Sonoma County, CA Climate

Sonoma, CA County is known for its mild Mediterranean climate. The summers are usually dry and warm with temperatures ranging from the mid-70s to the mid-90s. The winters are generally cool and wet with temperatures usually in the 40s and 50s. In addition, the area receives an average of 35 inches of rain annually, primarily between October and April. Overall, Sonoma's temperate climate makes it a great place for outdoor activities year-round.

Sonoma County, California gets 40 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.

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

On average, there are 260 sunny days per year in Sonoma County. The US average is 205 sunny days.

Sonoma County gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 75 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 83 degrees
Winter Low: the January low is 39
Rain: averages 40 inches of rain a year
Snow: averages 0 inches of snow a year

Bestplaces Comfort Index

The annual BestPlaces Comfort Index for Sonoma County is 8.3 (10=best), which means it is more comfortable than most places in California.

9.2 Summer - 7.1 Winter

June, September and July are the most pleasant months in Sonoma County, while January and December are the least comfortable months.

Climate	Sonoma, California	United States
	39.6 in.	38.1 in.
	0.0 in.	27.8 in.
	75.0 days	106.2 days
	260 days	205 days
	83.1°	85.8°
	38.5°	21.7°
	8.3	7
	4.9	4.3
	710 ft.	2443 ft.

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.

August is the hottest month for Sonoma County with an average high temperature of 83.2°, which ranks it as cooler than most places in California. In Sonoma County, there are 6 comfortable months with high temperatures in the range of 70-85°. The most pleasant months of the year for Sonoma County are October, June and May.

In Sonoma County, there are 31.5 days annually when the high temperature is over 90°, which is cooler than most places in California.

December has the coldest nighttime temperatures for Sonoma County with an average of 38.0°. This is about average compared to other places in California.

In Sonoma County, there are 19.0 days annually when the nighttime low temperature falls below freezing, which is about average compared to other places in California.

In Sonoma 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 in Sonoma County 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 June.

December is the wettest month in Sonoma County with 7.8 inches of rain, and the driest month is July with 0.0 inches. The wettest season is Spring with 57% of yearly precipitation and 1% occurs in Autumn, which is the driest season. The annual rainfall of 39.6 inches in Sonoma County means that it is wetter than most places in California.

January is the rainiest month in Sonoma County with 12.6 days of rain, and July is the driest month with only 0.2 rainy days. There are 75.0 rainy days annually in Sonoma County, which is rainier than most places in California. The rainiest season is Spring when it rains 48% of the time and the driest is Autumn with only a 2% chance of a rainy day.

There is rarely any recorded snowfall in Sonoma County, ranking it as one of the least snowy places in California. Any measurable snowfall is a rare occurance in Sonoma County.