Pasatiempo has some of the coolest summers among U.S. towns
The coldest hours of a January night bottom out at 40° on average. By January nights alone, it runs milder than 89% of U.S. towns. Since 1901–2000, the year has warmed by 1.8°, most of all in January. Tender plants can go out after about January 29; in half of years the first frost comes by December 13.
A year in Pasatiempo at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Pasatiempo’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Pasatiempo’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Pasatiempo feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 323 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by January 29 and the first by December 13. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Santa Cruz, CA, 1.9 miles from the town’s center, 290 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts Pasatiempo’s center in zone 9b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 29°. 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 34 inches of rain a year
January is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain falls on about 65 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Santa Cruz, CA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Pasatiempo
93% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. 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 Santa Cruz, CA.
Living with Pasatiempo’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
323 frost-free days in zone 9b. The last frost comes by Jan 29 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Dec 13.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November. 4.9 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Pasatiempo from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (49%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Pasatiempo and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Pasatiempo in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Pasatiempo’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pasatiempo, CA | 40° | 75° | 34" | 0.0" |
| Poulsbo, WA | 35° | 75° | 33" | 3.0" |
| Scappoose, OR | 34° | 81° | 41" | 0.8" |
| 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 Pasatiempo averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.5°).
A bigger shift than in 77% 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 Pasatiempo compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Pasatiempo’s place among California’s.
Pasatiempo weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Pasatiempo’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Santa Cruz, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 61° | 40° | 7.2" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 47° – 55° |
| February | 62° | 41° | 6.5" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 48° – 57° |
| March | 65° | 43° | 4.9" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 48° – 59° |
| April | 67° | 44° | 2.3" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 52° – 59° |
| May | 70° | 47° | 0.9" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 55° – 63° |
| June | 74° | 50° | 0.2" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 58° – 65° |
| July | 75° | 53° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 60° – 68° |
| August | 77° | 53° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 62° – 70° |
| September | 77° | 51° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 60° – 69° |
| October | 74° | 48° | 1.3" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 58° – 66° |
| November | 66° | 43° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 48° – 58° |
| December | 60° | 40° | 6.9" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 47° – 53° |
| Year | 69° | 46° | 33.7" | 0.0" | 65 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. March swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 48° to 59°. December is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Pasatiempo’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 Pasatiempo’s center.
- Snow: Santa Cruz, CA (NOAA station in town).
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Santa Cruz, CA, 1.9 miles from the town’s center, 290 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 Pasatiempo’s climate
What is the weather like in Pasatiempo?
A typical July afternoon reaches 75°, a January night drops to 40°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 89% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 98% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Pasatiempo in winter?
December nights average 40°. About 6 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 47°.
How much snow does Pasatiempo get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Santa Cruz, CA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Pasatiempo?
July, with a typical high of 75° and a low of 53°. About 6 days a year reach 90° (Santa Cruz, CA).
When is the first and last frost in Pasatiempo?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by January 29 and the first fall frost by December 13, about 323 frost-free days, at Santa Cruz, CA.
What growing zone is Pasatiempo in?
Zone 9b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 29°.
What is the best time of year to visit Pasatiempo?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Pasatiempo getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.8° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 77% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Pasatiempo.
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.