Twin Lakes has some of the coolest summers among U.S. towns
January nights here settle around 43°. The wettest month is January; the driest is July. Winters are mild: January nights here are milder than in 91% of U.S. towns. Tender plants can go out after about January 29; in half of years the first frost comes by December 13.
A year in Twin Lakes at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Twin Lakes’ climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Twin Lakes’ place in California beside it.
What a year in Twin Lakes feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 323 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by January 29 and the first by December 13. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Santa Cruz, CA, 1.9 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Twin Lakes’ center in zone 10a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 31°. 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 28 inches of rain a year
January is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain falls on about 65 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Santa Cruz, CA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Twin Lakes
93% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from December through March.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Santa Cruz, CA.
Living with Twin Lakes’ climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
323 frost-free days in zone 10a. The last frost comes by Jan 29 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 13.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November. 2.9 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Twin Lakes from natural hazards, earthquakes are the largest share (65%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Twin Lakes and its neighbors
Every town next door is within a degree of Twin Lakes in January and July, closer than the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Twin Lakes’, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twin Lakes, CA | 43° | 70° | 28" | 0.0" |
| Port Angeles, WA | 37° | 69° | 28" | 0.4" |
| Makawao, HI | 53° | 75° | 23" | 0.0" |
| Scappoose, OR | 34° | 81° | 41" | 0.8" |
| Nantucket, MA | 26° | 76° | 44" | 25" |
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 Twin Lakes averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.5°).
A bigger shift than in 77% 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 Twin Lakes compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Twin Lakes’ place among California’s.
Twin Lakes weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Twin Lakes’ center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Santa Cruz, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 61° | 43° | 5.9" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 48° – 56° |
| February | 61° | 44° | 5.6" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 49° – 58° |
| March | 63° | 45° | 4.1" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 49° – 60° |
| April | 65° | 47° | 1.8" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 52° – 60° |
| May | 67° | 50° | 0.8" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 55° – 62° |
| June | 70° | 52° | 0.2" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 57° – 64° |
| July | 70° | 55° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 59° – 67° |
| August | 71° | 55° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 61° – 68° |
| September | 72° | 54° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 60° – 68° |
| October | 70° | 50° | 1.2" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 58° – 65° |
| November | 65° | 46° | 3.0" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 49° – 58° |
| December | 60° | 42° | 5.6" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 47° – 54° |
| Year | 66° | 48° | 28.3" | 0.0" | 65 | 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 60°. June is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Twin Lakes’ 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 Twin Lakes’ center.
- Snow: Santa Cruz, CA (NOAA station in town).
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Santa Cruz, CA, 1.9 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 Twin Lakes’ climate
What is the weather like in Twin Lakes?
A typical July afternoon reaches 70°, a January night drops to 43°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 91% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than all but 78 U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Twin Lakes in winter?
December nights average 42°. About 6 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 47°.
How much snow does Twin Lakes get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Santa Cruz, CA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Twin Lakes?
July, with a typical high of 70° and a low of 55°. About 6 days a year reach 90° (Santa Cruz, CA).
When is the first and last frost in Twin Lakes?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by January 29 and the first fall frost by December 13, about 323 frost-free days, at Santa Cruz, CA.
What growing zone is Twin Lakes in?
Zone 10a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 31°.
What is the best time of year to visit Twin Lakes?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), 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 Twin Lakes getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.8° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 77% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Twin Lakes.
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.