Lancaster, California Weather
Coastal fog thickens at dawn. Day 77 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
Lancaster weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar
- TodayJun 3Partly Cloudy——97°63°—
- ThursdayJun 4Clear——95°65°-2°
- FridayJun 5Overcast——94°64°-1°
- SaturdayJun 6Overcast——85°63°-9°
- SundayJun 7Clear——83°58°-2°
- MondayJun 8Clear——89°60°+6°
- TuesdayJun 9Clear——88°63°-1°
Ozone at AQI 129 — peak already passed at 1 PM under clear skies. AQI up 45 in the last 6 hours — air quality is degrading. Levels should ease through evening.
CAUTION Sensitive groups (children, elderly, respiratory conditions) should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.
What's driving it
Ozone × UV × Sky
Ozone at AQI 129 — peak already passed at 1 PM under clear skies. Levels should ease through evening.
- Present
- AQI 129
- UV peak
- 2.1 at earlier today
- Sky at peak
- clear
- Projected peak
- AQI 129
PM × Wind × Precip
PM10 at 31.5 µg/m³ (AQI 29) with a 0.33 fine-to-coarse ratio under 17 mph wind — coarse road or agricultural dust being kicked up.
- PM2.5/PM10
- 0.33
- Wind
- breezy
- Recent rain
- 0h in last 6h
- Pattern
- blown dust
Trends
Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.
Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
A summer fog for fair, a winter fog for rain.
- Moonrise
- 6:08 AM
- Moonset
- 4:14 PM
- In sign
- ♑︎ Capricorn
Coastal fog thickens at dawn
Lancaster at a glance
- Today vs. normal: 12°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
- Last frost: March 15 (climatological average for this latitude)
- Microseason: Jun 1–5
- Planting window: Harvest spring lettuce before it bolts. Sow heat-tolerant greens.
Right now in the garden
Peak growing season
As of June 4, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.
Planting calendar
| Month | Plant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| January | — | — |
| February | — | — |
| March | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes | — |
| April | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | — |
| May | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| June | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| July | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| August | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| September | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| October | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | winter squash, tomatoes (last) |
| November | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | — |
| December | — | — |
A year in weather
July brings Lancaster's highest temperatures (~82°F mean) while December delivers the coldest (~44°F). Rainfall reaches its peak in February (1.8 inches) and drops to nearly nothing in August (0.0 inches).
| Month | Mean temp | Precip | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 45° | 1.5″ | 3 |
| February | 48° | 1.8″ | 3 |
| March | 54° | 1.0″ | 2 |
| April | 59° | 0.4″ | 1 |
| May | 68° | 0.1″ | 0 |
| June | 76° | 0.1″ | 0 |
| July | 82° | 0.1″ | 0 |
| August | 81° | 0.0″ | 0 |
| September | 74° | 0.1″ | 0 |
| October | 63° | 0.3″ | 1 |
| November | 51° | 0.4″ | 1 |
| December | 44° | 1.1″ | 2 |
Regional context
Lancaster falls within a hot-summer Mediterranean climate region — sharing similar temperature ranges, seasonal patterns, and growing conditions with other nearby cities.
Similar climates: Los Angeles, CA, San Francisco, CA, San Diego, CA, Riverside, CA, Sacramento, CA.
Naturalist notes
By late May, California poppies reach peak bloom across the high desert, carpeting open spaces with orange petals that close during afternoon heat.
Red-winged blackbirds begin their territorial displays in March, with males perched on tall grasses showing their distinctive shoulder patches.
Frequently asked
- When does it freeze in Lancaster?
- Lancaster's last spring frost typically occurs around mid-March, while the first fall frost returns around mid-December.
- What is the rainy season in Lancaster?
- February stands as the wettest month with about 1.8 inches of rain on average; the city receives roughly 7 inches annually.
- What is the warmest month in Lancaster?
- July typically brings the warmest weather, averaging about 82°F.
- What is the coldest month in Lancaster?
- December typically delivers the coldest temperatures, averaging about 44°F.
- When can I start a vegetable garden in Lancaster?
- Cool-season crops (peas, lettuce) can be planted around the last spring frost (mid-March); warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers) should wait until 1–2 weeks after.
- How many rainy days does Lancaster get?
- Lancaster experiences about 15 rainy days per year on average.
- What hardiness zone is Lancaster?
- Lancaster's USDA hardiness zone depends on its lowest average winter temperature; check the USDA's online lookup with the city ZIP for the current zone designation.
Climate
Lancaster, California experiences a hot-summer Mediterranean climate zone. January temperatures hover near 45°F while July averages 82°F — a 37°F seasonal swing.
Throughout the year, Lancaster receives about 7 inches of precipitation spread over roughly 15 rainy days.
The annual weather patterns depend on latitude (34.7°N), proximity to large water bodies, and elevation — factors that determine what grows here, when frost threatens, and the daily weather conditions.