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California rankings · Climate

Towns with the least snow in California

Phelan gets the least snow of California’s 38 towns of 2,500+ with a snow record: about 1 inches in a normal winter at its NOAA station. Truckee gets the most, about 183 inches; 28 of the 38 average under 30 inches.

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020, at each town’s nearest station with a snow record (named in each row). A described list: no letters. How grades work

#T2

Edwards AFB

unincorporated, Kern County · 2,500 people
1in

0 days a year with an inch or more·Mojave station, 27 km

All 38 towns

Snow in a normal winter, least first. Towns that share a station share its figure and rank (T = tied; 28 towns here share a station).

38 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.

#TownSnow a yearDays with 1″+NOAA station
1Phelanunincorporated, San Bernardino County · 18,496 people1 in0Pearblossom34.8 km
T2Edwards AFBunincorporated, Kern County · 2,500 people1 in0Mojave27.3 km
T2Mojaveunincorporated, Kern County · 5,173 people1 in0Mojave4.6 km
T2Rosamondunincorporated, Kern County · 21,473 people1 in0Mojave21.0 km
T5Homestead Valleyunincorporated, San Bernardino County · 2,689 people2 in1Yucca Valley16.2 km
T5Joshua Treeunincorporated, San Bernardino County · 6,234 people2 in1Yucca Valley6.9 km
T5Morongo Valleyunincorporated, San Bernardino County · 4,209 people2 in1Yucca Valley17.3 km
T5Yucca ValleySan Bernardino County · 21,887 people2 in1Yucca Valley3.2 km
9Auberryunincorporated, Fresno County · 3,240 people2 in1Auberry 2 NW5.5 km
T10Boronunincorporated, Kern County · 2,698 people2 in1Randsburg37.7 km
T10California CityKern County · 13,300 people2 in1Randsburg31.6 km
T12Coarsegoldunincorporated, Madera County · 3,967 people2 in1Coarsegold 1 SW1.3 km
T12North Forkunincorporated, Madera County · 2,999 people2 in1Coarsegold 1 SW16.4 km
T12Oakhurstunincorporated, Madera County · 6,091 people2 in1Coarsegold 1 SW12.3 km
15Frazier Parkunincorporated, Kern County · 2,681 people3 in1Lebec8.5 km
16Buckhornunincorporated, Amador County · 3,504 people4 in1W Pt8.7 km
T17Alta Sierraunincorporated, Nevada County · 7,361 people7 in3Colfax9.5 km
T17Lake of the Pinesunincorporated, Nevada County · 5,461 people7 in3Colfax11.4 km
T19Hayforkunincorporated, Trinity County · 2,537 people9 in4Weaverville23.7 km
T19Weavervilleunincorporated, Trinity County · 4,018 people9 in4Weaverville1.0 km
T21Lake Shastinaunincorporated, Siskiyou County · 3,001 people12 in4Yreka29.8 km
T21YrekaSiskiyou County · 7,714 people12 in4Yreka2.5 km
T23Grass ValleyNevada County · 14,035 people14 in4Nevada City5.3 km
T23Nevada CityNevada County · 3,174 people14 in4Nevada City3.1 km
25Burneyunincorporated, Shasta County · 2,668 people21 in4Buckhorn14.6 km
26AlturasModoc County · 2,634 people22 in8Cedarville31.3 km
T27Lake Arrowheadunincorporated, San Bernardino County · 10,639 people22 in4Lake Arrowhead1.2 km
T27Running Springsunincorporated, San Bernardino County · 4,917 people22 in4Lake Arrowhead8.7 km
29Idyllwild-Pine Coveunincorporated, Riverside County · 3,957 people31 in9Idyllwild Fire Dept2.2 km
30Pollock Pinesunincorporated, El Dorado County · 6,212 people58 in12Pacific House7.6 km
T31Big Bear Cityunincorporated, San Bernardino County · 11,431 people59 in14Big Bear Lake11.3 km
T31Big Bear LakeSan Bernardino County · 5,018 people59 in14Big Bear Lake2.1 km
T33Mount ShastaSiskiyou County · 3,071 people89 in19Mt Shasta0.2 km
T33WeedSiskiyou County · 2,603 people89 in19Mt Shasta11.3 km
35East Quincyunincorporated, Plumas County · 2,723 people109 in26Canyon Dam31.7 km
T36Kings Beachunincorporated, Placer County · 2,736 people179 in33Tahoe City13.8 km
T36South Lake TahoeEl Dorado County · 21,115 people179 in33Tahoe City30.1 km
38TruckeeNevada County · 17,278 people183 in34Donner Mem Sp4.5 km

A station’s normal can differ from the town’s own when the station sits higher or lower; each town’s Climate page names its station and checks it.

Quick answers

Questions people ask

What part of California gets the least amount of snow?

Among towns of 2,500+, the least snow falls in Phelan (San Bernardino County, about 1 in), Edwards AFB (Kern County, about 1 in), Mojave (Kern County, about 1 in), on NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals at each town’s station.

Which California town gets the most snow?

Truckee (Nevada County), about 183 inches in a normal winter at the Donner Mem Sp station. See the snowiest towns.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents (847 in California) whose nearest station has a snow normal of an inch or more; 809 have no station with a snow record. Smaller towns show their snow on their own Climate page.

Go deeper

More California lists

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All California rankings →
Other states

Least snow in other states