Climate Comfort Score
44/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 49°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Lee Vining, CA Climate
Temperature, precipitation, and comfort score from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →
- 49°F
- Avg annual temp
- 44/100
- Comfort score
- 15.1"
- Annual precip
- 139d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Lee Vining
Lee Vining, California averages 49°F a year and scores 44/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 8% of U.S. cities.
- 49°F
- annual average temperature (NOAA normal)
- 44/100
- comfort score, milder than 8% of U.S. cities
- 15.1"
- annual precipitation · 70" snow
- 139 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
49°F (9°C)
Avg High
62°F
Avg Low
36°F
Annual Precip
15.1"
Annual Snow
69.5"
Comfort Score
44/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
49°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
15.1"
Plus 69.5" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Lee Vining) 44.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Lee Vining area.
How Lee Vining compares to every U.S. city
Lee Vining's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
44 Top 92% higher than 8% 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 Lee Vining
MethodologyHow the U.S. land temperature anomaly tracks against the global mean since 1900. The current NOAA 1991-2020 normal for Lee Vining captures average conditions across the spread shown, the most recent decade is warmer than the 30-year mean.
- 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 | 41°F (5°C) | 21°F (-6°C) | 31°F (-1°C) | 2.7" | 19.0" | 29.5 | 0.0 |
| February | 44°F (7°C) | 23°F (-5°C) | 33°F (1°C) | 2.7" | 16.1" | 26.1 | 0.0 |
| March | 51°F (11°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 1.8" | 11.6" | 24.0 | 0.0 |
| April | 58°F (14°C) | 33°F (0°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 0.7" | 3.3" | 15.4 | 0.0 |
| May | 66°F (19°C) | 40°F (4°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 0.7" | 1.6" | 5.1 | 0.0 |
| June | 77°F (25°C) | 47°F (8°C) | 62°F (17°C) | 0.4" | 0.2" | 0.6 | 0.7 |
| July | 84°F (29°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 69°F (21°C) | 0.5" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 4.3 |
| August | 83°F (28°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 0.4" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 1.9 |
| September | 76°F (24°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 0.3" | 0.0" | 0.6 | 0.1 |
| October | 65°F (18°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 51°F (10°C) | 0.8" | 1.4" | 9.5 | 0.0 |
| November | 53°F (12°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 40°F (5°C) | 1.4" | 4.7" | 23.1 | 0.0 |
| December | 42°F (6°C) | 22°F (-6°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 2.6" | 11.6" | 28.8 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 2.7"
Snow: 19.0"
6.7 days with precipitation
February 2.7"
Snow: 16.1"
6.8 days with precipitation
March 1.8"
Snow: 11.6"
5.9 days with precipitation
April 0.7"
Snow: 3.3"
3.4 days with precipitation
May 0.7"
Snow: 1.6"
4.1 days with precipitation
June 0.4"
Snow: 0.2"
2.2 days with precipitation
July 0.5"
3.3 days with precipitation
August 0.4"
2.5 days with precipitation
September 0.3"
2.1 days with precipitation
October 0.8"
Snow: 1.4"
3.0 days with precipitation
November 1.4"
Snow: 4.7"
3.8 days with precipitation
December 2.6"
Snow: 11.6"
6.0 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 9
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
May 23
50% probability date
Growing Season
139 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
6,236
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
299
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
Nearby Cities
What Lee Vining's climate means for you
Lee Vining runs 49°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 139 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near May 23 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 6,236 heating and 299 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: Lee Vining, CA
Lee Vining, California runs an annual average of 49°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 62°F to a mean daily low of 36°F, per NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. Drawn from station USC00044881, these thirty-year averages smooth out year-to-year swings into a baseline for what a typical month looks like here.
Lee Vining averages 15.1 inches of precipitation a year, with 69.5 inches typically falling as snow, and that matters as much to daily life here as temperature does. The frost-free season averages 139 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near May 23 and the first fall freeze near October 9. As for energy demand, 6,236 heating degree days and 299 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Lee Vining scores 44/100 (Moderate), 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 July-driven heat, and deep winter brings January-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 Lee Vining, CA? ▼
The average annual temperature in Lee Vining, California is 49°F. The warmest month averages 84°F (29°C) and the coldest averages 21°F (-6°C).
How much rain does Lee Vining get? ▼
Lee Vining receives 15.1 inches of precipitation annually, including 69.5 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Lee Vining? ▼
Lee Vining has a climate comfort score of 44/100 (Moderate), milder than 8% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Lee Vining? ▼
Lee Vining has approximately 139 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around May 23 and the first fall freeze around October 9.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Lee Vining? ▼
Lee Vining has 6,236 heating degree days and 299 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 Lee Vining climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00044881 near Lee Vining.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00044881. 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.