Rail Road Flat has milder winter nights than 84% of U.S. towns
July afternoons average 91°. The seasons are far apart: from a winter night to a summer afternoon the average spans 55°. Summer afternoons here are warmer than in 81% of U.S. towns. Warm coats and heating bills mark the months from December to March, when means dip under 50°.
A year in Rail Road Flat at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Rail Road Flat’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Rail Road Flat’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Rail Road Flat feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 285 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 4 and the first by December 11. Frost dates and degree days from Sutter Hill Cdf, CA, 14 miles away.
The 2023 USDA map puts Rail Road Flat’s center in zone 9a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 23°. 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 41 inches of rain a year
January is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain falls on about 67 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Camp Pardee, CA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Rail Road Flat
67% of the work is heating. Months averaging under 55° run from November through April.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Sutter Hill Cdf, CA.
Living with Rail Road Flat’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
285 frost-free days in zone 9a. The last frost comes by Mar 4 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 11.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: April, May, June and October. 2.2 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Rail Road Flat from natural hazards, wildfire is the largest share (72%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 3%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Rail Road Flat and its neighbors
Wilseyville has the coldest January nights next door (34°, 3° colder). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Rail Road Flat’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rail Road Flat, CA | 37° | 91° | 41" | 0.0" |
| Camden, SC | 33° | 92° | 43" | 0.0" |
| Thomson, GA | 35° | 91° | 46" | 0.5" |
| Marvin, NC | 31° | 91° | 43" | 0.2" |
| Terrell, TX | 36° | 94° | 41" | 0.1" |
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 Rail Road Flat averaged 0.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in September (+1.4°).
A smaller 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 Rail Road Flat compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Rail Road Flat’s place among California’s.
Rail Road Flat weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Rail Road Flat’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Camp Pardee, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 54° | 37° | 7.3" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 40° – 53° |
| February | 56° | 37° | 6.8" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 39° – 55° |
| March | 60° | 39° | 6.4" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 40° – 58° |
| April | 65° | 41° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 46° – 58° |
| May | 73° | 48° | 2.1" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 50° – 70° |
| June | 83° | 55° | 0.5" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 62° – 75° |
| July | 91° | 62° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 72° – 81° |
| August | 91° | 61° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 71° – 80° |
| September | 85° | 57° | 0.3" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 66° – 76° |
| October | 74° | 49° | 2.2" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 57° – 70° |
| November | 61° | 41° | 4.1" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 41° – 57° |
| December | 52° | 36° | 7.1" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 40° – 51° |
| Year | 70° | 47° | 40.5" | 0.0" | 67 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. May swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 50° to 70°. August is the most reliable, staying within 9°.
Where Rail Road Flat’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 Rail Road Flat’s center.
- Snow: Camp Pardee, CA.
- Frost dates, heating and cooling: Sutter Hill Cdf, CA, 14 miles away.
- 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 Rail Road Flat’s climate
What is the weather like in Rail Road Flat?
A typical July afternoon reaches 91°, a January night drops to 37°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 84% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 81% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Rail Road Flat in winter?
December nights average 36°. About 15 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 40°.
How much snow does Rail Road Flat get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Camp Pardee, CA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Rail Road Flat?
July, with a typical high of 91° and a low of 62°. About 75 days a year reach 90° (Sutter Hill Cdf, CA).
When is the first and last frost in Rail Road Flat?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 4 and the first fall frost by December 11, about 285 frost-free days, at Sutter Hill Cdf, CA.
What growing zone is Rail Road Flat in?
Zone 9a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 23°.
What is the best time of year to visit Rail Road Flat?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), April, May, June and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Rail Road Flat getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.8° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 92% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Rail Road Flat.
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.