Photo: Lightandtruth · CC BY-SA 4.0Point Arena has some of the coolest summers among U.S. towns
On a normal January night the air cools to about 43°. Winters are mild: January nights here are milder than in 92% of U.S. towns. The latest 30-year average runs 1.0° warmer than 1901–2000’s, with January up the most. The heating season runs December to January: each of those months averages under 50°.
A year in Point Arena at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Point Arena’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Point Arena’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Point Arena feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 42 inches of rain a year
December is the wettest month and July the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Living with Point Arena’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 10a.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August, September and October. 3.8 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Point Arena from natural hazards, earthquakes are the largest share (52%). Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Point Arena and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Point Arena yet.
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 Point Arena averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+1.5°).
A smaller shift than in 75% 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 Point Arena compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Point Arena’s place among California’s.
Point Arena weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Point Arena’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 57° | 43° | 7.7" | 46° – 55° |
| February | 58° | 43° | 6.5" | 45° – 56° |
| March | 58° | 44° | 5.9" | 45° – 57° |
| April | 58° | 45° | 3.2" | 47° – 56° |
| May | 60° | 48° | 1.4" | 49° – 59° |
| June | 63° | 50° | 0.4" | 53° – 61° |
| July | 64° | 51° | 0.1" | 55° – 61° |
| August | 65° | 51° | 0.1" | 56° – 62° |
| September | 65° | 50° | 0.3" | 54° – 61° |
| October | 64° | 48° | 2.1" | 52° – 63° |
| November | 60° | 44° | 4.8" | 46° – 56° |
| December | 57° | 42° | 9.3" | 47° – 54° |
| Year | 61° | 47° | 41.6" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. March swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 45° to 57°. July is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Point Arena’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 Point Arena’s center.
- 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 Point Arena’s climate
What is the weather like in Point Arena?
A typical July afternoon reaches 64°, a January night drops to 43°. Milder January nights than 92% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than all but 20 U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Point Arena in winter?
December nights average 42°. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 47°.
How hot does it get in Point Arena?
July, with a typical high of 64°. 90° days are rare.
What growing zone is Point Arena in?
Zone 10a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 32°.
What is the best time of year to visit Point Arena?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), June, July, August, September and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Point Arena getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.0° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 75% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Point Arena.
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.