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Modoc Country Living Weather
Weather conditions, particularly severe ones, seem to have more impact on country life than on life in a populated or metropolitan area. Whether we realize it or not, those conditions impact nearly every aspect of our lives. Extremes dictate how homes are constructed. We shed clothes when it is warm and add layers when temperatures drop. No matter what the method, travel is heavily dependent on weather conditions. Often, power outages caused by storms are more extended in the country because metropolitan areas have higher restoral priorities. In an incorporated and populated urban/suburban area, infrastructure and services to deal with the effects of differing weather conditions are normally in place or provided to residents. For instance, severe weather-related operations such as storm drainage and snow removal do little more than inconvenience city dwellers, and are usually handled by municipal workers. On the other hand, people living in the country usually have to deal with a lot of these things themselves. These weather facts of life require that people enjoying the advantages of country living be a little more independent than most. In the suburbs, most homes have a short driveway to maintain and keep clear, and storm drains are built in and maintained by municipal crews. Conversely, most country homes are located some distance off a county or state maintained road so construction and maintenance of any connecting drive or road is the resident's responsibility. The homeowner must ensure proper drainage on that drive or road and keep the surface, culverts and drainage ditches in good repair and clear. If you live in a winter snow area, remember that the homeowner must keep any snow cleared from drives and private access roads. During my long career in the Navy, I spent a lot of time at sea. One of the first things every young sailor learns is to be aware of weather conditions, because while at sea, weather effects everything, often existence itself. Weather is one of the first things considered into any military planning, especially maritime combat operations. Weather also greatly impacts ship's course decisions. I carried that weather awareness over into civilian life so I pay close attention to forecasts, weather patterns and climate changes. That awareness has served us well in enjoying country living in Modoc County's rural area. Just as military commanders and sailors depend on accurate weather information for their existence, people in rural country areas also need good weather information. With this web site, I've tried to provide accurate weather and climate information for country living residents as well as those visiting or contemplating relocation to the country. Modoc County, California is located at the northern end of the Sierra Mountain range above 4,000 feet elevation. Northeastern California weather is characteristic of weather at higher altitudes. Summer temperatures are generally cooler and winter weather is usually harsher than at lower altitudes. Weather conditions are generally pleasant during spring, summer and fall months in Modoc County, so more interest and concern is directed at winter weather. Therefore, I'll try to provide some information about Modoc's country winter weather first.
It is important to point out that the figures in the table above are averages for data collected between 1931 and 2005 at the Alturas Ranger Station. Although the data presented on this page is gathered at Alturas in the center of the county, it is fairly indicative of the weather picture county-wide. Naturally, temperatures can be lower with more snowfall at higher altitudes, and temperatures warmer with slightly less snow at lower elevations. The average temperatures listed in the table may be somewhat misleading. Consider that for all those years, the average HIGH temperature for winter (December, January and February) is 43.8 decrees Fahrenheit; not very warm! Also, the number of days with lows below freezing for that 90 day period averages to 81.9, with lows below zero on 6.4 days! The highest I've personally seen the thermometer climb to over the past three winters has been around 45 degrees. 
Modoc's winter weather can be severe and sometimes extreme. We average around three to five 4 inch plus snowfalls each winter, and often experience snow flurries from late October to late May. The total average annual precipitation for Modoc has been around 17 inches in recent years. Total precipitation includes the sum of both rain and snow water content. The Alturas Ranger Station records a 1931-2006 mean annual precipitation figure of 12.5 inches, with a low of 6.54 inches recorded in 1976 and a high of 20.9 inches recorded in 1998. A winter condition that effects country living in Modoc County that is not normally recorded is snowfall accumulation. During the winter of 2005-2006 we experienced three storms that dropped about 4 inches each over a six-week period. Because the temperature during that period never climbed above 40-45 degrees, and and hours of sunshine were very short, the snow piled up. Four inches would fall, melt slowly over about two weeks (snow melts from bottom up), and then another four inches would fall on top of it! The net result was that we had approximately four inches of snow on the ground for about 6-8 weeks. Although roads as well as most driveways and parking lots remain cleared during these periods, and are cleared rather rapidly, a layer of snow remains on everything else for an extended period of time.
