Nights stay kind in South El Monte each January, milder than in 94% of U.S. towns
July afternoons average 88°. Precipitation is light here, less than falls on 93% of U.S. towns. Decade by decade the climate has edged up, 2.6° above 1901–2000. Plan time outside from October to June, when highs sit at 68–82°.
A year in South El Monte at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about South El Monte’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with South El Monte’s place in California beside it.
What a year in South El Monte 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 San Gabriel Fire Dept, CA, 4 miles from the town’s center, 120 ft higher.
The 2023 USDA map puts South El Monte’s center in zone 10b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 35°. 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 15 inches of rain a year
February is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain falls on about 32 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Whittier City Yard Fc106c, CA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in South El Monte
43% of the work is heating, so air conditioning is the bigger bill. 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 San Gabriel Fire Dept, CA.
Living with South El Monte’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 7, 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, October, November and December. 0.5 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in South El Monte from natural hazards, earthquakes are the largest share (62%). Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →South El Monte and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of South El Monte in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like South El Monte’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South El Monte, CA | 46° | 88° | 15" | 0.0" |
| Port Isabel, TX | 52° | 92° | 26" | 0.2" |
| Sierra Vista Southeast, AZ | 32° | 91° | 15" | 0.7" |
| Ewa Beach, HI | 62° | 87° | 17" | 0.0" |
| The Dalles, OR | 31° | 88° | 15" | 5.5" |
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 South El Monte averaged 2.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.4°).
A bigger shift than in all but 39 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 South El Monte compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with South El Monte’s place among California’s.
South El Monte weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at South El Monte’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Whittier City Yard Fc106c, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 69° | 46° | 3.7" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 54° – 63° |
| February | 70° | 47° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 52° – 66° |
| March | 72° | 49° | 2.4" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 55° – 68° |
| April | 75° | 52° | 0.8" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 59° – 68° |
| May | 77° | 56° | 0.4" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 62° – 73° |
| June | 82° | 60° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 67° – 75° |
| July | 88° | 64° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 73° – 81° |
| August | 89° | 64° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 73° – 80° |
| September | 88° | 62° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 71° – 79° |
| October | 82° | 57° | 0.6" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 65° – 74° |
| November | 75° | 50° | 0.9" | 0.0" | 3 | 0 | 56° – 66° |
| December | 68° | 45° | 2.4" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 53° – 61° |
| Year | 78° | 54° | 15.1" | 0.0" | 32 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 52° to 66°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where South El Monte’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 South El Monte’s center.
- Snow: Whittier City Yard Fc106c, CA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: San Gabriel Fire Dept, CA, 4 miles from the town’s center, 120 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 South El Monte’s climate
What is the weather like in South El Monte?
A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 46°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 94% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 65% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in South El Monte in winter?
December nights average 45°. About 1 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 53°.
How much snow does South El Monte get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Whittier City Yard Fc106c, CA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in South El Monte?
July, with a typical high of 88° and a low of 64°. About 65 days a year reach 90° and 7 reach 100° (San Gabriel Fire Dept, CA).
When is the first and last frost in South El Monte?
Most years have no frost at all: a 32° night comes in about 15% of winters at San Gabriel Fire Dept, CA, usually in December or January.
What growing zone is South El Monte in?
Zone 10b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 35°.
What is the best time of year to visit South El Monte?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), January, February, March, April, May, June, October, November and December. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is South El Monte getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 2.6° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than all but 39 U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in South El Monte.
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.