Record envelope, standing records and threshold days for Sierra City (USC00048207), California, United States, with 91 years of record.
Key Facts for Sierra City
Sierra City (USC00048207) is a weather station in California, United States at 39.57 latitude and -120.62 longitude, 1,292 m (4,240 ft) above sea level.
The station reports from 1910 to 2000, 91 years of record.
1,464 records set at Sierra City still stand.
Records are tracked for tmax, tmin, prcp, snow, snwd: an element needs 30 years of data to be eligible.
Sierra City set a daily record high maximum temperature of 31.7 C (89.1 F) on 23 May 2000.
About the Station
Location: California, United States, 39.57 latitude, -120.62 longitude.
Elevation: 1,292 m (4,240 ft).
Period of record: 1910 to 2000, 91 years.
Eligible elements: tmax, tmin, prcp, snow, snwd.
Daily Record Envelope and 2026
0 days at or beyond a record
Record highRecord low2026 daily maximum2026 daily minimum
The band shows the record high and record low for each calendar day at Sierra City. The lines show the 2026 daily maximum and minimum. 0 days in 2026 matched or passed a record. Temperatures are in degrees Celsius.
Daily record high and record low at Sierra City, with 2026 drawn through them
Month
Highest record high
Lowest record low
2026 highest maximum
2026 lowest minimum
Jan
21.1 C (70.0 F)
-16.1 C (3.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Feb
25.6 C (78.1 F)
-15.0 C (5.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Mar
28.9 C (84.0 F)
-12.8 C (9.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Apr
30.0 C (86.0 F)
-9.4 C (15.1 F)
n/a
n/a
May
34.4 C (93.9 F)
-4.4 C (24.1 F)
n/a
n/a
Jun
38.3 C (100.9 F)
-2.2 C (28.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Jul
39.4 C (102.9 F)
0.0 C (32.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Aug
40.0 C (104.0 F)
0.6 C (33.1 F)
n/a
n/a
Sep
38.9 C (102.0 F)
-0.6 C (30.9 F)
n/a
n/a
Oct
33.3 C (91.9 F)
-6.1 C (21.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Nov
29.4 C (84.9 F)
-11.1 C (12.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Dec
24.4 C (75.9 F)
-17.2 C (1.0 F)
n/a
n/a
Which Years Hold Standing Records
1,464 standing records
Year with most
1,464 records at Sierra City still stand. 1988 holds the most, with 68.
Standing records at Sierra City by the year they were set
Year set
Standing records
1910
59
1914
3
1915
6
1916
14
1948
17
1949
40
1950
48
1951
16
1952
15
1953
41
1954
52
1955
17
1956
19
1957
17
1958
41
1959
42
1960
51
1961
46
1962
33
1964
18
1965
16
1966
33
1967
35
1968
17
1969
19
1970
20
1971
40
1972
35
1973
19
1974
23
1975
30
1976
29
1977
39
1978
17
1979
2
1981
20
1982
21
1983
23
1984
31
1985
50
1986
37
1987
46
1988
68
1989
29
1990
24
1991
23
1992
13
1993
2
1994
15
1995
8
1996
21
1997
11
1998
27
1999
19
2000
7
All-Time Record Progression
1 new records
1 all-time records were set at Sierra City between 21 December 1990 and 21 December 1990. Each dot is a new record.
When Sierra City set new all-time records
Date
Kind
Detail
1990-12-21
Record low minimum temperature
Record low minimum temperature -17.2 C (1.0 F)
Wettest Day of Each Month
Dec: 226.8 mm (8.9 in)
The wettest day on record for each calendar month at Sierra City. The most was 226.8 mm (8.9 in) on 22 December 1964.
Record daily precipitation for each month at Sierra City
Month
Record daily precipitation (mm)
Date
Jan
203.7 mm (8.0 in)
1 January 1997
Feb
203.2 mm (8.0 in)
17 February 1986
Mar
170.2 mm (6.7 in)
8 March 1986
Apr
152.9 mm (6.0 in)
11 April 1982
May
83.6 mm (3.3 in)
31 May 1990
Jun
50.0 mm (2.0 in)
26 June 1971
Jul
80.0 mm (3.1 in)
8 July 1974
Aug
72.4 mm (2.9 in)
14 August 1965
Sep
66.8 mm (2.6 in)
27 September 1986
Oct
103.6 mm (4.1 in)
26 October 1991
Nov
177.8 mm (7.0 in)
23 November 1988
Dec
226.8 mm (8.9 in)
22 December 1964
Period of Record Coverage
1910 to 2000
Complete yearUnder 90 percent of days
55 years of record at Sierra City, 1910 to 2000. 24 years have data for under 90 percent of days and are left out of rankings: 1910, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1948, 1951, 1952, 1953 and others.
