South Fork sits near the bottom of U.S. towns for precipitation, with 10 inches a year
High summer brings afternoon highs near 90°. Precipitation peaks in May and eases off in July. In January, nights here are colder than in 85% of U.S. towns. Central heating does most of its work from October to April, in months below 50° on average.
A year in South Fork at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about South Fork’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with South Fork’s place in Nevada beside it.
What a year in South Fork feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
A freeze is possible in every month
About 206 nights a year fall to 32° or below, and 12 to 0° or below. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at S Fk State Rec Area, NV, 2.5 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts South Fork’s center in zone 5b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about −12°. 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 19 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at S Fk State Rec Area, NV, falls mostly in February and December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 10 inches a year; May is the wettest month and July the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 50 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in South Fork
97% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October 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 S Fk State Rec Area, NV.
Living with South Fork’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 5b, and frost can come in any month. The longest frost-free stretch in half of years is about 76 days.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: June. 22 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in South Fork from natural hazards, wildfire is the largest share (87%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 1%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →South Fork and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around South Fork yet.
Climates most like South Fork’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Fork, NV | 15° | 90° | 10" | 19" |
| Montrose, CO | 15° | 90° | 10" | 22" |
| Richfield, UT | 16° | 90° | 11" | 18" |
| White Rock, NM | 18° | 89° | 13" | 20" |
| Blackfoot, ID | 16° | 88° | 11" | 15" |
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 South Fork averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+2.1°).
A smaller shift than in 87% 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 South Fork compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with South Fork’s place among Nevada’s.
South Fork weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at South Fork’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from S Fk State Rec Area, NV. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 39° | 15° | 1.0" | 3.4" | 6 | 18° – 36° |
| February | 43° | 18° | 0.8" | 4.4" | 4 | 23° – 39° |
| March | 52° | 24° | 1.0" | 3.6" | 5 | 33° – 44° |
| April | 58° | 29° | 1.2" | 1.5" | 6 | 39° – 50° |
| May | 69° | 36° | 1.4" | 0.1" | 6 | 45° – 58° |
| June | 79° | 42° | 0.8" | 0.0" | 2 | 55° – 67° |
| July | 90° | 48° | 0.4" | 0.0" | 2 | 61° – 73° |
| August | 88° | 46° | 0.4" | 0.0" | 3 | 63° – 71° |
| September | 79° | 38° | 0.6" | 0.0" | 3 | 55° – 61° |
| October | 65° | 28° | 0.8" | 0.1" | 4 | 40° – 52° |
| November | 50° | 20° | 0.8" | 2.2" | 4 | 26° – 41° |
| December | 39° | 14° | 1.0" | 4.0" | 6 | 20° – 30° |
| Year | 63° | 30° | 10.3" | 19.3" | 50 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. January swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 18° to 36°. September is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Where South Fork’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 South Fork’s center.
- Snow: S Fk State Rec Area, NV.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: S Fk State Rec Area, NV, 2.5 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 South Fork’s climate
What is the weather like in South Fork?
A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 15°, and about 19 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Colder January nights than 85% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 76% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in South Fork in winter?
December nights average 14°. About 206 nights a year reach 32° or below and 12 reach 0° or below. In the coldest December of the last 30 years the month averaged 20°.
How much snow does South Fork get?
About 19 inches in a normal winter at S Fk State Rec Area, NV, most of it in February and December.
How hot does it get in South Fork?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 48°. About 51 days a year reach 90° and 2 reach 100° (S Fk State Rec Area, NV).
When is the first and last frost in South Fork?
There is no reliable frost-free season: at S Fk State Rec Area, NV, every month has nights at 32° or below, about 206 a year. In half of years the longest stretch without a freeze is about 76 days.
What growing zone is South Fork in?
Zone 5b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about −12°.
What is the best time of year to visit South Fork?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), June. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is South Fork getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 0.9° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 87% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in South Fork.
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.