Hardly any U.S. towns collect more precipitation than Sierra City: 59 inches a year
On a normal July day the thermometer tops out near 81°. Seasons differ by 55°, from the coldest nights to the warmest afternoons. Summers stay cool: July afternoons here are cooler than in 88% of U.S. towns. The frost-free window for a garden runs roughly May 22 to October 16.
A year in Sierra City at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Sierra City’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Sierra City’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Sierra City feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 147 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 22 and the first by October 16. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Lake Spaulding, CA, 18 miles from the town’s center, 290 ft higher.
The 2023 USDA map puts Sierra City’s 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 59 inches of rain a year
January is the wettest month and July the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Sierra City
98% 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 Spaulding, CA.
Living with Sierra City’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
147 frost-free days in zone 8a. The last frost comes by May 22 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 16.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June, July, August and September. 5.2 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Sierra City from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (43%). Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Sierra City and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Sierra City yet.
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 Sierra City averaged 1.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in September (+2.0°).
A smaller shift than in 70% 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 Sierra City compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Sierra City’s place among California’s.
Sierra City weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Sierra City’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 44° | 26° | 10.9" | 29° – 42° |
| February | 45° | 27° | 10.0" | 28° – 44° |
| March | 49° | 29° | 8.3" | 32° – 46° |
| April | 54° | 32° | 4.8" | 37° – 47° |
| May | 63° | 39° | 2.9" | 41° – 59° |
| June | 73° | 45° | 0.9" | 54° – 64° |
| July | 81° | 52° | 0.1" | 61° – 70° |
| August | 81° | 51° | 0.3" | 62° – 70° |
| September | 75° | 46° | 0.7" | 57° – 65° |
| October | 64° | 38° | 3.6" | 47° – 56° |
| November | 51° | 31° | 6.3" | 32° – 47° |
| December | 43° | 26° | 10.7" | 31° – 38° |
| Year | 60° | 37° | 59.2" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. May swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 41° to 59°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Sierra 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 Sierra City’s center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Lake Spaulding, CA, 18 miles from the town’s center, 290 ft higher; 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 Sierra City’s climate
What is the weather like in Sierra City?
A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 26°. Milder January nights than 67% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 88% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Sierra City in winter?
January nights average 26°. About 170 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 29°.
How hot does it get in Sierra City?
July, with a typical high of 81° and a low of 52°. About 4 days a year reach 90° (Lake Spaulding, CA).
When is the first and last frost in Sierra City?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 22 and the first fall frost by October 16, about 147 frost-free days, at Lake Spaulding, CA.
What growing zone is Sierra City 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 Sierra City?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), June, July, August and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Sierra City getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.1° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 70% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Sierra 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.