Will California see warm, dry weather or rain in fall 2025? What experts predict
The start of fall is slowly approaching — but don’t pull out your sweaters quite yet.
While California hasn’t seen the kind of extreme summer heat originally predicted by forecasters, weather experts say the Golden State could still be in for warmer-than-usual temperatures this fall.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac, known for its long-range forecasts, released its 2025 fall outlook on July 11 — and it’s calling for a warm, dry season across much of the United States, including California.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center’s latest three-month outlook also shows above-normal temperatures for the fall months, from September through November.
When will it cool down in California?
Here’s what weather experts predict for the fall:
When is the first day of fall in 2025?
The autumn equinox signals the start of the fall season in the Northern Hemisphere, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
That’s when leaves start to change color, temperatures get cooler and days get shorter.
In 2025, the autumn equinox lands on Sept. 22.
During an equinox, the sun crosses over the “celestial equator.”
“For those in the Northern Hemisphere, when the Sun crosses the equator going from north to south, this marks the autumnal equinox,” the Old Farmer’s Almanac explained. “When it crosses from south to north, this marks the vernal equinox.
“In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the reverse.”
What is the fall weather forecast for California in 2025?
The Old Farmer’s Almanac said Californians should expect “steamy” trips to the pumpkin patch this fall.
The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center also expects warmer-than-usual weather across most of California this fall. The chance of above-normal temperatures ranges from 33% to 50%, according to the latest three-month outlook.
“’Normal’ is based on the average of all temperatures from 1991 to 2020, the weather agency previously told The Sacramento Bee.
In Northern California, the Old Farmer’s Almanac is predicting a warm September, with some scattered thunderstorms.
Temperatures are expect to cool off slightly in October, averaging a maximum of around 76 degrees.
In Southern California, conditions could be even hotter and drier, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
September is expected to bring above-average heat to the region.
Southern California is expected to cool down in October — but only a few degrees.
Will California see rain this autumn?
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, October could bring about 2.5 inches of rain.
That is about2 inches less than the typical rainfall for the month.
Meanwhile, the National Weather Service’s three-month outlook for September through November shows “equal chances” of the season being wetter, drier or around average.
This story was originally published August 4, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Will California see warm, dry weather or rain in fall 2025? What experts predict."
