Dry weather: only 18 inches of rain and melted snow a year in Barstow, less than in 90% of U.S. towns
Peak summer warmth arrives in July, with afternoons near 87°. By July afternoons alone, it runs hotter than 64% of U.S. towns. Decade by decade the climate has edged up, 1.0° above 1901–2000. For walks and days out, May, June and September bring highs of 72–78°.
A year in Barstow at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Barstow’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Barstow’s place in Washington beside it.
What a year in Barstow feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 143 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 8 and the first by October 1. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Northport, WA, 16 miles from the town’s center, 130 ft higher.
The 2023 USDA map puts Barstow’s center in zone 6b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 0°. 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 43 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Colville, WA, falls mostly in January and December. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 18 inches a year; December is the wettest month and August the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 108 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Barstow
96% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner. Months averaging under 55° run from October through April.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Northport, WA.
Living with Barstow’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
143 frost-free days in zone 6b. The last frost comes by May 8 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 1.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: May, June and September. 0.2 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Barstow from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (58%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 7%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Barstow and similar climates
TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Barstow yet.
Climates most like Barstow’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barstow, WA | 22° | 87° | 18" | 43" |
| Dakota Ridge, CO | 19° | 87° | 18" | 34" |
| Altamont, OR | 22° | 86° | 13" | 52" |
| Los Alamos, NM | 19° | 85° | 15" | 42" |
| Orchard Homes, MT | 18° | 86° | 13" | 43" |
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 Barstow averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.7°).
A smaller shift than in 79% 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 Barstow compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Barstow’s place among Washington’s.
Barstow weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Barstow’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Colville, WA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 33° | 22° | 2.0" | 14.5" | 12 | 25 | 20° – 34° |
| February | 40° | 23° | 1.4" | 5.4" | 10 | 14 | 22° – 38° |
| March | 52° | 30° | 1.5" | 2.7" | 11 | 3 | 36° – 47° |
| April | 62° | 35° | 1.5" | 0.2" | 10 | 0 | 44° – 55° |
| May | 72° | 43° | 2.0" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 52° – 63° |
| June | 78° | 49° | 2.0" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 60° – 70° |
| July | 87° | 53° | 0.9" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 63° – 76° |
| August | 87° | 52° | 0.6" | 0.0" | 4 | 0 | 65° – 72° |
| September | 77° | 44° | 0.8" | 0.0" | 5 | 0 | 57° – 65° |
| October | 59° | 35° | 1.5" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 42° – 52° |
| November | 42° | 29° | 2.0" | 5.6" | 12 | 3 | 30° – 42° |
| December | 32° | 22° | 2.2" | 15.0" | 12 | 16 | 22° – 33° |
| Year | 60° | 37° | 18.4" | 43.4" | 108 | 61 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. February swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 22° to 38°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where Barstow’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 Barstow’s center.
- Snow: Colville, WA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Northport, WA, 16 miles from the town’s center, 130 ft higher; 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 Barstow’s climate
What is the weather like in Barstow?
A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 22°, and about 43 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 51% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 64% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Barstow in winter?
January nights average 22°. About 146 nights a year reach 32° or below and 3 reach 0° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 20°.
How much snow does Barstow get?
About 43 inches in a normal winter at Colville, WA, most of it in January and December, with snow on the ground about 61 days a year.
How hot does it get in Barstow?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 53°. About 33 days a year reach 90° and 3 reach 100° (Northport, WA).
When is the first and last frost in Barstow?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by May 8 and the first fall frost by October 1, about 143 frost-free days, at Northport, WA.
What growing zone is Barstow in?
Zone 6b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 0°.
What is the best time of year to visit Barstow?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), May, June and September. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Barstow getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.0° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 79% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Barstow.
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.