Modesto, California Weather
Coastal fog thickens at dawn. Day 76 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
Modesto weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar
- TodayJun 3Overcast——92°59°—
- ThursdayJun 4Clear——95°60°+3°
- FridayJun 5Partly Cloudy——102°61°+7°
- SaturdayJun 6Overcast——91°61°-11°
- SundayJun 7Partly Cloudy——89°51°-2°
- MondayJun 8Overcast——90°58°+1°
- TuesdayJun 9Overcast——85°62°-5°
Ozone at AQI 93 — peak already passed at 1 PM under clear skies. AQI flat over the last 6 hours (within ±3 points). Levels should ease through evening.
OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.
What's driving it
Ozone × UV × Sky
Ozone at AQI 93 — peak already passed at 1 PM under clear skies. Levels should ease through evening.
- Present
- AQI 93
- UV peak
- 4.5 at earlier today
- Sky at peak
- clear
- Projected peak
- AQI 93
PM × Wind × Precip
PM10 at 46.7 µg/m³ (AQI 43) with a 0.33 fine-to-coarse ratio under 10 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).
The higher the clouds, the finer the weather.
- Moonrise
- 5:51 AM
- Moonset
- 3:16 PM
- In sign
- ♑︎ Capricorn
Coastal fog thickens at dawn
Modesto at a glance
- Today vs. normal: 16°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
- Last frost: April 2 (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 3, 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 | — | — |
| April | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes | — |
| May | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| June | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| July | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| August | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| September | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| October | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | winter squash, tomatoes (last) |
| November | — | — |
| December | — | — |
A year in weather
July brings Modesto's warmest temperatures (~79°F mean) while December delivers the coldest (~47°F). Rainfall reaches its peak in January (2.6 inches) and drops to zero in July (0.0 inches).
| Month | Mean temp | Precip | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 48° | 2.6″ | 6 |
| February | 52° | 2.2″ | 6 |
| March | 57° | 1.8″ | 5 |
| April | 61° | 1.0″ | 3 |
| May | 68° | 0.7″ | 2 |
| June | 75° | 0.1″ | 0 |
| July | 79° | 0.0″ | 0 |
| August | 78° | 0.0″ | 0 |
| September | 74° | 0.1″ | 0 |
| October | 65° | 0.6″ | 1 |
| November | 55° | 1.1″ | 3 |
| December | 47° | 2.2″ | 6 |
Regional context
Modesto belongs to a hot-summer Mediterranean climate region. This climate type creates similar temperature ranges, seasonal patterns, and growing conditions across nearby cities.
Similar climates: Los Angeles, CA, San Francisco, CA, San Diego, CA, Riverside, CA, Sacramento, CA.
Naturalist notes
Late April brings the blooming of California poppies across the Central Valley, their orange petals opening as soil temperatures warm.
Valley oaks begin dropping their acorns in October, signaling the approach of the region's first frost.
Frequently asked
- When does it freeze in Modesto?
- Modesto's last spring frost typically occurs around mid-April, and the first fall frost arrives around mid-November.
- What is the rainy season in Modesto?
- January brings the most rainfall with about 2.6 inches on average; the city receives roughly 12 inches annually.
- What is the warmest month in Modesto?
- July typically brings the warmest weather, averaging about 79°F.
- What is the coldest month in Modesto?
- December typically brings the coldest weather, averaging about 47°F.
- When can I start a vegetable garden in Modesto?
- Cool-season crops (peas, lettuce) can be sown around the last spring frost (mid-April); warm-season crops (tomatoes, peppers) should wait until 1–2 weeks after.
- How many rainy days does Modesto get?
- Modesto averages about 30 rainy days per year.
- What hardiness zone is Modesto?
- Modesto'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
Modesto, California experiences a hot-summer Mediterranean climate zone. January temperatures hover near 48°F while July averages 79°F — creating a 31°F seasonal swing.
Throughout the year, Modesto receives about 12 inches of precipitation spread over roughly 30 rainy days.
Latitude (37.6°N), proximity to large water bodies, and elevation determine the rhythm of the year. These factors shape what grows here, when frost is likely, and what the daily weather patterns look like.