Hardly any U.S. towns collect more precipitation than Smith River: 74 inches a year
July afternoons average 71°. Summers stay cool: July afternoons here are cooler than in almost every U.S. town. January has warmed most since 1901–2000, part of a 1.5° rise. Warm coats and heating bills mark the months from November to March, when means dip under 50°.
A year in Smith River at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Smith River’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Smith River’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Smith River feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
A freeze most winters
Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Brookings 2 Se, OR, 9 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Smith River’s center in zone 10a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 30°. 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 74 inches of rain a year
December is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain falls on about 126 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.1" in a normal year at Gasquet Rs, CA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Smith River
99% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from November 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 Brookings 2 Se, OR.
Living with Smith River’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 10a. Frost comes about 8 winters in 10, so tender plants can often stay out through winter.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, July, August, September and October. 3.0 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Smith River from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (45%). Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Smith River and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Smith River yet.
Climates most like Smith River’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smith River, CA | 41° | 71° | 74" | 0.1" |
| Aberdeen, WA | 37° | 68° | 80" | 0.5" |
| Warrenton, OR | 37° | 67° | 77" | 0.0" |
| East Flat Rock, NC | 29° | 83° | 64" | 6.7" |
| Waipio Acres, HI | 61° | 82° | 64" | 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 Smith River averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.1°).
A bigger shift than in 62% 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 Smith River compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Smith River’s place among California’s.
Smith River weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Smith River’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Gasquet Rs, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 54° | 41° | 12.1" | 0.0" | 18 | 0 | 43° – 54° |
| February | 55° | 40° | 9.3" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 | 40° – 54° |
| March | 57° | 41° | 9.8" | 0.1" | 17 | 0 | 45° – 55° |
| April | 60° | 43° | 6.9" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 | 47° – 55° |
| May | 64° | 46° | 3.6" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 50° – 58° |
| June | 67° | 49° | 1.7" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 55° – 65° |
| July | 71° | 52° | 0.3" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 58° – 65° |
| August | 71° | 52° | 0.4" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 59° – 66° |
| September | 70° | 49° | 1.3" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 55° – 62° |
| October | 65° | 46° | 5.1" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 51° – 61° |
| November | 57° | 43° | 9.6" | 0.0" | 15 | 0 | 45° – 55° |
| December | 52° | 40° | 14.0" | 0.0" | 17 | 0 | 43° – 50° |
| Year | 62° | 45° | 74.0" | 0.1" | 126 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 40° to 54°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Where Smith River’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 Smith River’s center.
- Snow: Gasquet Rs, CA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Brookings 2 Se, OR, 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 Smith River’s climate
What is the weather like in Smith River?
A typical July afternoon reaches 71°, a January night drops to 41°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 90% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than all but 93 U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Smith River in winter?
December nights average 40°. About 2 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 43°.
How much snow does Smith River get?
About 0.1 inches in a normal winter at Gasquet Rs, CA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Smith River?
July, with a typical high of 71° and a low of 52°. About 3 days a year reach 90° (Brookings 2 Se, OR).
When is the first and last frost in Smith River?
There is no reliable frost date: a 32° night comes in about 80% of winters at Brookings 2 Se, OR, so most years bring a freeze but some pass without one.
What growing zone is Smith River in?
Zone 10a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 30°.
What is the best time of year to visit Smith River?
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 Smith River getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.5° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 62% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Smith River.
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.