San Jose, CA is a city located in Santa Clara County, California, known for its technological innovation and diverse culture as the heart of Silicon Valley. This city experiences a Mediterranean climate, with mild and dry weather prevailing for most of the year. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at the annual average number of rainy days, monthly average rainfall, highest recorded rainfall, snowfall information, and climate characteristics of San Jose.

Annual Average Number of Rainy Days

San Jose receives an average of about 60 days of rain per year. This is a moderate level compared to other inland cities in California, with most rain concentrated in the winter and early spring. Summers are generally dry, but sudden heavy rains can occur during El Niño events or monsoon seasons.

Monthly Average Rainfall

The monthly average rainfall in San Jose varies significantly depending on the season and oceanic influences. The average rainfall for each month is as follows:

San Jose

  • January: about 4.5 inches (about 115mm)
  • February: about 4.0 inches (about 102mm)
  • March: about 3.5 inches (about 89mm)
  • April: about 1.5 inches (about 38mm)
  • May: about 0.8 inches (about 20mm)
  • June: about 0.3 inches (about 8mm)
  • July: about 0.0 inches (about 0mm)
  • August: about 0.1 inches (about 3mm)
  • September: about 0.3 inches (about 8mm)
  • October: about 1.2 inches (about 30mm)
  • November: about 2.5 inches (about 64mm)
  • December: about 3.0 inches (about 76mm)

Main Features:

  • Winter (December-February): The period with the most rain, where continuous rainfall and frequent thunderstorms can occur.
  • Spring (March-May): Rain gradually decreases in spring, leading to dry weather. However, strong thunderstorms can occur in March due to monsoon influences.
  • Summer (June-August): A very dry period with extremely low average rainfall. However, occasional rain can occur due to El Niño or the Santa Barbara effect.
  • Autumn (September-November): Rain increases again, especially in October and November. Rainfall may increase somewhat due to monsoon influences.

Highest Recorded Rainfall

Highest Recorded Rainfall: The highest recorded rainfall in San Jose occurred during a heavy rain event in January 2005, with 10.0 inches (about 254mm) of rain. This rainfall caused severe flooding and inundation in the area due to the combination of heavy rain and El Niño effects.