Palo Alto in winter

A Palo Alto winter is short and gentle by most standards. There is no snow, highs sit in the upper 50s and the sun shines between storms. What changes is the landscape. The first rains of late fall turn the foothills a bright green that lasts into spring. The bay fills with wintering ducks. Then comes the holiday season, with lights downtown, an outdoor ice rink and a week at the end of December when the whole city slows down.

This guide covers December through February as a single season. For full event lists and dates, read our month guides to December, January and February. Here we look at how winter weather behaves, how to plan around storms, what is in season and where the calendar creates quiet weeks and busy ones.

Winter weather in numbers

These are NOAA's 1991 to 2020 climate normals for the Palo Alto station, the same figures used in our weather guide.

Together these three months bring about 9.1 inches of rain, roughly 60 percent of the city's yearly total of about 15 inches. December has the coldest nights by a fraction of a degree. February is the wettest month on average, though it also brings the first blossoms and warmer afternoons. Totals swing a lot from year to year. Some winters are dry for weeks. Others bring an atmospheric river that drops several inches in a few days.

How winter storms behave

Winter rain usually arrives in waves. A Pacific storm brings one to three days of steady rain and wind. Then the sky clears, the air turns crisp and the days that follow are some of the clearest of the year. On those mornings, frost covers lawns and windshields and the higher peaks around the Bay Area sometimes carry a dusting of snow.

That rhythm makes winter easy to plan around. Keep a flexible list of indoor and outdoor ideas and swap days as the forecast changes. Heavy storms can flood low spots near creeks, close dirt trails for a day or two and knock out power in places. Our guide to rain and storm season explains how the city prepares. The National Weather Service Bay Area office posts flood watches and wind advisories. The regional air district can also call Winter Spare the Air alerts that ban wood burning on days with poor air.

What is in season

Green hills

Once the rain starts, the gold hills of summer turn green from the bottom up. By January the slopes above Interstate 280 are a deep, almost Irish green. Toyon berries add red to the chaparral and the first fruit trees bloom in February. Give dirt trails a day to dry after heavy rain. Paved routes such as the Dish loop are the better choice right after a storm.

Peak birding at the Baylands

Winter is the best season for birds on the bay. The Baylands fills with ducks such as northern shovelers, pintails, buffleheads and ruddy ducks, plus avocets, godwits and other shorebirds. The California King Tides Project lists December 23 to 25, 2026 as king tide dates. High tides push birds toward the edges of the marsh, where they are easier to see.

Citrus at the markets

Both city farmers markets run year-round. Winter brings mandarins, navel oranges, Meyer lemons, kiwis, persimmons early in the season, root vegetables and hearty greens.

The events that shape the season

The holiday season dominates December. Our holiday season guide covers the tree lighting, Christmas Tree Lane, Hanukkah and Stanford's holiday concerts. January is quieter, though Stanford's winter quarter brings back talks and performances. In February, Lunar New Year brings celebrations around town and in nearby cities. Filoli's evening Holiday Lights run from November 14, 2026 to January 10, 2027. See our Filoli guide for tickets.

Outdoor skating

The Winter Lodge on Middlefield Road is the city's winter signature: an outdoor ice rink open to the sky. Its 2026 to 2027 public season runs until April 11, 2027. A holiday tree goes up the week after Thanksgiving and stays through the first weekend of January. The rink closes on December 24, December 25 and January 1. Tickets are sold online in advance, up to 30 days ahead. Holiday sessions sell out.

Quiet weeks and busy weeks

Winter has the widest swing in demand of any season.

• Early December is busy, with finals at Stanford, holiday parties and business travel. Autumn quarter ends December 11, 2026.
• Late December is the quietest stretch of the year. Students leave, Stanford observes a winter closure and PAUSD's winter break runs December 21, 2026 to January 4, 2027.
• January 4 and 5, 2027 bring everyone back, as Stanford winter quarter classes begin and PAUSD students return.
• Mid-February has a four-day weekend for local families, with no school on February 12 or 15, 2027.

Hoover Tower's observation deck is closed from August 14, 2026 to January 25, 2027, so a visit in February is the first chance to ride up again.

Plans for stormy days

1. Stanford museums. The Cantor Arts Center and the Anderson Collection are free. Both are closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
2. Classic films. The Stanford Theatre on University Avenue shows old Hollywood movies in a restored 1925 house.
3. Kids. The Junior Museum and Zoo uses timed tickets and closes at 4:30 p.m. from November 1, 2026.
4. Libraries. Mitchell Park Library is big, bright and has free Wi-Fi.

Our rainy day guide has many more ideas.

What to pack

• A waterproof jacket with a hood, plus an umbrella.
• A warm layer for evenings near 40°F, which feel colder in the damp.
• Shoes that handle puddles and waterproof boots if you plan to hike after storms.
• A hat and gloves for skating, Christmas Tree Lane and cold clear mornings.

Hotels and booking

Hotel demand follows the calendar closely. The first half of December and most of January and February see steady business travel. The two weeks around Christmas and New Year's are usually the softest of the year, since Stanford is empty and business trips stop. That can mean better weekday rates at Palo Alto's business hotels. Book early only if you are coming for a specific concert, Stanford Family Weekend or a big conference. Otherwise, compare Palo Alto hotels for winter a few weeks out and choose a refundable rate in case a storm changes your plans.

Frequently asked questions