Cooler than the station meanWarmer than the station mean
One stripe for each of 29 complete years at Sierra City, 1949 to 1997. Blue stripes are years cooler than the station's own mean of 11.3 C (52.4 F); red stripes are warmer. The coolest year was 1971, at 9.5 C (49.1 F), and the warmest was 1959, at 12.8 C (55.0 F). The strongest colour marks a difference of 1.9 C (3.4 F).
Annual mean temperature at Sierra City as warming stripes, 1949 to 1997
Year
Annual mean temperature
Difference from the station mean
1949
10.2 C
-1.08 C
1954
10.6 C
-0.70 C
1958
12.4 C
+1.07 C
1959
12.8 C
+1.46 C
1960
12.0 C
+0.69 C
1961
12.2 C
+0.87 C
1965
10.9 C
-0.43 C
1966
11.7 C
+0.34 C
1967
10.6 C
-0.70 C
1968
10.7 C
-0.61 C
1969
10.6 C
-0.71 C
1970
10.7 C
-0.57 C
1971
9.5 C
-1.82 C
1972
10.5 C
-0.86 C
1973
10.6 C
-0.69 C
1974
11.4 C
+0.05 C
1975
11.2 C
-0.16 C
1976
12.5 C
+1.20 C
1977
12.1 C
+0.81 C
1978
11.3 C
+0.03 C
1983
9.9 C
-1.43 C
1984
11.2 C
-0.11 C
1985
11.6 C
+0.27 C
1986
12.4 C
+1.08 C
1987
12.3 C
+1.02 C
1988
12.6 C
+1.30 C
1989
11.5 C
+0.17 C
1990
11.4 C
+0.05 C
1997
10.9 C
-0.41 C
This station does not have enough complete years (30 are needed) to fit a temperature trend.
A year is complete when all 12 months have at least 20 days of both daily maximum and daily minimum readings. The annual mean is the mean of the monthly means. The trend describes this one station over this period; it does not say what caused the change.
Extremes by Year
1910 to 2000
Yearly extremes at Sierra City: the record and the median year
Measure
Record
Year of the record
Median year
Years with a value
Hottest day (TXx)
40.0 C (104.0 F)
1981
35.6 C (96.1 F)
55
Coldest night (TNn)
-17.2 C (1.0 F)
1990
-11.1 C (12.0 F)
52
Wettest day (Rx1day)
226.8 mm (8.9 in)
1964
102.1 mm (4.0 in)
56
Wettest five days (Rx5day)
716.2 mm (28.2 in)
1986
239.9 mm (9.4 in)
56
Longest dry spell (CDD)
132 days
1960
48 days
56
Hottest day (TXx)
The hottest day of the year at Sierra City, 1910 to 2000. The record is 40.0 C (104.0 F) in 1981, marked on the chart; the median year is 35.6 C (96.1 F).
