala’s climate
What is the weather like in Pala?
A typical July afternoon reaches 91°, a January night drops to 41°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 90% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 83% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Pala in winter?
December nights average 40°. About 2 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 50°.
How much snow does Pala get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at San Pasqual Animal Park, CA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Pala?
July, with a typical high of 91° and a low of 62°. About 54 days a year reach 90° and 6 reach 100° (Escondido #2, CA).
When is the first and last frost in Pala?
Most years have no frost at all: a 32° night comes in about 39% of winters at Escondido #2, CA, usually in December or January.
What growing zone is Pala 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 Pala?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), January, February, March, April, May, October, November and December. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Pala getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 2.1° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 92% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Pala.
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.