Photo: Bob Doran from Arcata, USA · CC BY 2.0Precipitation in Willow Creek tops that of 90% of U.S. towns: 53 inches a year
Deep winter brings January lows near 36°. From frosty January to warm July, readings climb 56°. By July afternoons alone, it runs hotter than 84% of U.S. towns. Keep the boiler serviced for the months from November to March, which average under 50°.
A year in Willow Creek at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Willow Creek’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Willow Creek’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Willow Creek feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 53 inches of rain a year
December is the wettest month and July the driest.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Living with Willow Creek’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 9a.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: April, May, June and October. 29 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Willow Creek from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (55%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Willow Creek and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Willow Creek 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 Willow Creek averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.4°).
A bigger shift than in 55% 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 Willow Creek compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Willow Creek’s place among California’s.
Willow Creek weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Willow Creek’s center. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 52° | 36° | 9.5" | 40° – 49° |
| February | 56° | 37° | 7.6" | 41° – 51° |
| March | 62° | 38° | 7.1" | 45° – 55° |
| April | 67° | 40° | 4.2" | 50° – 59° |
| May | 75° | 45° | 2.2" | 54° – 65° |
| June | 83° | 49° | 0.7" | 62° – 72° |
| July | 91° | 54° | 0.1" | 68° – 76° |
| August | 91° | 53° | 0.1" | 69° – 75° |
| September | 86° | 49° | 0.6" | 64° – 71° |
| October | 73° | 43° | 3.0" | 54° – 63° |
| November | 57° | 39° | 6.3" | 42° – 52° |
| December | 49° | 35° | 11.1" | 38° – 48° |
| Year | 70° | 43° | 52.6" |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. May swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 54° to 65°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where Willow Creek’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 Willow Creek’s center.
- 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 Willow Creek’s climate
What is the weather like in Willow Creek?
A typical July afternoon reaches 91°, a January night drops to 36°. Milder January nights than 84% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 84% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Willow Creek in winter?
December nights average 35°. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 38°.
How hot does it get in Willow Creek?
July, with a typical high of 91°. 90° days are rare.
What growing zone is Willow Creek in?
Zone 9a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 24°.
What is the best time of year to visit Willow Creek?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), April, May, June and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Willow Creek getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.4° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 55% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Willow Creek.
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.