Climate Comfort Score
79/100
Good
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 59°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Berkeley, CA Climate
Average temperature, precipitation, and a comfort score, drawn from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →
- 59°F
- Avg annual temp
- 79/100
- Comfort score
- 26.1"
- Annual precip
- -2d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Berkeley
Berkeley, California averages 59°F a year and scores 79/100 on the comfort index - good, milder than 82% of U.S. cities.
- 59°F
- average temperature, NOAA 1991-2020 normal
- 79/100
- comfort score, milder than 82% of U.S. cities
- 26.1"
- annual precipitation
- -2 days
- growing season, frost-free days
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
59°F (15°C)
Avg High
68°F
Avg Low
49°F
Annual Precip
26.1"
Annual Snow
0.0"
Comfort Score
79/100
Good
Avg Annual Temperature
59°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
26.1"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Berkeley) 79.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Good for the Berkeley area.
How Berkeley compares to every U.S. city
Berkeley's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
79 Top 18% higher than 82% of 6,915 US cities
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Warming context for Berkeley
MethodologyZooming out from Berkeley's own normal, the chart below shows how the U.S. land temperature anomaly has tracked the global mean since 1900 - the most recent decade sits warmer than the 30-year mean shown here.
- United States land mean (NOAA NCEI) +0.11 °C/decade
- Global anomaly (NASA GISTEMP) +0.11 °C/decade
- Paris Agreement thresholds 1.5°C / 2.0°C
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Snow | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 59°F (15°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 51°F (11°C) | 4.8" | 0.0" | 0.4 | 0.0 |
| February | 62°F (16°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 5.1" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| March | 65°F (18°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 55°F (13°C) | 3.8" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| April | 67°F (20°C) | 47°F (8°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 1.8" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 0.2 |
| May | 70°F (21°C) | 49°F (10°C) | 60°F (15°C) | 0.8" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 0.7 |
| June | 74°F (23°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 0.3" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 1.1 |
| July | 74°F (23°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 64°F (18°C) | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 0.4 |
| August | 75°F (24°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 64°F (18°C) | 0.1" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 0.7 |
| September | 76°F (25°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 0.1" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 2.5 |
| October | 73°F (23°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 1.2" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 0.8 |
| November | 65°F (18°C) | 47°F (8°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 2.7" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| December | 59°F (15°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 51°F (11°C) | 5.3" | 0.0" | 0.3 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 4.8"
11.3 days with precipitation
February 5.1"
10.5 days with precipitation
March 3.8"
9.8 days with precipitation
April 1.8"
7.0 days with precipitation
May 0.8"
3.4 days with precipitation
June 0.3"
1.2 days with precipitation
July 0.0"
0.3 days with precipitation
August 0.1"
0.6 days with precipitation
September 0.1"
1.0 days with precipitation
October 1.2"
3.2 days with precipitation
November 2.7"
7.3 days with precipitation
December 5.3"
11.0 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
January 1
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
January 3
50% probability date
Growing Season
-2 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
2,579
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
202
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
September
Coldest Month
December
What Berkeley's climate means for you
Berkeley runs 59°F a year - peaking in September, coldest in December.
- Gardeners get about -2 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near January 3 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 2,579 heating and 202 cooling degree days a year, higher means the furnace or AC runs more.
- Comparing places to live? Line this city up against nearby cities and the national rankings. See rankings
These are 30-year NOAA normals (1991–2020) - the typical year, not a forecast for any specific season.
Climate Guides
Climate Insight: Berkeley, CA
Berkeley, California runs an annual average of 59°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 68°F to a mean daily low of 49°F, per NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals. September is typically the warmest month of the year, while December is the coldest. Drawn from station USC00040693, these thirty-year averages smooth out year-to-year swings into a baseline for what a typical month looks like here.
Anyone planning to live, garden, or travel in Berkeley should weigh precipitation alongside temperature: the annual average runs 26.1 inches, with negligible snowfall. The frost-free season averages -2 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near January 3 and the first fall freeze near January 1. And on the energy front, 2,579 heating degree days and 202 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Berkeley scores 79/100 (Good), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. For planning purposes, look to the monthly tables above: shoulder seasons bring the mildest highs and lows, summer brings September-driven heat, and deep winter brings December-driven cold. Treat every figure here as a thirty-year average rather than a forecast - individual years routinely run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than the normal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Berkeley, CA? ▼
The average annual temperature in Berkeley, California is 59°F. The warmest month averages 76°F (25°C) and the coldest averages 43°F (6°C).
How much rain does Berkeley get? ▼
Berkeley receives 26.1 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Berkeley? ▼
Berkeley has a climate comfort score of 79/100 (Good), milder than 82% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Berkeley? ▼
Berkeley has approximately -2 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around January 3 and the first fall freeze around January 1.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Berkeley? ▼
Berkeley has 2,579 heating degree days and 202 cooling degree days annually, a heating-dominated climate. See our <a href="/guides/reading-weather-data/" class="underline hover:text-brand-600">guide to reading weather data</a> for what these figures mean.
Where does this Berkeley climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00040693 near Berkeley.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00040693. For informational purposes only.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainClimate Editorial
Every figure on PlainClimate is rendered directly from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.