Climate Comfort Score
80/100
Excellent
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 59°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Palo Alto, CA Climate
Temperature, precipitation, and comfort score from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →
- 59°F
- Avg annual temp
- 80/100
- Comfort score
- 15.1"
- Annual precip
- 309d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Palo Alto
Palo Alto, California averages 59°F a year and scores 80/100 on the comfort index - excellent, milder than 82% of U.S. cities.
- 59°F
- average temperature, NOAA 1991-2020 normal
- 80/100
- comfort score, milder than 82% of U.S. cities
- 15.1"
- precipitation, annual total
- 309 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
70°F
Avg Low
47°F
Annual Precip
15.1"
Annual Snow
0.0"
Comfort Score
80/100
Excellent
Avg Annual Temperature
59°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
15.1"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Palo Alto) 80.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Excellent for the Palo Alto area.
How Palo Alto compares to every U.S. city
Palo Alto'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
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 Palo Alto
MethodologyThe chart below traces how the U.S. land temperature anomaly has moved against the global mean since 1900. For Palo Alto, the NOAA 1991-2020 normal captures average conditions across that spread - notably, the most recent decade runs warmer than the 30-year mean itself.
- 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 | 58°F (14°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 3.0" | 0.0" | 4.8 | 0.0 |
| February | 61°F (16°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 51°F (11°C) | 3.2" | 0.0" | 1.8 | 0.0 |
| March | 66°F (19°C) | 44°F (6°C) | 55°F (13°C) | 2.2" | 0.0" | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| April | 70°F (21°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 1.0" | 0.0" | 0.1 | 0.3 |
| May | 73°F (23°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 0.4" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| June | 79°F (26°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 66°F (19°C) | 0.1" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 2.8 |
| July | 79°F (26°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 1.9 |
| August | 79°F (26°C) | 55°F (13°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 0.0" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| September | 80°F (26°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 66°F (19°C) | 0.1" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 3.7 |
| October | 74°F (23°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 0.6" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 0.3 |
| November | 64°F (18°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 1.6" | 0.0" | 1.1 | 0.0 |
| December | 58°F (14°C) | 39°F (4°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 3.0" | 0.0" | 5.9 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 3.0"
10.0 days with precipitation
February 3.2"
10.1 days with precipitation
March 2.2"
8.2 days with precipitation
April 1.0"
5.2 days with precipitation
May 0.4"
2.5 days with precipitation
June 0.1"
0.7 days with precipitation
July 0.0"
0.0 days with precipitation
August 0.0"
0.2 days with precipitation
September 0.1"
0.5 days with precipitation
October 0.6"
2.5 days with precipitation
November 1.6"
6.2 days with precipitation
December 3.0"
9.7 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
December 7
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
February 1
50% probability date
Growing Season
309 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
2,733
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
364
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
December
What Palo Alto's climate means for you
Palo Alto runs 59°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in December.
- Gardeners get about 309 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near February 1 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 2,733 heating and 364 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: Palo Alto, CA
The NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals describe Palo Alto, California as a location with an annual average temperature of 59°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 70°F to a mean daily low of 47°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while December is the coldest. These thirty-year averages, computed from station USC00046646, smooth out year-to-year variability and give a baseline expectation for typical conditions in any given month.
Precipitation patterns matter as much as temperature for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. Palo Alto receives roughly 15.1 inches of precipitation each year, with negligible snowfall. The frost-free season averages 309 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near February 1 and the first fall freeze near December 7. For energy use, 2,733 heating degree days and 364 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Palo Alto scores 80/100 (Excellent), 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 Palo Alto, CA? ▼
The average annual temperature in Palo Alto, California is 59°F. The warmest month averages 80°F (26°C) and the coldest averages 39°F (4°C).
How much rain does Palo Alto get? ▼
Palo Alto receives 15.1 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Palo Alto? ▼
Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto? ▼
Palo Alto has approximately 309 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around February 1 and the first fall freeze around December 7.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Palo Alto? ▼
Palo Alto has 2,733 heating degree days and 364 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 Palo Alto climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00046646 near Palo Alto.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00046646. 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.