Kern County, CA Climate


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Kern County, California has a diverse climate that is generally quite dry. Summers are hot and dry, with temperatures reaching up to 105 °F during the day. Winters are mild, with temperatures rarely dipping below 30 °F and usually staying in the 50s during the day. Rainfall is rare throughout the year, with less than 5 inches of precipitation annually. This makes it an ideal place for outdoor activities such as hiking and camping. The desert climate also creates a unique landscape that can be seen from miles away.

Kern County, California gets 9 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

Kern County averages 2 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.

On average, there are 274 sunny days per year in Kern County. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Kern County gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 36 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 96 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 35
Rain: averages 9 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 2 inches of snow a year


Bestplaces Comfort Index

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

7.6 Summer - 7.4 Winter
May, October and April are the most pleasant months in Kern County, while January and December are the least comfortable months.

  ClimateKern, CaliforniaUnited States
    Unlock38.1 in.
  1.9 in.  Unlock
    Unlock106.2 days
  274 days  Unlock
  96.0°85.8°
    Unlock21.7°
  8.1  Unlock
    Unlock4.3
  2380 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 Kern County with an average high temperature of 96.0°, which ranks it as warmer than most places in California. In Kern County, there are 3 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Kern County are October, May and April.
In Kern County, there are 91.4 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is hotter than most places in California.
December has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Kern County with an average of 33.5°. This is colder than most places in California.
In Kern County, there are 44.0 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is colder than most places in California.
In Kern County, 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 is low in Kern County, and some people might find the dryness to be uncomfortable. Days with noticeable humidity are rare throughout the year. A very dry climate can lead to cracked, itchy skin and dry eyes.
February is the wettest month in Kern County with 1.8 inches of rain, and the driest month is June with 0.1 inches. The wettest season is Spring with 52% of yearly precipitation and 3% occurs in Autumn, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 9.0 inches in Kern County means that it is drier than most places in California.
February is the rainiest month in Kern County with 6.3 days of rain, and July is the driest month with only 0.4 rainy days. There are 36.3 rainy days annually in Kern County, which is less rainy than most places in California. The rainiest season is Spring when it rains 49% of the time and the driest is Autumn with only a 4% chance of a rainy day.
An annual snowfall of 1.9 inches in Kern County means that it is snowier than most places in California. December is the snowiest month in Kern County with 0.5 inches of snow, and 1 month of the year have significant snowfall.
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