Upper Lake reaches 100° on about 17 days a year, more than 94% of U.S. towns
January mornings start at about 34°. Expect the heaviest rain or snow in January and the lightest in July. Winters are mild: January nights here are milder than in 79% of U.S. towns. If you like long walks, April, May and October offer highs of 68–77°.
A year in Upper Lake at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Upper Lake’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Upper Lake’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Upper Lake feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 211 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 8 and the first by November 6. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Potter Valley Powerhouse, CA, 18 miles from the town’s center, 340 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts Upper Lake’s center in zone 8b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 19°. 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 38 inches of rain a year
January is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain falls on about 96 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Potter Valley Powerhouse, CA, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Upper Lake
77% of the work is heating. Months averaging under 55° run from November through April.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Potter Valley Powerhouse, CA.
Living with Upper Lake’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
211 frost-free days in zone 8b. The last frost comes by Apr 8 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Nov 6.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: April, May and October. 1.8 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Upper Lake from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (44%). Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Upper Lake and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Upper Lake yet.
Climates most like Upper Lake’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Lake, CA | 34° | 93° | 38" | 0.0" |
| Fate, TX | 35° | 94° | 41" | 0.2" |
| Camden, SC | 33° | 92° | 43" | 0.0" |
| Ardmore, OK | 31° | 94° | 39" | 2.7" |
| Grants Pass, OR | 34° | 90° | 33" | 0.9" |
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 Upper Lake averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+1.8°).
A smaller shift than in 78% 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 Upper Lake compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Upper Lake’s place among California’s.
Upper Lake weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Upper Lake’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Potter Valley Powerhouse, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 56° | 34° | 7.6" | 0.0" | 16 | 0 | 41° – 53° |
| February | 59° | 36° | 6.7" | 0.0" | 14 | 0 | 40° – 54° |
| March | 63° | 38° | 5.3" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 42° – 58° |
| April | 68° | 40° | 2.5" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 48° – 59° |
| May | 76° | 45° | 1.6" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 52° – 69° |
| June | 85° | 51° | 0.4" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 63° – 75° |
| July | 93° | 55° | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0 | 0 | 70° – 78° |
| August | 92° | 54° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 70° – 78° |
| September | 87° | 49° | 0.2" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 65° – 73° |
| October | 77° | 44° | 1.7" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 55° – 68° |
| November | 63° | 38° | 4.1" | 0.0" | 12 | 0 | 42° – 55° |
| December | 55° | 34° | 7.4" | 0.0" | 16 | 0 | 40° – 48° |
| Year | 73° | 43° | 37.5" | 0.0" | 96 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. May swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 52° to 69°. July is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where Upper Lake’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 Upper Lake’s center.
- Snow: Potter Valley Powerhouse, CA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Potter Valley Powerhouse, CA, 18 miles from the town’s center, 340 ft lower; 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 Upper Lake’s climate
What is the weather like in Upper Lake?
A typical July afternoon reaches 93°, a January night drops to 34°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 79% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 91% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Upper Lake in winter?
December nights average 34°. About 54 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 40°.
How much snow does Upper Lake get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Potter Valley Powerhouse, CA, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Upper Lake?
July, with a typical high of 93° and a low of 55°. About 82 days a year reach 90° and 17 reach 100° (Potter Valley Powerhouse, CA).
When is the first and last frost in Upper Lake?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 8 and the first fall frost by November 6, about 211 frost-free days, at Potter Valley Powerhouse, CA.
What growing zone is Upper Lake in?
Zone 8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 19°.
What is the best time of year to visit Upper Lake?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), April, May and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Upper Lake getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.0° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 78% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Upper Lake.
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.