July in Running Springs stays fresher than in 90% of U.S. towns
On a normal January night the air cools to about 30°. It is a dry place: less rain and snow fall here than on 79% of U.S. towns. Warming shows here too: 1.9° more than in 1901–2000, led by January. Tender plants can go out after about May 5; in half of years the first frost comes by November 2.
A year in Running Springs at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Running Springs’ climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Running Springs’ place in California beside it.
What a year in Running Springs feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 176 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 5 and the first by November 2. Frost and day counts come from Lake Arrowhead, CA, 5 miles away.
The 2023 USDA map puts Running Springs’ center in zone 8a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 11°. 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 22 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Lake Arrowhead, CA, falls mostly in March. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 34 inches a year; February is the wettest month and June the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 35 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Running Springs
93% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through May.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Lake Arrowhead, CA.
Living with Running Springs’ climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
176 frost-free days in zone 8a. The last frost comes by May 5 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Nov 2.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August, September and October. 5.0 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Running Springs from natural hazards, wildfire is the largest share (40%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Running Springs and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Running Springs yet.
Climates most like Running Springs’, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Running Springs, CA | 30° | 81° | 34" | 22" |
| Princeton, WV | 23° | 82° | 41" | 24" |
| Hayden, ID | 25° | 83° | 26" | 27" |
| Huron, OH | 22° | 82° | 37" | 33" |
| Christiansburg, VA | 25° | 83° | 42" | 22" |
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 Running Springs averaged 1.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.8°).
A bigger shift than in 85% 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 Running Springs compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Running Springs’ place among California’s.
Running Springs weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Running Springs’ center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Lake Arrowhead, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 48° | 30° | 7.5" | 3.0" | 6 | 34° – 45° |
| February | 48° | 30° | 7.9" | 5.3" | 7 | 31° – 46° |
| March | 54° | 32° | 5.2" | 6.7" | 5 | 35° – 49° |
| April | 59° | 36° | 2.5" | 2.8" | 3 | 41° – 51° |
| May | 67° | 42° | 0.9" | 0.8" | 2 | 47° – 60° |
| June | 76° | 50° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 1 | 57° – 67° |
| July | 81° | 57° | 0.3" | 0.0" | 1 | 64° – 72° |
| August | 80° | 57° | 0.3" | 0.0" | 1 | 66° – 71° |
| September | 75° | 52° | 0.4" | 0.0" | 1 | 60° – 67° |
| October | 65° | 43° | 1.2" | 0.0" | 2 | 50° – 59° |
| November | 55° | 34° | 2.4" | 0.3" | 3 | 37° – 50° |
| December | 47° | 29° | 5.4" | 3.5" | 4 | 34° – 44° |
| Year | 63° | 41° | 34.0" | 22.4" | 35 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 31° to 46°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Running Springs’ 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 Running Springs’ center.
- Snow: Lake Arrowhead, CA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Lake Arrowhead, CA, 5 miles from the town’s center, 820 ft lower; no station nearby passes every check; this is the nearest one in the same valley, flagged above.
- 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 Running Springs’ climate
What is the weather like in Running Springs?
A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 30°, and about 22 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 72% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 90% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Running Springs in winter?
December nights average 29°. About 105 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 34°.
How much snow does Running Springs get?
About 22 inches in a normal winter at Lake Arrowhead, CA, most of it in March.
How hot does it get in Running Springs?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 57°. About 11 days a year reach 90° (Lake Arrowhead, CA).
When is the first and last frost in Running Springs?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 5 and the first fall frost by November 2, about 176 frost-free days, at Lake Arrowhead, CA.
What growing zone is Running Springs in?
Zone 8a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 11°.
What is the best time of year to visit Running Springs?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June, July, August, September and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Running Springs getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.9° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 85% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Running Springs.
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.