Dry weather: only 17 inches of rain and melted snow a year in Sisquoc, less than in 91% of U.S. towns
The coldest hours of a January night bottom out at 40° on average. Winters are mild: January nights here are milder than in 89% of U.S. towns. Compared with 1901–2000, the average now sits 2.1° higher. The frost-free window for a garden runs roughly February 4 to December 4.
A year in Sisquoc at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Sisquoc’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Sisquoc’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Sisquoc feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 301 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by February 4 and the first by December 4. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Twitchell Dam, CA, 9 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Sisquoc’s center in zone 9b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 26°. 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 17 inches of rain a year
February is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain falls on about 41 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Los Alamos, CA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Sisquoc
90% 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 Twitchell Dam, CA.
Living with Sisquoc’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
301 frost-free days in zone 9b. The last frost comes by Feb 4 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Dec 4.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Sisquoc from natural hazards, drought is the largest share (78%). Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Sisquoc and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Sisquoc yet.
Climates most like Sisquoc’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sisquoc, CA | 40° | 82° | 17" | 0.0" |
| Green, OR | 37° | 86° | 32" | 0.0" |
| Alpine, TX | 30° | 90° | 15" | 2.2" |
| Sierra Vista Southeast, AZ | 32° | 91° | 15" | 0.7" |
| Makawao, HI | 53° | 75° | 23" | 0.0" |
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 Sisquoc averaged 2.1° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.8°).
A bigger shift than in 93% 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 Sisquoc compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Sisquoc’s place among California’s.
Sisquoc weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Sisquoc’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Los Alamos, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 64° | 40° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 48° – 58° |
| February | 65° | 41° | 3.9" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 48° – 59° |
| March | 68° | 43° | 3.0" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 49° – 61° |
| April | 71° | 45° | 1.1" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 54° – 62° |
| May | 74° | 49° | 0.4" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 57° – 66° |
| June | 79° | 52° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 62° – 69° |
| July | 82° | 56° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 66° – 73° |
| August | 83° | 56° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 67° – 72° |
| September | 82° | 54° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 65° – 72° |
| October | 78° | 49° | 0.8" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 60° – 69° |
| November | 71° | 43° | 1.4" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 50° – 61° |
| December | 64° | 39° | 2.6" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 48° – 56° |
| Year | 73° | 47° | 17.0" | 0.0" | 41 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. March swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 49° to 61°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Sisquoc’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 Sisquoc’s center.
- Snow: Los Alamos, CA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Twitchell Dam, CA, 9 miles from the town’s center, 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 Sisquoc’s climate
What is the weather like in Sisquoc?
A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 40°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 89% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 79% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Sisquoc in winter?
December nights average 39°. About 15 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 48°.
How much snow does Sisquoc get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Los Alamos, CA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Sisquoc?
July, with a typical high of 82° and a low of 56°. About 26 days a year reach 90° and 4 reach 100° (Twitchell Dam, CA).
When is the first and last frost in Sisquoc?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by February 4 and the first fall frost by December 4, about 301 frost-free days, at Twitchell Dam, CA.
What growing zone is Sisquoc in?
Zone 9b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 26°.
What is the best time of year to visit Sisquoc?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), February, 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 Sisquoc getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 2.1° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 93% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Sisquoc.
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.