Bakersfield, CA Climate


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Bakersfield, CA has a semi-arid climate with hot summers and cool winters. In the summer, temperatures reach above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, while in winter they can dip to as low as 30 degrees Fahrenheit. The area receives very little moisture and is generally dry throughout the year. As such, it is important to use appropriate sun protection during the summer months and layer up when going outside in winter. Rainfall is minimal but occurs mainly between November and March. Overall, Bakersfield has an enjoyable climate that is great for outdoor activities all year round.

Bakersfield, California gets 7 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

Bakersfield averages 0 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.

On average, there are 272 sunny days per year in Bakersfield. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Bakersfield gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 38 days per year. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. In order for precipitation to be counted you have to get at least .01 inches on the ground to measure.


Weather Highlights

Summer High: the July high is around 97 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 38
Rain: averages 7 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 0 inches of snow a year


Bestplaces Comfort Index

The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Bakersfield is 8.1 (10=best), which means it is about average compared to other places in California.

7.3 Summer - 7.6 Winter
October, May and April are the most pleasant months in Bakersfield, while July and August are the least comfortable months.

  ClimateBakersfield, CaliforniaUnited States
    Unlock38.1 in.
  0.1 in.  Unlock
    Unlock106.2 days
  272 days  Unlock
  97.4°85.8°
    Unlock21.7°
  8.1  Unlock
    Unlock4.3
  404 ft.  Unlock
Climate
YOU SHOULD KNOW

Many people confuse weather and climate but they are different. Weather is the conditions of the atmosphere over a short period of time, and climate is how the atmosphere is over long periods of time.

Weather is how the atmosphere is behaving and its effects upon life and human activities. Weather can change from minute-to-minute. Most people think of weather in terms of temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloudiness, brightness, visibility, wind, and atmospheric pressure.

Climate is the description of the long-term pattern of weather in a place. Climate can mean the average weather for a particular region and time period taken over 30 years. Climate is the average of weather over time.

July is the hottest month for Bakersfield with an average high temperature of 97.4°, which ranks it as warmer than most places in California. In Bakersfield, there are 3 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Bakersfield are October, April and May.
In Bakersfield, there are 104.7 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is hotter than most places in California.
December has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Bakersfield with an average of 36.7°. This is colder than most places in California.
In Bakersfield, there are 17.2 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is about average compared to other places in California.
In Bakersfield, there are 0.0 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below zero°, which is about average compared to other places in California.
Humidity in Bakersfield is generally quite low and comfortable. There are few days during the summer when the humidity becomes unpleasant. The most humid months (but still comfortable) are August, July and September.
March is the wettest month in Bakersfield with 1.3 inches of rain, and the driest month is July with 0.0 inches. The wettest season is Spring with 51% of yearly precipitation and 1% occurs in Autumn, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 7.2 inches in Bakersfield means that it is one of the driest places in California.
January is the rainiest month in Bakersfield with 6.9 days of rain, and July is the driest month with only 0.1 rainy days. There are 38.1 rainy days annually in Bakersfield, which is less rainy than most places in California. The rainiest season is Spring when it rains 51% of the time and the driest is Autumn with only a 2% chance of a rainy day.
An annual snowfall of 0.1 inches in Bakersfield means that it is snowier than most places in California. January is the snowiest month in Bakersfield with 0.1 inches of snow, and no months of the year have significant snowfall.
Reviews for Bakersfield
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I am a millennial, born and raised here. As someone who wrestled with staying for years, there are a lot of valid reasons to not come to Bakersfield. Air quality, summer  More

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Over 4 years ago

I have lived here all of my life. 40+ years. It used to be fun and kinda safe but now it is so scary to go outside. We are literally a homeless dumping ground and there  More

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I moved here from Seattle 25 years ago, when it had a population of 200,000, and practically the only place to get coffee was a place called “Duke’s Ranch”. Why did I  More

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