Photo: Beyond My Ken · CC BY-SA 4.0Few U.S. towns get less rain and snow than San Juan Capistrano: 12 inches a year
The coldest hours of a January night bottom out at 48° on average. Rain follows the seasons: February brings about 310 times as much as August. Winters are mild: January nights here are milder than in 95% of U.S. towns. Long walks are most pleasant from January to December, when afternoons reach 67–82°.
A year in San Juan Capistrano at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about San Juan Capistrano’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with San Juan Capistrano’s place in California beside it.
What a year in San Juan Capistrano 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 Laguna Beach, CA, 8 miles from the town’s center, 220 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts San Juan Capistrano’s center in zone 10b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 36°. 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 12 inches of rain a year
February is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain falls on about 31 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Laguna Beach, CA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in San Juan Capistrano
67% of the work is heating. No month averages under 55°.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Laguna Beach, CA.
Living with San Juan Capistrano’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 10b. Frost comes about 1 winter in 5, so tender plants can often stay out through winter.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December. 78 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in San Juan Capistrano from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (74%). Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →San Juan Capistrano and its neighbors
Mission Viejo the hottest July afternoons (83°, 4° 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 San Juan Capistrano’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Juan Capistrano, CA | 48° | 79° | 12" | 0.0" |
| Makawao, HI | 53° | 75° | 23" | 0.0" |
| Sequim, WA | 34° | 71° | 18" | 1.4" |
| Winston, OR | 37° | 86° | 33" | 0.0" |
| Sierra Vista Southeast, AZ | 32° | 91° | 15" | 0.7" |
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 San Juan Capistrano averaged 1.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.0°).
A bigger shift than in 84% 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 San Juan Capistrano compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with San Juan Capistrano’s place among California’s.
San Juan Capistrano weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at San Juan Capistrano’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Laguna Beach, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 68° | 48° | 2.8" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 54° – 63° |
| February | 67° | 48° | 3.1" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 52° – 65° |
| March | 68° | 49° | 1.7" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 52° – 66° |
| April | 71° | 51° | 0.7" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 57° – 64° |
| May | 72° | 55° | 0.3" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 59° – 69° |
| June | 75° | 58° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 63° – 70° |
| July | 79° | 62° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 68° – 77° |
| August | 82° | 63° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 69° – 75° |
| September | 81° | 61° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 68° – 75° |
| October | 77° | 57° | 0.5" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 63° – 73° |
| November | 73° | 51° | 0.8" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 56° – 65° |
| December | 67° | 47° | 2.1" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 54° – 64° |
| Year | 73° | 54° | 12.2" | 0.0" | 31 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. March swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 52° to 66°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where San Juan Capistrano’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 San Juan Capistrano’s center.
- Snow: Laguna Beach, CA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Laguna Beach, CA, 8 miles from the town’s center, 220 ft lower; 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 San Juan Capistrano’s climate
What is the weather like in San Juan Capistrano?
A typical July afternoon reaches 79°, a January night drops to 48°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 95% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 94% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in San Juan Capistrano in winter?
December nights average 47°. About 1 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 54°.
How much snow does San Juan Capistrano get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Laguna Beach, CA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in San Juan Capistrano?
July, with a typical high of 79° and a low of 62°. About 4 days a year reach 90° (Laguna Beach, CA).
When is the first and last frost in San Juan Capistrano?
Most years have no frost at all: a 32° night comes in about 20% of winters at Laguna Beach, CA, usually in December or January.
What growing zone is San Juan Capistrano in?
Zone 10b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 36°.
What is the best time of year to visit San Juan Capistrano?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is San Juan Capistrano getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.9° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 84% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in San Juan Capistrano.
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.