John Dielmann House · Photo: BriefEdits · CC BY-SA 4.0Hardly any U.S. towns see fresher July days than Redwood City
January mornings start at about 44°. Winters are mild: January nights here are milder than in 93% of U.S. towns. Compared with 1901–2000, the average now sits 1.7° higher. Plan time outside from March to November, when highs sit at 64–73°.
A year in Redwood City at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Redwood City’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Redwood City’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Redwood City feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
Frost is rare
Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at San Francisco International Airport, 11 miles from the city’s center point, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Redwood City’s center in zone 10a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 32°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 18 inches of rain a year
January is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain falls on about 60 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Newark, CA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Redwood City
93% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from December through February.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at San Francisco International Airport.
Living with Redwood City’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 10a. Frost comes about 1 winter in 9, so tender plants can often stay out through winter.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November. 14 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Redwood City from natural hazards, earthquakes are the largest share (63%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Redwood City and its neighbors
Woodside has the coldest January nights next door (40°, 4° colder) and Woodside the hottest July afternoons (80°, 8° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Redwood City’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redwood City, CA | 44° | 72° | 18" | 0.0" |
| Sequim, WA | 34° | 71° | 18" | 1.4" |
| Makawao, HI | 53° | 75° | 23" | 0.0" |
| Cedar Mill, OR | 36° | 81° | 39" | 3.6" |
| Ruidoso, NM | 22° | 82° | 20" | 26" |
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 Redwood City averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.2°).
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 Redwood City compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Redwood City’s place among California’s.
Redwood City weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Redwood City’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Newark, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 59° | 44° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 48° – 55° |
| February | 61° | 46° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 50° – 58° |
| March | 64° | 47° | 2.7" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 50° – 61° |
| April | 66° | 49° | 1.3" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 53° – 61° |
| May | 68° | 52° | 0.6" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 56° – 65° |
| June | 72° | 54° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 60° – 66° |
| July | 72° | 56° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 61° – 68° |
| August | 73° | 57° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 62° – 68° |
| September | 73° | 56° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 61° – 69° |
| October | 71° | 53° | 0.8" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 59° – 67° |
| November | 64° | 48° | 1.7" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 50° – 59° |
| December | 59° | 44° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 47° – 56° |
| Year | 67° | 50° | 17.9" | 0.0" | 60 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. March swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 50° to 61°. August is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Where Redwood City’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 Redwood City’s center.
- Snow: Newark, CA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: San Francisco International Airport, 11 miles from the city’s center point, at about the same height; 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 Redwood City’s climate
What is the weather like in Redwood City?
A typical July afternoon reaches 72°, a January night drops to 44°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 93% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than all but 118 U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Redwood City in winter?
December nights average 44°. A night at 32° or below comes in only some winters (0.2 a year on average). In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 47°.
How much snow does Redwood City get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Newark, CA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Redwood City?
July, with a typical high of 72° and a low of 56°. About 4 days a year reach 90° (San Francisco International Airport).
When is the first and last frost in Redwood City?
Most years have no frost at all: a 32° night comes in about 12% of winters at San Francisco International Airport, usually in December or January.
What growing zone is Redwood City 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 Redwood City?
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 Redwood City 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 Redwood City.
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.