In short, winter weather in Modoc Country is cold, wet and snowy! Naturally, as in any snow-prone area, exercise extra caution whenever driving. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is responsible for clearing snow from highways CA299 and US395 in the county. They usually do a great job of both preparing state maintained highways for winter and clearing snow once it falls. Both highways are usually cleared by mid-morning following any significant snowfall, and crews begin clearing as soon as there is any kind of accumulation (generally more than four inches) no matter what time it is. County and city road crews follow Caltrans and clear roads in about the same time frames and priorities. Priorities for clearing are determined by emergency vehicle and commerce access (generally federal, state and county main roads), school bus routes and then all others. I strongly recommend that anyone in Modoc County have at least one reliable 4-wheel drive vehicle with good snow/all-weather tires on it per family. Front-wheel drive cars are also preferrable to rear-drive if you don’t have 4WD. If all you have is a single-wheel rear drive vehicle, always carry a set of chains or snow straps/cables that can be installed in an emergency. Studded tires are used by many people, and are authorized for use from October through March. I also recommend that anyone considering travel in or through the Modoc area during winter to keep track of weather conditions effecting highway travel on the Caltrans highway condition website, or call 1-800-427-ROAD (1-800-427-7623) before beginning travel. If you visit or relocate to Modoc from an area of like climate, cold weather survival knowledge is probably second nature. However, if you are used to a more temperate climate such as southern California, winter weather conditions require some preparations. In order to enjoy Modoc country living during the winter also requires placing more importance on some things taken for granted in warmer climates. Here are some tips and food for thought to make Modoc country living bearable and even enjoyable during winter weather conditions. There are volumes of information on winterizing and cold weather survival, these are just some guidelines I personally follow:
Modoc's weather is severe at times, but it does offer 4 distinct seasons, and actually the good weather days outnumber the bad ones. Besides, you remember the good ones longer anyway! Spring and fall weather is usually always mild and pleasant. The last snow accumulations usually melt by late-February, so by March the ground is starting to dry out. Spring is one of my favorite times of the year as temperatures begin to rise, snow turns to rain showers and a few green things start to appear. Bulb plants like tulips and daffodils usually start to break ground in early March. The Western Regional Climate Center (WRCC) considers spring to include the months of March, April and May. According to WRCC statistics, Modoc County (measured at the Alturas Ranger Station) has recorded a mean total precipitation of 3.77 inches for the spring season. That precipitation include a mean average of 8.2 inches of snow. Although quick-melting light snowfalls are fairly common through March and early April, we have an occasional snow later in the spring. A brief but fairly heavy snow was recorded just prior to Memorial Day weekend of 2006. Generally though, springtime is a warming time for growing and for shedding coats. The spring average mean temperature is recorded as 44.7 degrees with about 59 potential days of frost. Generally though, temperatures are higher than winter day or night.
Although the growing season in Modoc country is relatively short, virtually anything will grow here. The climate is not right for citrus or tropical plants, but moderate to cold climate fruits are common as are most general vegetables. Its generally safe to plant seeds in April, but plants and flowers that have already sprouted should be kept in until June. Care must be taken if starting your garden or flower seed planting in early spring. Temperatures during the night usually drop below freezing, although hard freezes are not common. Seeds in the ground should be safe this time of year, but they probably will need some water, and hoses and faucets can freeze and burst. Just remember to drain everything after the watering is complete. The area farmers rely on precipitation for irrigating crops in the spring, and usually get the first alfalfa cutting in June. Irrigation generally commences after the first cutting and coninues on throughout the summer months. 
