Climate Comfort Score
59/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 76°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Needles, CA Climate
Average temperature, precipitation, and a comfort score, drawn from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →
- 76°F
- Avg annual temp
- 59/100
- Comfort score
- 4.3"
- Annual precip
- -4d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Needles
Needles, California averages 76°F a year and scores 59/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 39% of U.S. cities.
- 76°F
- yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
- 59/100
- comfort score, milder than 39% of U.S. cities
- 4.3"
- yearly precipitation total
- -4 days
- frost-free growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
76°F (25°C)
Avg High
88°F
Avg Low
64°F
Annual Precip
4.3"
Annual Snow
0.0"
Comfort Score
59/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
76°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
4.3"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Needles) 59.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Needles area.
How Needles compares to every U.S. city
Needles's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
59 Top 61% higher than 39% 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 Needles
MethodologyZooming out from Needles'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 | 66°F (19°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 0.7" | 0.0" | 0.7 | 0.0 |
| February | 71°F (22°C) | 49°F (9°C) | 60°F (16°C) | 0.8" | 0.0" | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| March | 79°F (26°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 0.5" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 3.3 |
| April | 87°F (30°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 74°F (23°C) | 0.2" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 11.4 |
| May | 96°F (36°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 83°F (28°C) | 0.1" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 24.7 |
| June | 106°F (41°C) | 80°F (26°C) | 93°F (34°C) | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 29.5 |
| July | 111°F (44°C) | 87°F (30°C) | 99°F (37°C) | 0.3" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 31.0 |
| August | 109°F (43°C) | 85°F (30°C) | 97°F (36°C) | 0.4" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 30.9 |
| September | 103°F (39°C) | 77°F (25°C) | 90°F (32°C) | 0.3" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 28.6 |
| October | 90°F (32°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 77°F (25°C) | 0.2" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 16.8 |
| November | 75°F (24°C) | 53°F (11°C) | 64°F (18°C) | 0.3" | 0.0" | 0.1 | 0.7 |
| December | 65°F (18°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 55°F (13°C) | 0.4" | 0.0" | 0.7 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 0.7"
3.3 days with precipitation
February 0.8"
3.7 days with precipitation
March 0.5"
2.9 days with precipitation
April 0.2"
1.3 days with precipitation
May 0.1"
0.7 days with precipitation
June 0.0"
0.3 days with precipitation
July 0.3"
1.8 days with precipitation
August 0.4"
1.9 days with precipitation
September 0.3"
1.8 days with precipitation
October 0.2"
1.6 days with precipitation
November 0.3"
1.5 days with precipitation
December 0.4"
2.3 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
January 2
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
January 6
50% probability date
Growing Season
-4 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
941
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
5,049
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
December
What Needles's climate means for you
Needles runs 76°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in December.
- Gardeners get about -4 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near January 6 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 941 heating and 5,049 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: Needles, CA
Based on station USW00023179 feeding NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals, Needles, California averages 76°F a year, ranging from a mean daily high of 88°F to a mean daily low of 64°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while December is the coldest. Because these figures are thirty-year averages rather than any single year's readings, they describe the typical month, not a forecast for it.
Rainfall (and snow, where it falls) shapes day-to-day life here as much as temperature does. Needles sees about 4.3 inches of precipitation a year, with negligible snowfall. The frost-free season averages -4 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near January 6 and the first fall freeze near January 2. On the energy side, 941 heating degree days and 5,049 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Needles scores 59/100 (Moderate), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. Shoulder seasons bring the mildest highs and lows in the monthly tables above, summer brings July-driven heat, and winter brings December-driven cold - use that rhythm for planning. These figures are thirty-year averages rather than forecasts, so a specific year may still run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than what's shown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Needles, CA? ▼
The average annual temperature in Needles, California is 76°F. The warmest month averages 111°F (44°C) and the coldest averages 45°F (7°C).
How much rain does Needles get? ▼
Needles receives 4.3 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Needles? ▼
Needles has a climate comfort score of 59/100 (Moderate), milder than 39% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Needles? ▼
Needles has approximately -4 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around January 6 and the first fall freeze around January 2.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Needles? ▼
Needles has 941 heating degree days and 5,049 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 Needles climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USW00023179 near Needles.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00023179. 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.