Valley Wells sits near the bottom of U.S. towns for precipitation, with 6 inches a year
On a normal January night the air cools to about 40°. Its July heat outdoes that of almost every U.S. town. The latest 30-year average runs 1.6° warmer than 1901–2000’s, with September up the most. The frost-free window for a garden runs roughly February 15 to November 28.
A year in Valley Wells at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Valley Wells’ climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Valley Wells’ place in California beside it.
What a year in Valley Wells feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 285 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by February 15 and the first by November 28. Frost and day counts come from Trona, CA, 9 miles away.
The 2023 USDA map puts Valley Wells’ center in zone 9b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 25°. 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 6 inches of rain a year
February is the wettest month and June the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Valley Wells
38% of the work is heating, so air conditioning is the bigger bill. 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 Trona, CA.
Living with Valley Wells’ climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
285 frost-free days in zone 9b. The last frost comes by Feb 15 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 28.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: February, March, April, October and November. 22 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Valley Wells from natural hazards, avalanches are the largest share (37%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 26%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Valley Wells and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Valley Wells yet.
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 Valley Wells averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in September (+2.3°).
A bigger shift than in 65% 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 Valley Wells compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Valley Wells’ place among California’s.
Valley Wells weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Valley Wells’ center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 58° | 40° | 1.2" | 46° – 56° |
| February | 63° | 42° | 1.5" | 47° – 60° |
| March | 70° | 47° | 0.9" | 51° – 66° |
| April | 77° | 52° | 0.3" | 58° – 69° |
| May | 87° | 60° | 0.1" | 64° – 80° |
| June | 97° | 69° | 0.0" | 76° – 88° |
| July | 103° | 76° | 0.2" | 85° – 94° |
| August | 101° | 75° | 0.1" | 85° – 91° |
| September | 94° | 69° | 0.1" | 78° – 85° |
| October | 82° | 59° | 0.3" | 66° – 76° |
| November | 68° | 46° | 0.4" | 49° – 64° |
| December | 57° | 40° | 0.9" | 45° – 53° |
| Year | 80° | 56° | 6.0" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. May swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 64° to 80°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Valley Wells’ 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 Valley Wells’ center.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Trona, CA, 9 miles from the town’s center, 520 ft lower; no station nearby passes every check; this is the nearest one in the same valley, flagged above.
- 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 Valley Wells’ climate
What is the weather like in Valley Wells?
A typical July afternoon reaches 103°, a January night drops to 40°. Milder January nights than 89% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than all but 95 U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Valley Wells in winter?
December nights average 40°. About 26 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 45°.
How hot does it get in Valley Wells?
July, with a typical high of 103° and a low of 76°. About 137 days a year reach 90° and 78 reach 100° (Trona, CA).
When is the first and last frost in Valley Wells?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by February 15 and the first fall frost by November 28, about 285 frost-free days, at Trona, CA.
What growing zone is Valley Wells in?
Zone 9b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 25°.
What is the best time of year to visit Valley Wells?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), February, March, April, October and November. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Valley Wells getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.6° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 65% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Valley Wells.
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.