PlainClimate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 73°F annual avg Public-domain federal data

Imperial, CA Climate

Temperature, precipitation, and comfort score from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →

73°F
Avg annual temp
80/100
Comfort score
2.8"
Annual precip
356d
Growing season

30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).

The climate verdict for Imperial

Imperial, California averages 73°F a year and scores 80/100 on the comfort index - excellent, milder than 82% of U.S. cities.

73°F
annual average temperature (NOAA normal)
80/100
comfort score, milder than 82% of U.S. cities
2.8"
yearly precipitation total
356 days
frost-free days per growing season

Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.

Avg Temperature

73°F (23°C)

Avg High

87°F

Avg Low

59°F

Annual Precip

2.8"

Annual Snow

0.0"

Comfort Score

80/100

Excellent

Climate Comfort Score

80/100

Excellent

Avg Annual Temperature

73°F

30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)

Annual Precipitation

2.8"

Liquid-equivalent total

Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Imperial) 80.0%
National median (63)

PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Excellent for the Imperial area.

How Imperial compares to every U.S. city

Imperial's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities

PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals

80 Top 18% higher than 82% of 6,915 US cities

0–10: 0 US cities (0%). Below this entry. 10–20: 0 US cities (0%). Below this entry. 20–30: 58 US cities (1%). Below this entry. 30–40: 439 US cities (6%). Below this entry. 40–50: 1,302 US cities (19%). Below this entry. 50–60: 1,433 US cities (21%). Below this entry. 60–70: 1,357 US cities (20%). Below this entry. 70–80: 1,102 US cities (16%). Below this entry. 80–90: 778 US cities (11%). This entry sits in this band. 90–100: 420 US cities (6%). Above this entry. This city 0 100 every U.S. city, bucketed by value

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 Imperial

Methodology

How the U.S. land temperature anomaly tracks against the global mean since 1900. The current NOAA 1991-2020 normal for Imperial captures average conditions across the spread shown, the most recent decade is warmer than the 30-year mean.

Warming context, U.S. vs global, with Paris reference lines Anomaly chart from 1900 to 2024. Local series shows warming of 0.11 °C per decade versus a global rate of 0.11 °C per decade (ratio 1.00). Paris Agreement thresholds at 1.5 and 2.0 °C are dashed. -1.0°C -0.5°C +0.0°C +0.5°C +1.0°C +1.5°C +2.0°C +2.5°C Paris 1.5°C Paris 2.0°C 1900192019401960198020002020
  • 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
Sources: NOAA NCEI, NASA GISTEMP. Paris thresholds per IPCC AR6 WG1.

Monthly Temperatures

Average daily high and low temperatures by month

Month Avg High Avg Low Mean
January 69°F (20°C) 43°F (6°C) 56°F (13°C)
February 72°F (22°C) 47°F (8°C) 59°F (15°C)
March 78°F (26°C) 52°F (11°C) 65°F (18°C)
April 84°F (29°C) 56°F (14°C) 70°F (21°C)
May 93°F (34°C) 63°F (17°C) 78°F (25°C)
June 101°F (38°C) 70°F (21°C) 85°F (30°C)
July 104°F (40°C) 77°F (25°C) 91°F (33°C)
August 105°F (40°C) 78°F (26°C) 91°F (33°C)
September 100°F (38°C) 73°F (23°C) 87°F (30°C)
October 89°F (32°C) 61°F (16°C) 75°F (24°C)
November 77°F (25°C) 50°F (10°C) 63°F (17°C)
December 68°F (20°C) 42°F (6°C) 55°F (13°C)

Monthly Precipitation

Average monthly rainfall and snowfall

January 0.5"

3.2 days with precipitation

February 0.4"

2.7 days with precipitation

March 0.3"

1.9 days with precipitation

April 0.1"

0.7 days with precipitation

May 0.1"

0.3 days with precipitation

June 0.0"

0.1 days with precipitation

July 0.1"

0.8 days with precipitation

August 0.2"

1.4 days with precipitation

September 0.3"

1.1 days with precipitation

October 0.2"

0.9 days with precipitation

November 0.2"

1.3 days with precipitation

December 0.4"

2.8 days with precipitation

Frost Dates & Growing Season

First Fall Freeze

December 26

50% probability date

Last Spring Freeze

January 4

50% probability date

Growing Season

356 days

Heating & Cooling Degree Days

Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling

Heating Degree Days

974

Higher = more heating needed

Cooling Degree Days

3,921

Higher = more cooling needed

Warmest Month

August

Coldest Month

December

What Imperial's climate means for you

Imperial runs 73°F a year - peaking in August, coldest in December.

  • Gardeners get about 356 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near January 4 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
  • Energy bills track 974 heating and 3,921 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: Imperial, CA

In Imperial, California, the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals put the annual average temperature at 73°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 87°F to a mean daily low of 59°F. August is typically the warmest month of the year, while December is the coldest. As thirty-year averages computed from station USC00044223, these numbers smooth out year-to-year noise into a working baseline for a typical month.

Imperial averages 2.8 inches of precipitation a year, with negligible snowfall, and that matters as much to daily life here as temperature does. The frost-free season averages 356 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near January 4 and the first fall freeze near December 26. As for energy demand, 974 heating degree days and 3,921 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.

On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Imperial scores 80/100 (Excellent), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. The monthly tables above turn that into a planning tool: expect the mildest highs and lows in the shoulder seasons, August-driven heat at the peak of summer, and December-driven cold at the depth of winter. Every number here is a thirty-year average, not a forecast, so any given year can and does run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than the normal.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average temperature in Imperial, CA?
The average annual temperature in Imperial, California is 73°F. The warmest month averages 105°F (40°C) and the coldest averages 42°F (6°C).
How much rain does Imperial get?
Imperial receives 2.8 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Imperial?
Imperial has a climate comfort score of 80/100 (Excellent), milder than 82% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Imperial?
Imperial has approximately 356 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around January 4 and the first fall freeze around December 26.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Imperial?
Imperial has 974 heating degree days and 3,921 cooling degree days annually, a cooling-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 Imperial climate data come from?
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00044223 near Imperial.

Data Sources

Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00044223. For informational purposes only.

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.