Climate Comfort Score
57/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 44°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
South Lake Tahoe, CA Climate
Average temperature, precipitation, and a comfort score, drawn from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →
- 44°F
- Avg annual temp
- 57/100
- Comfort score
- 20.5"
- Annual precip
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for South Lake Tahoe
South Lake Tahoe, California averages 44°F a year and scores 57/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 37% of U.S. cities.
- 44°F
- average temperature, NOAA 1991-2020 normal
- 57/100
- comfort score, milder than 37% of U.S. cities
- 20.5"
- yearly precipitation total
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
44°F (7°C)
Avg High
59°F
Avg Low
29°F
Annual Precip
20.5"
Comfort Score
57/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
44°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
20.5"
Liquid-equivalent total
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (South Lake Tahoe) 57.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the South Lake Tahoe area.
How South Lake Tahoe compares to every U.S. city
South Lake Tahoe's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
57 Top 63% higher than 37% 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 South Lake Tahoe
MethodologyThe chart below traces how the U.S. land temperature anomaly has moved against the global mean since 1900. For South Lake Tahoe, 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 | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 43°F (6°C) | 18°F (-8°C) | 31°F (-1°C) | 2.8" | 29.3 | 0.0 |
| February | 43°F (6°C) | 19°F (-7°C) | 31°F (0°C) | 3.8" | 26.7 | 0.0 |
| March | 48°F (9°C) | 24°F (-5°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 2.9" | 28.3 | 0.0 |
| April | 53°F (12°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 40°F (5°C) | 1.3" | 25.4 | 0.0 |
| May | 62°F (17°C) | 33°F (1°C) | 48°F (9°C) | 1.3" | 14.9 | 0.0 |
| June | 72°F (22°C) | 38°F (3°C) | 55°F (13°C) | 0.6" | 5.0 | 0.1 |
| July | 80°F (27°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 62°F (16°C) | 0.4" | 0.8 | 0.7 |
| August | 80°F (27°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 60°F (16°C) | 0.4" | 1.9 | 0.3 |
| September | 73°F (23°C) | 35°F (2°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 0.3" | 10.2 | 0.1 |
| October | 62°F (17°C) | 29°F (-2°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 1.4" | 24.3 | 0.0 |
| November | 51°F (11°C) | 23°F (-5°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 1.9" | 27.2 | 0.0 |
| December | 43°F (6°C) | 18°F (-8°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 3.5" | 28.5 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall
January 2.8"
8.6 days with precipitation
February 3.8"
8.7 days with precipitation
March 2.9"
10.0 days with precipitation
April 1.3"
8.4 days with precipitation
May 1.3"
7.4 days with precipitation
June 0.6"
2.4 days with precipitation
July 0.4"
2.1 days with precipitation
August 0.4"
1.5 days with precipitation
September 0.3"
2.3 days with precipitation
October 1.4"
5.4 days with precipitation
November 1.9"
7.5 days with precipitation
December 3.5"
10.8 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
N/A
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
N/A
50% probability date
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
7,599
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
29
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
December
What South Lake Tahoe's climate means for you
South Lake Tahoe runs 44°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in December.
- Energy bills track 7,599 heating and 29 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: South Lake Tahoe, CA
An annual average temperature of 44°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 59°F to a mean daily low of 29°F is what the NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals report for South Lake Tahoe, California. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while December is the coldest. That baseline comes from station USW00093230 and thirty years of averaging, so it reflects a typical month rather than any one year's swings.
South Lake Tahoe averages 20.5 inches of precipitation a year, predominantly as rainfall, and that matters as much to daily life here as temperature does. Growing-season length varies with elevation and microclimate. As for energy demand, 7,599 heating degree days and 29 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, South Lake Tahoe scores 57/100 (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 December-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 South Lake Tahoe, CA? ▼
The average annual temperature in South Lake Tahoe, California is 44°F. The warmest month averages 80°F (27°C) and the coldest averages 18°F (-8°C).
How much rain does South Lake Tahoe get? ▼
South Lake Tahoe receives 20.5 inches of precipitation annually. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for South Lake Tahoe? ▼
South Lake Tahoe has a climate comfort score of 57/100 (Moderate), milder than 37% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in South Lake Tahoe? ▼
Growing season data is not available for South Lake Tahoe.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in South Lake Tahoe? ▼
South Lake Tahoe has 7,599 heating degree days and 29 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 South Lake Tahoe climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USW00093230 near South Lake Tahoe.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00093230. 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.