Skip to ContentNOAA’s 1991-2020 normals for the Chico University Farm station put Chico’s normal July high at 95.2°F and its normal January low at 36.2°F, with 25.7 days of 90°F or hotter in an average July. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast.
Checked November 3, 2026
- 95°FNormal July high, Chico
- 36°FNormal January low, Chico
- 26Average days at 90°F or hotter in July
- 5.14 inNormal February rain, the wettest month
Read this first: the hours, fees, rules and closures on this page were taken from the sources named beside them; we read those sources on November 3, 2026. NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 monthly climate normals for three stations, AirNow and the City of Chico. This is not legal, medical or safety advice. They change, so check the agency or business named before you rely on them. Anything we could not read is marked Not Confirmed where it appears. A given month can be much hotter, colder or wetter than its normal.
Monthly Normals
| Month | Normal high (°F) | Normal low (°F) | Rain (in) | Days 90°F or hotter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56.1 | 36.2 | 5.12 | 0.0 |
| Feb | 62.2 | 38.3 | 5.14 | 0.0 |
| Mar | 66.7 | 41.6 | 3.63 | 0.0 |
| Apr | 72.8 | 45.3 | 1.95 | 1.4 |
| May | 81.3 | 52.2 | 1.35 | 6.4 |
| Jun | 89.3 | 57.4 | 0.64 | 15.5 |
| Jul | 95.2 | 61.0 | 0.03 | 25.7 |
| Aug | 94.3 | 59.0 | 0.10 | 24.8 |
| Sep | 90.9 | 54.9 | 0.25 | 20.0 |
| Oct | 79.7 | 47.4 | 1.73 | 5.6 |
| Nov | 65.0 | 39.8 | 2.41 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 56.6 | 36.3 | 5.04 | 0.0 |
| Month | Normal high (°F) | Normal low (°F) | Rain (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54.3 | 40.5 | 10.16 |
| Feb | 56.3 | 42.0 | 10.13 |
| Mar | 60.5 | 44.5 | 8.27 |
| Apr | 66.0 | 47.6 | 4.58 |
| May | 74.9 | 53.6 | 2.35 |
| Jun | 84.2 | 60.9 | 0.81 |
| Jul | 91.3 | 67.0 | 0.03 |
| Aug | 90.2 | 65.5 | 0.16 |
| Sep | 85.5 | 61.8 | 0.41 |
| Oct | 74.4 | 54.3 | 2.77 |
| Nov | 60.8 | 45.3 | 5.48 |
| Dec | 53.6 | 39.9 | 11.19 |
| Month | Normal high (°F) | Normal low (°F) | Rain (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56.8 | 37.7 | 4.50 |
| Feb | 61.8 | 40.1 | 4.11 |
| Mar | 66.9 | 43.0 | 2.79 |
| Apr | 73.1 | 46.6 | 1.37 |
| May | 81.1 | 53.3 | 1.13 |
| Jun | 88.8 | 60.2 | 0.38 |
| Jul | 94.1 | 63.4 | 0.02 |
| Aug | 93.1 | 61.0 | 0.08 |
| Sep | 90.0 | 57.7 | 0.24 |
| Oct | 79.5 | 50.7 | 0.91 |
| Nov | 65.3 | 42.5 | 2.04 |
| Dec | 56.5 | 37.3 | 3.82 |
NOAA’s normal for Paradise (on the ridge, 2,000 to 2,800 feet) is wetter than the valley stations, with cooler summer highs: a January rain normal of 10.16 inches against 5.12 at the Chico University Farm. These are NOAA numbers; the NOAA data returned no snow normals for these stations.
Air Quality and Smoke
Wildfire Smoke and Air Quality
AirNow, the federal air quality site, says: “an AQI value of 50 or below represents good air quality, while an AQI value over 300 represents hazardous air quality,” and “AQI values at or below 100 are generally thought of as satisfactory. When AQI values are above 100, air quality is unhealthy: at first for certain sensitive groups of people, then for everyone as AQI values get higher.” The National Park Service says of Lassen: “Wildfires often occur between July and October.” Check the current reading and smoke on AirNow’s Fire and Smoke Map and local rules on the Butte County Air Quality Management District site. We publish no live air quality number; this page is not medical advice, so follow the official guidance for your health.
Creeks and Water
Official Water Cautions
The City of Chico’s swimming page says: “Remember, when swimming in Big Chico Creek, be sure to use caution. Water which may appear to be shallow and/or slow moving can actually be swift and powerful. Don’t be a victim! Stay in areas where there is no white water.” The City’s status page listed Sycamore Pool as a Swim Advisory (updated 10/16/26). The Forest Service says of Feather Falls: “Be aware of swift water, as the current may be stronger than it appears.” Details: Bidwell Park entrances and swimming holes and river floats. This is not safety advice.
How to Read This
The Chico station is at the university farm, in the Sacramento Valley; Paradise sits on the ridge above it. For events by month see November, December and January, each of which carries a short What to Expect strip drawn from this data. Our How hot is Chico in summer answer links the same normals.
Frequently Asked Questions
How hot does Chico get?
NOAA’s 1991-2020 normals for the Chico University Farm give a normal July high of 95.2°F and an average of 25.7 days at 90°F or hotter in July.
When does it rain in Chico?
NOAA’s normals put the wettest months at February (5.14 in), January (5.12 in) and December (5.04 in); July normally has 0.03 in.
Where do I check smoke or air quality?
AirNow’s Fire and Smoke Map shows current air quality and smoke. The Butte County Air Quality Management District publishes local air rules. This site does not publish live air quality.
Sources
- NOAA NCEI, 1991-2020 monthly normals (Chico University Farm USC00041715, Paradise USC00046685, Orland USC00046506): https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00041715,USC00046685,USC00046506&format=json (read November 3, 2026, data API)
- AirNow, AQI basics: https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-basics/ (read November 3, 2026)
- AirNow Fire and Smoke Map: https://fire.airnow.gov/ (read November 3, 2026)
- Butte County Air Quality Management District: https://bcaqmd.org/ (read November 3, 2026)
- City of Chico, Swimming: https://chicoca.gov/Our-Community/Parks-Recreation-and-Experience-the-Outdoors/Bidwell-Park/Swimming/ (read November 3, 2026)
- NPS, Lassen Volcanic alerts and conditions: https://www.nps.gov/lavo/planyourvisit/conditions.htm (read November 3, 2026)
Keep Planning
Cite this page: It's Chico, “Chico Weather by Month: NOAA Normals, Smoke and Water”, itschico.com/data/chico-weather-by-month/ (updated ). By the It's Chico editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.