Midwinter lows in Yosemite West stay above those of 74% of U.S. towns
On a normal July day the thermometer tops out near 84°. The gap between a January night and a July afternoon is 54°. By precipitation alone, it ranks drier than 64% of U.S. towns. Tender plants can go out after about May 24; in half of years the first frost comes by October 10.
A year in Yosemite West at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Yosemite West’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Yosemite West’s place in California beside it.
What a year in Yosemite West feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 137 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 24 and the first by October 10. Frost and day counts come from So Entrance Yosemite Np, CA, 11 miles away.
The 2023 USDA map puts Yosemite West’s center in zone 8b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 17°. 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 51 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Hetch Hetchy, CA, falls mostly in February. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 39 inches a year; January is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 74 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Yosemite West
98% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from November through May.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at So Entrance Yosemite Np, CA.
Living with Yosemite West’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
137 frost-free days in zone 8b. The last frost comes by May 24 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 10.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June, September and October.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Yosemite West from natural hazards, wildfire is the largest share (38%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 24%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Yosemite West and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Yosemite West yet.
Climates most like Yosemite West’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yosemite West, CA | 31° | 84° | 39" | 51" |
| Lindenhurst, NY | 26° | 83° | 44" | 32" |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 22° | 85° | 40" | 44" |
| Toronto, OH | 22° | 84° | 40" | 44" |
| Clarksburg, MD | 25° | 86° | 45" | 33" |
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 Yosemite West averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.1°).
A smaller 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 Yosemite West compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Yosemite West’s place among California’s.
Yosemite West weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Yosemite West’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Hetch Hetchy, CA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 49° | 31° | 7.3" | 9.7" | 11 | 10 | 35° – 47° |
| February | 50° | 31° | 6.8" | 13.5" | 10 | 7 | 31° – 48° |
| March | 54° | 33° | 6.0" | 10.8" | 11 | 5 | 34° – 51° |
| April | 59° | 36° | 3.3" | 4.3" | 8 | 2 | 41° – 53° |
| May | 66° | 43° | 2.2" | 0.1" | 6 | 0 | 45° – 63° |
| June | 76° | 50° | 0.6" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 57° – 69° |
| July | 84° | 57° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 67° – 75° |
| August | 84° | 57° | 0.1" | 0.0" | 1 | 0 | 66° – 75° |
| September | 79° | 52° | 0.4" | 0.0" | 2 | 0 | 61° – 69° |
| October | 68° | 43° | 2.2" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 51° – 62° |
| November | 56° | 36° | 3.6" | 3.0" | 7 | 2 | 36° – 52° |
| December | 48° | 31° | 6.6" | 10.0" | 10 | 8 | 36° – 46° |
| Year | 65° | 42° | 39.1" | 51.4" | 74 | 34 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. May swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 45° to 63°. July is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where Yosemite West’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 Yosemite West’s center.
- Snow: Hetch Hetchy, CA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: So Entrance Yosemite Np, CA, 11 miles from the town’s center, 780 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 Yosemite West’s climate
What is the weather like in Yosemite West?
A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 31°, and about 51 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 74% of U.S. towns; cooler July afternoons than 58% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Yosemite West in winter?
December nights average 31°. About 159 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 36°.
How much snow does Yosemite West get?
About 51 inches in a normal winter at Hetch Hetchy, CA, most of it in February, with snow on the ground about 34 days a year.
How hot does it get in Yosemite West?
July, with a typical high of 84° and a low of 57°. About 3 days a year reach 90° (So Entrance Yosemite Np, CA).
When is the first and last frost in Yosemite West?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 24 and the first fall frost by October 10, about 137 frost-free days, at So Entrance Yosemite Np, CA.
What growing zone is Yosemite West in?
Zone 8b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 17°.
What is the best time of year to visit Yosemite West?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June, September and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Yosemite West getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 65% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Yosemite West.
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.