January in Pasadena stays gentler than in 94% of U.S. towns
The warmest part of a July day comes in at 92° on average. Winter and summer sit 48° apart. By precipitation alone, it ranks wetter than 93% of U.S. towns. Comfortable outdoor weather lasts from October to April, with highs of 63–82°.
A year in Pasadena at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Pasadena’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Pasadena’s place in Texas beside it.
What a year in Pasadena feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
A freeze most winters
Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Houston Hobby Airport, 8 miles from the city’s center point, at about the same height.
The 2023 USDA map puts Pasadena’s center in zone 9b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 28°. 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 55 inches of rain a year
September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain falls on about 86 days a year. Snow is rare: about 0.0" in a normal year at Houston Deer Park, TX, so most winters see none.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Heating and cooling a home in Pasadena
25% of the work is heating, so air conditioning is the bigger bill. Months averaging under 55° run from January.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Houston Hobby Airport.
Living with Pasadena’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
Zone 9b. Frost comes about 9 winters in 10, so tender plants can often stay out through winter.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: January, February, March, April, October, November and December. 24 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Pasadena from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (41%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 12%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Pasadena and its neighbors
Houston the hottest July afternoons (94°, 2° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Pasadena’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pasadena, TX | 45° | 92° | 55" | 0.0" |
| Palatka, FL | 45° | 92° | 53" | 0.0" |
| St. Marys, GA | 43° | 91° | 51" | 0.0" |
| Morgan City, LA | 44° | 91° | 60" | 0.0" |
| Paradise, CA | 40° | 93° | 57" | 0.1" |
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Pasadena averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in February (+2.6°).
A bigger shift than in 52% 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. In a city of 149,000 people, part of the change is the city itself: pavement and buildings hold heat (the urban heat island).
How Pasadena compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Pasadena’s place among Texas’.
Pasadena weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Pasadena’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Houston Deer Park, TX. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 63° | 45° | 4.3" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 49° – 61° |
| February | 67° | 49° | 3.0" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 49° – 66° |
| March | 72° | 55° | 3.4" | 0.0" | 7 | 0 | 58° – 71° |
| April | 78° | 61° | 3.9" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 65° – 73° |
| May | 85° | 68° | 5.1" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 73° – 79° |
| June | 90° | 74° | 5.6" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 79° – 84° |
| July | 92° | 76° | 4.4" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 81° – 86° |
| August | 93° | 76° | 5.4" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 80° – 88° |
| September | 89° | 71° | 5.8" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 77° – 84° |
| October | 82° | 62° | 5.2" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 68° – 77° |
| November | 72° | 53° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 6 | 0 | 57° – 68° |
| December | 65° | 47° | 4.4" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 49° – 61° |
| Year | 79° | 61° | 54.7" | 0.0" | 86 | 0 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 49° to 66°. July is the most reliable, staying within 5°.
Where Pasadena’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 Pasadena’s center.
- Snow: Houston Deer Park, TX.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Houston Hobby Airport, 8 miles from the city’s center point, 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 Pasadena’s climate
What is the weather like in Pasadena?
A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 45°, and snow is almost unheard of. Milder January nights than 94% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 87% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Pasadena in winter?
January nights average 45°. About 4 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 49°.
How much snow does Pasadena get?
About 0.0 inches in a normal winter at Houston Deer Park, TX, so most winters see none.
How hot does it get in Pasadena?
July, with a typical high of 92° and a low of 76°. About 101 days a year reach 90° and 3 reach 100° (Houston Hobby Airport).
When is the first and last frost in Pasadena?
There is no reliable frost date: a 32° night comes in about 86% of winters at Houston Hobby Airport, so most years bring a freeze but some pass without one.
What growing zone is Pasadena in?
Zone 9b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 28°.
What is the best time of year to visit Pasadena?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), January, February, March, April, October, November and December. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Pasadena getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.4° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 52% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Pasadena.
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.