Bakersfield, CA Climate & Monthly Averages
Bakersfield has a semi-arid climate. July is the hottest month, averaging 104° by day; December is the coldest at 60°.
Bakersfield's climate runs on sunshine and sparse rain
With 10.2 inches (259 mm) of annual precipitation, Bakersfield is one of the drier places we cover. December is the wettest month it gets, at 2.2 inches (55 mm), and the year runs between 60°F (16°C) and 104°F (40°C) by day.
What the dry climate changes
Average highs hold at or above 30°C for 5 months of the year, May through September being the unbroken run. At its warmest, in July, Bakersfield runs to 104°F (40°C) in the afternoon and back to 77°F (25°C) by dawn. December bottoms out at 60°F (16°C) in daylight, 41°F (5°C) after dark. Sunshine averages 11.1 hours a day over the year - sunnier than 97% of the 3496 cities in our dataset, peaking in July at 13.9 hours.
Days and nights are about 13°C apart on average - wider than 97% of the 3496 cities in our dataset. Across the gridded 2015-2024 daily record, the highest daily maximum for this location was 119°F (48°C) and the lowest daily minimum 27°F (-3°C).
More climate facts for Bakersfield
- Hottest month: July - highs near 104°F (40°C)
- Coldest month: December - highs near 60°F (16°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 119°F (48°C) high · 27°F (-3°C) low
- Wettest month: December (6 rainy days) · Sunniest: July (13.9 h sun/day)
- Climate type: semi-arid
- Annual swing: 23°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 13°C
- Months averaging 30°C or hotter: 5
- Average humidity: 44%
Heat, cold and scarce precipitation in the dataset
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need another precipitation unit? Use the rainfall converter.
When the dry weather is easiest to use
Avoiding the hardest heat or cold
Aim for January to April and October to November if you get the choice: temperatures sit either side of the peak heat rather than in it, and highs average 71°F (22°C) against roughly 5 wet days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in January.
Prepare for sun and cooler nights
Pack for Bakersfield with lightweight, breathable clothing and serious sun protection. July nights average 77°F (25°C), so evenings rarely match the afternoons.
Monthly heat and rainfall table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 61° | 42° | 7 | 1.7 in | 8.0 h/day | 10.0 h | 22% | 71% |
| February | 65° | 43° | 6 | 1.7 in | 9.4 h/day | 10.9 h | 22% | 61% |
| March | 70° | 48° | 7 | 1.9 in | 10.4 h/day | 11.9 h | 24% | 58% |
| April | 79° | 55° | 3 | 0.7 in | 11.8 h/day | 13.0 h | 10% | 42% |
| May | 86° | 61° | 2 | 0.4 in | 13.2 h/day | 14.0 h | 6% | 34% |
| June | 98° | 71° | 0 | 0.0 in | 13.8 h/day | 14.5 h | 1% | 26% |
| July | 104° | 77° | 0 | 0.0 in | 13.9 h/day | 14.3 h | 0% | 22% |
| August | 102° | 75° | 0 | 0.2 in | 12.9 h/day | 13.5 h | 1% | 26% |
| September | 95° | 68° | 0 | 0.0 in | 11.8 h/day | 12.3 h | 1% | 30% |
| October | 83° | 58° | 1 | 0.2 in | 10.6 h/day | 11.2 h | 3% | 38% |
| November | 69° | 46° | 4 | 1.1 in | 9.2 h/day | 10.2 h | 13% | 55% |
| December | 60° | 41° | 6 | 2.2 in | 8.0 h/day | 9.8 h | 21% | 69% |
How daytime heat and cool nights change by month
Each card shows the average high and low. The bar places that month between Bakersfield's coldest night and warmest afternoon.
January
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sunshine
- 8.0 h
- Daylight
- 10.0 h
February
- Rain
- 6 days
- Sunshine
- 9.4 h
- Daylight
- 10.9 h
March
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sunshine
- 10.4 h
- Daylight
- 11.9 h
April
- Rain
- 3 days
- Sunshine
- 11.8 h
- Daylight
- 13.0 h
May
- Rain
- 2 days
- Sunshine
- 13.2 h
- Daylight
- 14.0 h
June
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 13.8 h
- Daylight
- 14.5 h
July
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 13.9 h
- Daylight
- 14.3 h
August
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 12.9 h
- Daylight
- 13.5 h
September
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 11.8 h
- Daylight
- 12.3 h
October
- Rain
- 1 day
- Sunshine
- 10.6 h
- Daylight
- 11.2 h
November
- Rain
- 4 days
- Sunshine
- 9.2 h
- Daylight
- 10.2 h
December
- Rain
- 6 days
- Sunshine
- 8.0 h
- Daylight
- 9.8 h
Looking for warmer alternatives? Browse warm places by month, or compare Bakersfield's coolest part of the year: December, January, February.
Heat and cold across the Bakersfield year
Spring (March through May)
Spring is pleasantly warm here - highs near 78°F (26°C), nights near 55°F (13°C), and rain comes on about 12 days over the three months. Daylight is generous - around 11.8 hours of sun a day.
Summer (June through August)
Through summer, Bakersfield is punishingly hot: 101°F (38°C) by day, 74°F (23°C) after dark, and precipitation is sparse, near 6 mm (0.3 in) for the season. Daylight is generous - around 13.5 hours of sun a day.
Fall (September through November)
Fall in Bakersfield brings hot afternoons, with daytime highs averaging 82°F (28°C) and nights around 57°F (14°C); precipitation is sparse, near 1.3 inches (33 mm) for the season. Daylight is generous - around 10.5 hours of sun a day.
Winter (December through February)
Winter in Bakersfield stays on the cool side of mild, with daytime highs averaging 62°F (17°C) and nights around 42°F (6°C); expect showers on roughly 19 days across the season.
How unusual is Bakersfield?
- Relative humidity averages 44% - drier than all but 4% of the 3496 cities we track.
- Rain or snow reaches the ground on 37 days a year - fewer wet days than all but 5% of the 3496 cities we track.
- Annual precipitation is 10.2 inches (259 mm) - drier than all but 6% of the 3496 cities we track.
These comparisons use the same ten-year window for every city in the dataset.