Hottest day (TXx) at Sierra City by year
Year
Hottest day (TXx)
1910
34.4 C (93.9 F)
1914
23.9 C (75.0 F)
1915
16.7 C (62.1 F)
1916
18.3 C (64.9 F)
1917
n/a
1948
34.4 C (93.9 F)
1949
34.4 C (93.9 F)
1950
37.8 C (100.0 F)
1951
35.0 C (95.0 F)
1952
35.0 C (95.0 F)
1953
35.6 C (96.1 F)
1954
35.6 C (96.1 F)
1955
30.6 C (87.1 F)
1956
35.6 C (96.1 F)
1957
37.8 C (100.0 F)
1958
37.2 C (99.0 F)
1959
38.3 C (100.9 F)
1960
39.4 C (102.9 F)
1961
38.3 C (100.9 F)
1962
27.8 C (82.0 F)
1964
35.6 C (96.1 F)
1965
32.8 C (91.0 F)
1966
35.0 C (95.0 F)
1967
34.4 C (93.9 F)
1968
35.0 C (95.0 F)
1969
34.4 C (93.9 F)
1970
35.6 C (96.1 F)
1971
36.7 C (98.1 F)
1972
38.9 C (102.0 F)
1973
35.6 C (96.1 F)
1974
37.2 C (99.0 F)
1975
37.2 C (99.0 F)
1976
36.7 C (98.1 F)
1977
38.3 C (100.9 F)
1978
37.2 C (99.0 F)
1979
32.2 C (90.0 F)
1981
40.0 C (104.0 F)
1982
35.0 C (95.0 F)
1983
36.7 C (98.1 F)
1984
36.7 C (98.1 F)
1985
36.1 C (97.0 F)
1986
36.1 C (97.0 F)
1987
38.9 C (102.0 F)
1988
38.9 C (102.0 F)
1989
34.4 C (93.9 F)
1990
37.2 C (99.0 F)
1991
36.1 C (97.0 F)
1992
36.7 C (98.1 F)
1993
36.1 C (97.0 F)
1994
36.1 C (97.0 F)
1995
21.1 C (70.0 F)
1996
34.4 C (93.9 F)
1997
35.6 C (96.1 F)
1998
35.6 C (96.1 F)
1999
36.7 C (98.1 F)
2000
31.7 C (89.1 F)
Coldest night (TNn)
The coldest night of the year at Sierra City, 1910 to 2000. The record is -17.2 C (1.0 F) in 1990, marked on the chart; the median year is -11.1 C (12.0 F).
Coldest night (TNn) at Sierra City by year
Year
Coldest night (TNn)
1910
-12.2 C (10.0 F)
1914
n/a
1915
n/a
1916
n/a
1917
n/a
1948
-12.2 C (10.0 F)
1949
-15.0 C (5.0 F)
1950
-16.1 C (3.0 F)
1951
-13.9 C (7.0 F)
1952
-14.4 C (6.1 F)
1953
-6.1 C (21.0 F)
1954
-10.0 C (14.0 F)
1955
-11.1 C (12.0 F)
1956
-11.7 C (10.9 F)
1957
-11.7 C (10.9 F)
1958
-8.9 C (16.0 F)
1959
-11.7 C (10.9 F)
1960
-11.1 C (12.0 F)
1961
-8.9 C (16.0 F)
1962
-15.0 C (5.0 F)
1964
-7.2 C (19.0 F)
1965
-13.3 C (8.1 F)
1966
-13.9 C (7.0 F)
1967
-10.6 C (12.9 F)
1968
-11.7 C (10.9 F)
1969
-13.3 C (8.1 F)
1970
-10.6 C (12.9 F)
1971
-12.8 C (9.0 F)
1972
-15.0 C (5.0 F)
1973
-12.2 C (10.0 F)
1974
-9.4 C (15.1 F)
1975
-11.1 C (12.0 F)
1976
-7.8 C (18.0 F)
1977
-10.6 C (12.9 F)
1978
-9.4 C (15.1 F)
1979
-12.8 C (9.0 F)
1981
-3.9 C (25.0 F)
1982
-9.4 C (15.1 F)
1983
-8.3 C (17.1 F)
1984
-11.7 C (10.9 F)
1985
-9.4 C (15.1 F)
1986
-6.1 C (21.0 F)
1987
-9.4 C (15.1 F)
1988
-13.9 C (7.0 F)
1989
-14.4 C (6.1 F)
1990
-17.2 C (1.0 F)
1991
-8.9 C (16.0 F)
1992
-10.0 C (14.0 F)
1993
-11.1 C (12.0 F)
1994
-7.2 C (19.0 F)
1995
-6.1 C (21.0 F)
1996
-4.4 C (24.1 F)
1997
-12.8 C (9.0 F)
1998
-11.1 C (12.0 F)
1999
-9.4 C (15.1 F)
2000
-3.9 C (25.0 F)
Wettest day (Rx1day)
The wettest day of the year at Sierra City, 1910 to 2000. The record is 226.8 mm (8.9 in) in 1964, marked on the chart; the median year is 102.1 mm (4.0 in).
