Weather StoryAlmanac, microseasons, and the day's weather story.

Riverside, California Weather

August begins in scorching stillness. Day 43 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Riverside weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar

Riverside, CA
Sunday, August 2 at 7:57 AM
72
°
Clear
Feels like
76°
Humidity
77%
Wind
1 mph
Sunrise
11:02 PM
Sunset
12:49 PM
Riverside, CA
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastRiverside, CA: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 66 to 102 degrees Fahrenheit.
L 66°H 102°
Riverside, CA
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Aug 2
    Clear
    —
    —
    102°69°—
  2. Monday
    Aug 3
    Clear
    —
    —
    100°66°-2°
  3. Tuesday
    Aug 4
    Clear
    —
    —
    101°67°+1°
  4. Wednesday
    Aug 5
    Clear
    —
    —
    100°80°-1°
  5. Thursday
    Aug 6
    Clear
    —
    —
    98°79°-2°
  6. Friday
    Aug 7
    Clear
    —
    —
    98°79°0°
  7. Saturday
    Aug 8
    Clear
    —
    —
    99°79°+1°
Riverside, CA
Next 24 hours · Mild now
HOT 90°55°83°110°12p6p12a6anow 69°high 102°low 66°
Riverside, CA
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
NW
309° · backing 51°
Direction
NW
309°
Sustained
1
mph
Gust
2
mph
Peak 24h
16
avg 5 mph
Beaufort · 1 · LIGHT AIR
0
CALM
<1
1
LIGHT AIR
1–3
2
LIGHT BRZ
4–7
3
GENTLE BRZ
8–12
4
MOD BRZ
13–18
5
FRESH BRZ
19–24
6
STRONG BRZ
25–31
7
NEAR GALE
32–38
24h · sust vs gust · mph
avg 5 mph · pk 16 mph @ 6:00p
01020MPHB1B2B3B4B5-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 181SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
A whisper of wind — leaves barely shift on the trees.
Riverside, CA
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
978.8
-0.1 mb in 3h · steady · 28.90 inHg
Now
978.8
mb
3h
-0.1
mb
12h
-0.6
mb
24h
-2.9
mb
Regime · STORM
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 978–982
970975980985990-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW982.3978.1978.1
Deep low — expect rough seas, strong wind, and persistent rain.
Riverside, CA
Air quality
54
AQI
Moderate
↓-7 in 6h

AQI 54 (Moderate), driven by PM2.5. AQI down 7 over the last 6 hours (gradual decline). PM2.5 at 12.4 µg/m³ (AQI 57) with a 0.95 fine-to-coarse ratio and 1 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in stagnant air, not road dust.

OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.

PM 2.5DRIVERModerate
12.4μg/m³
PM 10Good
13μg/m³
NO₂Good
20μg/m³
OzoneModerate
76μg/m³
UV IndexLow
0.3

What's driving it

Ozone × UV × Sky

Ozone at AQI 36 now. With UV 1.0 peaking around 1 PM under clear skies, surface ozone likely climbs to AQI 9.

Present
AQI 36
UV peak
1.0 at 1 PM
Sky at peak
clear
Projected peak
AQI 9

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 12.4 µg/m³ (AQI 57) with a 0.95 fine-to-coarse ratio and 1 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in stagnant air, not road dust.

PM2.5/PM10
0.95
Wind
calm
Recent rain
0h in last 6h
Pattern
stagnant smoke

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).

7-DAY AQI TREND50100SUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISATSUN7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³300
Riverside, CA
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
10%
CLEAR
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
37.5mi
UNLIMITED
178 mi0 mi−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Earth · GOES-19 ABI
Full Disk · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 full disk Visible · GeoColor
True-color daytime, blue/IR sandwich at night
14:57 UTC · Riverside, CA · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · up to 10848 px
Continental US · GOES-19 ABI
CONUS Sector · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 CONUS Visible · GeoColor
Daytime true-color, blue-light/IR sandwich at night
14:57 UTC · Riverside, CA · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
Riverside, CA
Satellite · infrared · animated
Riverside, CA
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
Riverside, CA
Almanac · Sunday, August 2
Red sky at night, sailor's delight.
Civil dawn
5:35 AM
Sunrise
11:02 PM
Daylight
13h 47m
Sunset
12:49 PM
Civil dusk
8:18 PM
Planting note
Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.
Riverside, CA
The moon
Waning Gibbous
84% illuminated
Moonrise
9:34 PM
Moonset
9:59 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
Riverside, CA
Microseason
Aug 1–5

August begins in scorching stillness

plant
Jan 159% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

Riverside at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 3°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: March 11 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Aug 1–5
  • Planting window: Sow fall peas. Start kale and collard seedlings for fall.