Summer is officially June, July and August, and June is usually the time to unwrap the evaporative cooler and refresh the pads or check the air conditioner. Daytime summer temperatures can turn hot as early as mid-May, but generally don't start until June. According to weather data collected since 1931, the average mean summer temperature for June, July and August is around 61 degrees Fahrenheit. That equates to pleasant daily temperatures with highs in the 80's and 90's during the day with an occasional spike to triple digits, and lows of 50's and 60's at night. The moderately warm summer temperatures coupled with low humidity and trace rainfall give us quite a few months each year to worry about things other than the weather! The weather transition periods in late spring and early fall can produce mountain thunderstorms characterized by sudden downpours, thunder and lightning. These periods also see dry thunderstorms with little or no moisture and dangerous lightning strikes. The wildfire danger period in Modoc runs from about May to September, so any thunderstorm raises anxieties throughout the area. By mid-June most vegetation not under irrigation is turning dry and prone to fire, and stays that way until September-October. Over the past few years, only .2 of an inch out of a total 17 inches average annual precipitation has fallen during the summer months, June through August. Summer in Modoc County is naturally the heart of the growing season, and everything that is irrigated is green. With the summer weather moderate and dry, flowers bloom, vegetables mature and fruit ripens. Lawns turn green and lush, and with normal aerating and fertilizer grow very quickly in the earlier summer months. The weeds also sprout, but are fairly easily controlled with normal weeding and the use of lawn and garden herbacides. Summer weather also brings out pesky insects including mosquitos. The best thing to do is try to control insects early in the season, and maintain vigilance against them throughout the summer. I spray chemical pesticides on the lawn and plants early and often, but non-chemical methods are available with a little research. The ones you can't eliminate, you have to live with. The temperatures usually start cooling off in September and the sun starts its southward dip, so you notice the shadows getting a little longer earlier in the day. These and kids' return to school are signs that fall is approaching.
Nighttime temperatures start dropping dramatically in the fall during October, and that's usually when we record the season's first frost. Days generally stay warm through October, with averages in the 70's. In November, daytime temperatures average 50's-60's with almost all nights in the 20's and 30's, and frosts, even hard frosts are common. Precipitation also picks up during fall weather, with rain in October and rain-snow mixes possible through December. Average rainfall for the fall season, September-November, is around three inches with snowfall at around three inches. Most of the snow will fall in November. The first significant snow storm of 2005 occuring on November 8, and in 2006 a light dusting fell on November 9. No matter where you live, country or city, being aware of weather conditions is important. Knowledge of approaching weather patterns enables people to better prepare for catastrophic storms, whether they be hurricanes or blizzards. Weather awareness becomes a little more important if your are enjoying country living in a rural area. Its usually not a good idea to simply move into your Modoc country home and trust that someone else is taking care of weather dependent items. In addition to being your responsibility, you'll sleep better at night knowing that things such as heating and cooling, adequate power, proper drainage and snow removal are taken care of. I hope that the information on this page provides some tools you can use to better understand and better cope with the weather. Modoc County enjoys generally very pleasant country living weather. With increased knowledge of the area's weather patterns and climate, perhaps you can better participate in that enjoyment. I hope you will continue visiting our site for more information on the local climate, landscaping and gardening, farm life and country living tips. More Modoc Country Living...
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The calendar winter season officially lasts from mid-December to mid-March. In this area, people generally consider winter starting with the first snow fall which usually comes sometime in November. Likewise, winter's end is marked by the last significant snow fall, usually in late March. The heart of Modoc's winter season, both statistically and realisticly, is December to February when we have the most snow and the coldest temperatures. Winter weather brings more snow than rain with daily high temperatures in the forties and nighttime temperatures often dropping below zero. Winter rain/snow and temperature figures are shown in the following table:
Fall is a good time of year, and one that makes me realize how much I appreciate four distinct weather seasons. By this time of year, I'm usually growing tired of the weed, water, mow cyles, and want to turn my attention to other projects. Plant and lawn growth starts slowing so they don't require as much care, and yes, the weeds seem to slow up too! By deep fall in October and November, leaves are turning brilliant colors and falling to the ground. If you want to rake them up, you can compost them for use in planting next spring, or in most areas of Modoc you can safely burn them once fire restrictions are relaxed. I don't know about others, but the smell of burning leaves in the fall always takes be back to my childhood, not a bad place for a visit! Fall is also the time of year when winter preparations should be started. I usually use October 15 as a rule of thumb for starting winter preparations such as draining and covering the evaporative cooler, draining hoses and shutting vents.
