Climate Comfort Score
85/100
Excellent
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 61°F annual avg 2 stations
San Jose, CA Climate
Explore average temperature, rainfall, and comfort score sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 climate normals →
- 61°F
- Avg annual temp
- 85/100
- Comfort score
- 13.5"
- Annual precip
- 344d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 2 weather stations (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for San Jose
San Jose, California averages 61°F a year and scores 85/100 on the comfort index - excellent, milder than 89% of U.S. cities.
- 61°F
- yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
- 85/100
- comfort score, milder than 89% of U.S. cities
- 13.5"
- annual precipitation
- 344 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
61°F (16°C)
Avg High
71°F
Avg Low
50°F
Annual Precip
13.5"
Comfort Score
85/100
Excellent
Avg Annual Temperature
61°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
13.5"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (San Jose) 85.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Excellent for the San Jose area.
How San Jose compares to every U.S. city
San Jose's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
85 Top 11% higher than 89% 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 San Jose
MethodologySan Jose's NOAA 1991-2020 normal sits inside a longer story: U.S. land temperatures have been tracking (and drifting from) the global mean since 1900, and the chart below shows that spread, with the most recent decade running 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 | 60°F (15°C) | 42°F (5°C) | 51°F (10°C) | 2.8" | N/A | 1.4 | 0.0 |
| February | 62°F (17°C) | 44°F (7°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 2.7" | N/A | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| March | 66°F (19°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 2.1" | N/A | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| April | 69°F (21°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 1.1" | N/A | 0.0 | 0.4 |
| May | 74°F (23°C) | 52°F (11°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 0.4" | N/A | 0.0 | 1.2 |
| June | 79°F (26°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 67°F (20°C) | 0.2" | N/A | 0.0 | 3.0 |
| July | 81°F (27°C) | 58°F (15°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 0.0" | N/A | 0.0 | 2.8 |
| August | 81°F (27°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 0.1" | N/A | 0.0 | 3.2 |
| September | 81°F (27°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 69°F (21°C) | 0.1" | N/A | 0.0 | 4.5 |
| October | 76°F (24°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 64°F (18°C) | 0.5" | N/A | 0.0 | 1.1 |
| November | 66°F (19°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 1.3" | N/A | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| December | 60°F (15°C) | 42°F (5°C) | 51°F (10°C) | 2.3" | N/A | 1.4 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 2.8"
9.2 days with precipitation
February 2.7"
10.0 days with precipitation
March 2.1"
9.3 days with precipitation
April 1.1"
5.8 days with precipitation
May 0.4"
2.7 days with precipitation
June 0.2"
0.8 days with precipitation
July 0.0"
0.1 days with precipitation
August 0.1"
0.2 days with precipitation
September 0.1"
0.8 days with precipitation
October 0.5"
3.1 days with precipitation
November 1.3"
7.1 days with precipitation
December 2.3"
9.5 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
December 22
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
January 12
50% probability date
Growing Season
344 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
2,184
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
624
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
August
Coldest Month
December
What San Jose's climate means for you
San Jose runs 61°F a year - peaking in August, coldest in December.
- Gardeners get about 344 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near January 12 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 2,184 heating and 624 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: San Jose, CA
Based on 2 weather stations feeding NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals, San Jose, California averages 61°F a year, ranging from a mean daily high of 71°F to a mean daily low of 50°F. August 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.
Anyone planning to live, garden, or travel in San Jose should weigh precipitation alongside temperature: the annual average runs 13.5 inches, with seasonal snowfall possible. The frost-free season averages 344 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near January 12 and the first fall freeze near December 22. And on the energy front, 2,184 heating degree days and 624 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, San Jose scores 85/100 (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 August-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 San Jose, CA? ▼
The average annual temperature in San Jose, California is 61°F. The warmest month averages 81°F (27°C) and the coldest averages 42°F (5°C).
How much rain does San Jose get? ▼
San Jose receives 13.5 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for San Jose? ▼
San Jose has a climate comfort score of 85/100 (Excellent), milder than 89% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in San Jose? ▼
San Jose has approximately 344 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around January 12 and the first fall freeze around December 22.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in San Jose? ▼
San Jose has 2,184 heating degree days and 624 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 San Jose climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from 2 weather stations near San Jose.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00023293. 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.