ZIP codes: 92501, 92503, 92504, 92505, 92506, 92507, 92508, 92521

16-Day Forecast — Riverside

  1. Sun102°69°0%
  2. Mon100°66°0%
  3. Tue101°67°0%
  4. Wed100°80°0%
  5. Thu98°79°1%
  6. Fri98°79°1%
  7. Sat99°79°1%
  8. Sun98°79°2%
  9. Mon95°77°1%
  10. Tue96°76°0%
  11. Wed95°76°1%
  12. Thu96°75°3%
  13. Fri98°78°17%
  14. Sat96°78°12%
  15. Sun99°78°3%
  16. Mon99°79°10%

Forecast data from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0).

Live wind & temperature near Riverside

Right now in the garden

Peak growing season

As of August 2, 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.

Sun & seasons in Riverside

Riverside sits in Riverside County, where the year’s longest day runs 14h 25m of daylight and its shortest just 9h 53m — a swing of +4h 31m between the June and December solstices. Clocks spring forward on Sunday, March 8, 2026 and fall back on Sunday, November 1, 2026.

Los Angeles, the state’s largest city, lies about 59 miles to the WNW. The nearest town Riverside tracks is Moreno Valley, roughly 11 miles to the E.

Air quality in Riverside’s county has trended cleaner since 2020; its cleanest year on record was 2022 (median AQI 77). See the full air-quality history for Riverside.

January 1–5: New year in coastal mist.January 6–10: Hills hold the winter cold.January 11–15: Light lengthens over wet earth.January 16–20: The green pulse quickens.January 21–25: Spring green spreads inland.January 26–31: Winter's grip releases.February 1–5: Fog lifts, flowers open.February 6–10: Blooms erupt across chaparral.February 11–15: Winter blooms at their peak.February 16–20: Rivers recede, flowers spread.February 21–25: Earth warms, flowers rush upslope.February 26–28: Spring advances on cool winds.March 1–5: Grass and trees bud and break.March 6–10: Insects wake and feed.March 11–15: Blossoms crown the hillsides.March 16–20: Monarch chrysalis emergence.March 21–25: Light overtakes dark at equinox.March 26–31: California poppy ablaze.April 1–5: Spring rain feeds the seedlings.April 6–10: Warblers flood the understory.April 11–15: Allen's hummingbirds in courtship dives.April 16–20: Coastal fog settles; sun breaks midday.April 21–25: Oak canopies full and green.April 26–30: Chaparral awakens after spring rains.May 1–5: Coastal wildflowers at their peak.May 6–10: Gray whales complete their migration north.May 11–15: Redwood coast in cool shade.May 16–20: Fog and sun in daily rhythm.May 21–25: Summer approaches; hills turn gold.May 26–31: Dry season begins; tule fog in valleys.June 1–5: Coastal fog thickens at dawn.June 6–10: California poppies fade as heat rises.June 11–15: Summer solstice light stretched thin.June 16–20: Bay laurel fragrance sweetens shade.June 21–25: Longest daylight, driest air.June 26–30: Fog banks mask the turning tide.July 1–5: Summer heat deepens across the valleys.July 6–10: Warm winds drive dryness inland.July 11–15: Pacific high settles in firmly.July 16–20: Young hawks take to the thermals.July 21–25: Peak fire season, peak heat.July 26–31: Chaparral poised for ignition.August 1–5: August begins in scorching stillness.August 6–10: Autumn's first cool breath arrives.August 11–15: Cool winds signal the turning year.August 16–20: Evening cicada chorus.August 21–25: Marine layer descent.August 26–31: Monarch staging begins.September 1–5: Fire season intensity.September 6–10: Dew on drying grasses.September 11–15: Raptor passage begins.September 16–20: Equinox descent.September 21–25: Ceanothus blooms again.September 26–30: Insects retreat below.October 1–5: Creeks begin to whisper.October 6–10: Santa Ana wind season.October 11–15: Wildflower anticipation.October 16–20: Chaparral embers glow.October 21–25: First atmospheric river looms.October 26–31: Rains return at last.November 1–5: Coast live oak leaves turn amber.November 6–10: California lilac blooms in winter light.November 11–15: First rain greens the chaparral.November 16–20: Coastal fog thickens as storms approach.November 21–25: Thanksgiving rains swell the valleys.November 26–30: Autumn's last breath yields to winter.December 1–5: December arrives, storms accelerate.December 6–10: Winter solstice season intensifies.December 11–15: Deep winter: rivers at flood stage.December 16–20: Winter salmon runs peak in northern rivers.December 21–25: Winter solstice: the sun turns.December 26–31: Year's end in wind and rain.🌱February 14 — First skunk-cabbage spathes thaw their way up☀️March 20 — Spring equinox — day and night balance🌸April 5 — Cherry blossoms peak in the parks🐦May 10 — Warbler migration peaks along the coast✨May 25 — First fireflies scout the meadows at dusk🌞June 21 — Summer solstice — longest day🦗July 25 — Peak cicada chorus in the afternoons🌊August 18 — Warmest sea-surface temperatures of the year🍂September 22 — Autumn equinox — the slow turn❄️October 25 — First widespread frost in the suburbs🍁November 10 — Peak leaf color across the Hudson Valley🌙December 21 — Winter solstice — longest night

Microseason · August 1–5

August begins in scorching stillness

Calm days dominate early August; temperatures peak; the entire ecosystem is in survival mode.