Wettest day (Rx1day) at Sierra City by year
Year
Wettest day (Rx1day)
1910
38.1 mm (1.5 in)
1914
6.4 mm (0.25 in)
1915
101.6 mm (4.0 in)
1916
127.0 mm (5.0 in)
1917
127.0 mm (5.0 in)
1948
62.2 mm (2.4 in)
1949
71.9 mm (2.8 in)
1950
130.6 mm (5.1 in)
1951
94.0 mm (3.7 in)
1952
70.6 mm (2.8 in)
1953
51.6 mm (2.0 in)
1954
72.1 mm (2.8 in)
1955
90.4 mm (3.6 in)
1956
61.0 mm (2.4 in)
1957
81.3 mm (3.2 in)
1958
108.0 mm (4.3 in)
1959
78.2 mm (3.1 in)
1960
175.3 mm (6.9 in)
1961
101.6 mm (4.0 in)
1962
128.5 mm (5.1 in)
1964
226.8 mm (8.9 in)
1965
94.5 mm (3.7 in)
1966
93.5 mm (3.7 in)
1967
131.3 mm (5.2 in)
1968
76.2 mm (3.0 in)
1969
148.3 mm (5.8 in)
1970
102.6 mm (4.0 in)
1971
117.9 mm (4.6 in)
1972
66.0 mm (2.6 in)
1973
108.0 mm (4.3 in)
1974
137.2 mm (5.4 in)
1975
83.3 mm (3.3 in)
1976
70.6 mm (2.8 in)
1977
84.3 mm (3.3 in)
1978
115.8 mm (4.6 in)
1979
78.0 mm (3.1 in)
1981
152.4 mm (6.0 in)
1982
152.9 mm (6.0 in)
1983
165.1 mm (6.5 in)
1984
78.7 mm (3.1 in)
1985
114.3 mm (4.5 in)
1986
203.2 mm (8.0 in)
1987
106.7 mm (4.2 in)
1988
177.8 mm (7.0 in)
1989
81.5 mm (3.2 in)
1990
83.8 mm (3.3 in)
1991
104.6 mm (4.1 in)
1992
140.2 mm (5.5 in)
1993
103.6 mm (4.1 in)
1994
84.3 mm (3.3 in)
1995
215.9 mm (8.5 in)
1996
154.7 mm (6.1 in)
1997
203.7 mm (8.0 in)
1998
83.8 mm (3.3 in)
1999
149.9 mm (5.9 in)
2000
29.0 mm (1.1 in)
Wettest five days (Rx5day)
The wettest five days of the year at Sierra City, 1910 to 2000. The record is 716.2 mm (28.2 in) in 1986, marked on the chart; the median year is 239.9 mm (9.4 in).
Wettest five days (Rx5day) at Sierra City by year
Year
Wettest five days (Rx5day)
1910
108.0 mm (4.3 in)
1914
6.4 mm (0.25 in)
1915
101.7 mm (4.0 in)
1916
133.5 mm (5.3 in)
1917
260.5 mm (10.3 in)
1948
121.1 mm (4.8 in)
1949
124.2 mm (4.9 in)
1950
353.8 mm (13.9 in)
1951
199.8 mm (7.9 in)
1952
211.2 mm (8.3 in)
1953
117.4 mm (4.6 in)
1954
185.4 mm (7.3 in)
1955
242.1 mm (9.5 in)
1956
76.8 mm (3.0 in)
1957
238.0 mm (9.4 in)
1958
289.1 mm (11.4 in)
1959
197.9 mm (7.8 in)
1960
335.0 mm (13.2 in)
1961
168.7 mm (6.6 in)
1962
310.6 mm (12.2 in)
1964
583.7 mm (23.0 in)
1965
261.6 mm (10.3 in)
1966
251.4 mm (9.9 in)
1967
286.3 mm (11.3 in)
1968
165.7 mm (6.5 in)
1969
472.7 mm (18.6 in)
1970
325.9 mm (12.8 in)
1971
234.5 mm (9.2 in)
1972
169.2 mm (6.7 in)
1973
361.7 mm (14.2 in)
1974
283.7 mm (11.2 in)
1975
198.9 mm (7.8 in)
1976
129.8 mm (5.1 in)
1977
203.7 mm (8.0 in)
1978
276.1 mm (10.9 in)
1979
179.3 mm (7.1 in)
1981
317.2 mm (12.5 in)
1982
369.4 mm (14.5 in)
1983
248.9 mm (9.8 in)
1984
203.5 mm (8.0 in)
1985
213.4 mm (8.4 in)
1986
716.2 mm (28.2 in)
1987
175.6 mm (6.9 in)
1988
269.7 mm (10.6 in)
1989
257.3 mm (10.1 in)
1990
241.8 mm (9.5 in)
1991
399.0 mm (15.7 in)
1992
217.7 mm (8.6 in)
1993
267.5 mm (10.5 in)
1994
224.7 mm (8.8 in)
1995
432.2 mm (17.0 in)
1996
307.1 mm (12.1 in)
1997
510.8 mm (20.1 in)
1998
200.1 mm (7.9 in)
1999
308.6 mm (12.1 in)
2000
77.8 mm (3.1 in)
Longest dry spell (CDD)
The longest dry spell of the year at Sierra City, 1910 to 2000. The record is 132 days in 1960, marked on the chart; the median year is 48 days.
