Hardly any U.S. towns see fresher July days than Ponderosa
Deep winter brings January lows near 25°. Precipitation is light here, less than falls on 67% of U.S. towns. September has warmed most since 1901–2000, part of a 1.7° rise. From June to September, highs of 70–78° make it easy to spend the day outdoors.
A year in Ponderosa at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Ponderosa’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Ponderosa’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Ponderosa feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 38 inches of rain a year
February is the wettest month and August the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Living with Ponderosa’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 7a.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 0.7 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Ponderosa from natural hazards, wildfire is the largest share (36%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Ponderosa and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Ponderosa 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 Ponderosa averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in September (+2.3°).
A bigger shift than in 71% 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 Ponderosa compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Ponderosa’s place among California’s.
Ponderosa weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Ponderosa’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 44° | 25° | 7.4" | 30° – 40° |
| February | 44° | 25° | 7.5" | 27° – 42° |
| March | 48° | 27° | 6.0" | 30° – 44° |
| April | 52° | 31° | 3.3" | 36° – 46° |
| May | 60° | 37° | 1.5" | 39° – 56° |
| June | 70° | 45° | 0.3" | 51° – 62° |
| July | 78° | 53° | 0.2" | 61° – 69° |
| August | 78° | 52° | 0.2" | 61° – 68° |
| September | 72° | 46° | 0.3" | 55° – 63° |
| October | 61° | 37° | 1.6" | 46° – 54° |
| November | 51° | 30° | 3.0" | 33° – 46° |
| December | 43° | 25° | 6.8" | 31° – 39° |
| Year | 58° | 36° | 38.1" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. May swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 39° to 56°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Ponderosa’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 Ponderosa’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 Ponderosa’s climate
What is the weather like in Ponderosa?
A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 25°. Milder January nights than 63% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 96% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Ponderosa in winter?
February nights average 25°. In the coldest February of the last 30 years the month averaged 27°.
How hot does it get in Ponderosa?
July, with a typical high of 78°. 90° days are rare.
What growing zone is Ponderosa in?
Zone 7a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 3°.
What is the best time of year to visit Ponderosa?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Ponderosa getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.7° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 71% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Ponderosa.
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.