Day 214 of 365 · Wedge 43 of 72

The solar year drawn as a wheel of 72 five-day windows. Each wedge is one microseason; the four colored arcs mark winter, spring, summer, and autumn; the small icons sit at notable phenological events. The crimson pointer creeps clockwise as the year turns.

Planting calendar

MonthPlantHarvest
January——
February——
Marchlettuce, peas, spinach, radishes—
Aprillettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash—
Maytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Junetomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
July—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
August—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
September—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
Octoberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotswinter squash, tomatoes (last)
Novemberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots—
December——

A year in weather

Riverside peaks at about 80°F in August and bottoms near 52°F in January; February brings the heaviest rain (3.4 inches) and August the least (0.0 inches).

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January52°3.3″11
February54°3.4″10
March57°3.0″13
April62°1.5″10
May67°0.5″7
June73°0.1″3
July79°0.1″1
August80°0.0″1
September76°0.1″2
October69°0.5″5
November59°1.6″8
December53°2.6″10

Regional context

Drawing on NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals, Riverside's January averages 52°F and July 79°F — 27°F apart — while precipitation totals roughly 16.7 inches over some 82 days.

Precipitation in Riverside peaks in the cool season: February averages 3.4 inches across 9.9 storm-fed days, while August bottoms out at 0.0 inches over just 0.9 rainy days. That groups Riverside with places like Woodcrest, CA, El Sobrante, CA and Jurupa Valley, CA on the same cool-season storm track.

Riverside rarely sees a hard freeze — its coldest month sits near 52°F — so planting spans most of the calendar. Heat peaks in August around 80°F, which confines cool-season crops to the shoulders of summer. Riverside's coastal lots stay 4-7°F milder overnight than Riverside's inland parcels.

Similar climates: Woodcrest, CA, El Sobrante, CA, Jurupa Valley, CA, Highgrove, CA, March ARB, CA.

Naturalist notes

Late May brings the sweet fragrance of California orange blossoms across Riverside's citrus groves.

House finches begin their second nesting cycle around mid-June as summer heat settles over the valley.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in Riverside?
Riverside's last spring frost lands near mid-March, and in Riverside the first fall frost follows around mid-December.
What is the rainy season in Riverside?
Riverside sees its heaviest rain in February (around 3.4 inches), part of roughly 17 inches a year.
What is the warmest month in Riverside?
On average August tops the year in Riverside at about 80°F.
What is the coldest month in Riverside?
The coldest stretch in Riverside falls in January, around 52°F on average.
When can I start a vegetable garden in Riverside?
In Riverside, sow peas and hardy greens around mid-March; Riverside's tomatoes and peppers wait two weeks more.
How many rainy days does Riverside get?
Expect roughly 82 wet days a year in Riverside.
What hardiness zone is Riverside?
With January around 52°F, Riverside's zone reflects that minimum — the USDA ZIP map confirms Riverside's band.
What is the 10-day forecast for Riverside?
Riverside's extended outlook — daily high and low temperatures and precipitation chances for each upcoming day — is in the daily forecast above.
Will it rain this week in Riverside?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for Riverside in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in Riverside?
Current conditions for Riverside and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the Riverside forecast updated?
The Riverside forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in Riverside?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for Riverside are in the Almanac section above, along with civil dawn, civil dusk, and day length. Day length is longest near the summer solstice and shortest near the winter solstice.
How accurate is the weather forecast for Riverside?
The next few days in Riverside's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

In Riverside, California, the hot-summer Mediterranean climate runs from about 52°F in January to 79°F in July, a 27°F seasonal range.

Across the year, Riverside collects about 17 inches of precipitation over roughly 82 days with measurable rain or snow.

Riverside's 27°F range, set by its 33.9°N position, drives frost timing and what thrives in Riverside.

All cities in California →

Los Angeles, CA weather →

ZIP codes in Riverside

  • 92508
  • 92503
  • 92501
  • 92506
  • 92505
  • 92504
  • 92507
  • 92521
  • 92502
  • 92513
  • 92514
  • 92516
  • 92517
  • 92522

Climate normals from the Open-Meteo Climate API. Köppen approximation from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Regions. See methodology for data sources, editorial rules, and corrections. Maintainer: Brian Tighe.