Longest dry spell (CDD) at Sierra City by year
Year
Longest dry spell (CDD)
1910
31 days
1914
26 days
1915
13 days
1916
16 days
1917
15 days
1948
85 days
1949
87 days
1950
31 days
1951
80 days
1952
40 days
1953
30 days
1954
70 days
1955
16 days
1956
55 days
1957
101 days
1958
35 days
1959
84 days
1960
132 days
1961
71 days
1962
27 days
1964
74 days
1965
43 days
1966
103 days
1967
66 days
1968
68 days
1969
109 days
1970
67 days
1971
39 days
1972
78 days
1973
42 days
1974
63 days
1975
33 days
1976
51 days
1977
54 days
1978
48 days
1979
23 days
1981
115 days
1982
37 days
1983
44 days
1984
37 days
1985
47 days
1986
118 days
1987
43 days
1988
54 days
1989
60 days
1990
67 days
1991
26 days
1992
77 days
1993
31 days
1994
101 days
1995
18 days
1996
92 days
1997
31 days
1998
40 days
1999
39 days
2000
31 days
Each chart shows one value per year; the dot marks the record year. TXx is the hottest daily maximum, TNn the coldest daily minimum, Rx1day and Rx5day the largest one-day and five-day rain totals, and CDD the longest run of days with less than 1 mm of rain. A year with missing days can understate an extreme.
Frost Dates and Growing Season
29 years with a frost
Across 29 years with a frost, the median last spring frost at Sierra City falls on 20 May and the median first autumn frost on 12 October, which leaves a median of 151 days between them.
Fitted over all years, the growing season changes by +0.8 days per decade at this station.
Frost dates and growing season at Sierra City
Measure
Median, all years
Earliest period
Recent period (1949 to 1997)
Recent against earliest
Fitted trend
Last spring frost
20 May
n/a
20 May
n/a
-0.4 days per decade
First autumn frost
12 October
n/a
12 October
n/a
+0.4 days per decade
Growing days
151 days
n/a
151 days
n/a
+0.8 days per decade
A frost day is a day with a daily minimum at or below 0 C (32 F). The last spring frost and the first autumn frost are the last and first such days of the cold season, and growing days are the days between them. A negative trend for the last spring frost means it comes earlier.
Rainfall Return Levels
30 years, 1949 to 1990
A day with at least 102.9 mm (4.1 in) of rain is expected about once in 2 years. A day with at least 246.8 mm (9.7 in) of rain is expected about once in 100 years.
Rainfall return levels at Sierra City: the daily rain expected about once in a given number of years
Expected about once in
A day with at least
Note
2 years
102.9 mm (4.1 in)
5 years
136.1 mm (5.4 in)
10 years
160.1 mm (6.3 in)
25 years
192.9 mm (7.6 in)
50 years
219.1 mm (8.6 in)
Longer than the 30 years of record
100 years
246.8 mm (9.7 in)
Longer than the 30 years of record
The levels come from a generalised extreme value (GEV) distribution fitted by L-moments to the wettest-day total of each year, 30 years of values from 1949 to 1990.
A return level is an estimate. It is least reliable for the long periods, 50 and 100 years, and for any period longer than the record behind the fit, where the fit has to reach past the largest day actually observed. It is not a forecast.
The largest wettest-day totals in the fit: 203.2 mm (8.0 in) in 1986; 177.8 mm (7.0 in) in 1988; 175.3 mm (6.9 in) in 1960.
Download the Data
Data for Sierra City standing records by year: CSV or JSON. Field meanings are on the data page.
Data for Sierra City threshold days by year: CSV or JSON. Field meanings are on the data page.
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Climatology Network Daily (GHCN-Daily). Records are computed by World Extreme Weather Monitor and are not official NOAA products. (US Government open data (NOAA NCEI)) Data as of 2026-10-14 (14 October 2026). Records are computed by this site and are not official.