Madera, California · winter 2026-27

Chill hours in Madera this winter

Chill hours so far (45°F model)44 hours at or below 45°F since 1 November, to Nov 8. Same date last winter: 26. Station: Friant Government Camp, 31.7 km away.
Last winter (2025-26)
983
1 Nov to 28 Feb
By this date last winter
26
1 Nov to Nov 8
Hours 32–45°F so far
4
the 0–45°F model leaves out freezing hours
Coldest month last winter
December
399 chill hours

Chill hours accumulated since 1 November

Hours at or below 45°F, running total. Grey: last winter; clay: this winter so far.

02004006008001,000NovDecJanFeb2025-26: 983 h4 h so far
02004006008001,000NovDecJanFeb2025-26: 983 h4 h so far
  • Winter 2026-27
  • Winter 2025-26
View as table
MonthChill hours (≤ 45°F)
November 2025153
December 2025399
January 2026246
February 2026185
Total983
Source: NOAA NCEI GHCN-Daily, station USC00043261; hours estimated from each day's high and low.

Fruit trees need a set number of cold hours in winter before they bloom well. Nurseries rate varieties by it: low-chill varieties need roughly 100 to 400 hours, many peaches and plums 500 to 900, and most apples and sweet cherries 800 to 1,200 or more. Your variety's rating is the number to compare with the 983 hours Madera had last winter.

Chill hours here are hours at or below 45°F, estimated hour by hour from the station's daily high and low. Checked against measured hourly air temperature at 39 NOAA reference stations last winter, the estimate was within 1.9% of the measured count at the median station. How it is checked.

Chill hours nearby

Each from a different station.

CityDistanceChill hours so farLast winter
Chowchilla, CA25 km33935
Fresno, CA35 km0626
Merced, CA53 km33935
Reedley, CA68 km0626
Los Banos, CA71 km5861
Hanford, CA80 km20928

Questions

How many chill hours has Madera had this winter?
4 hours at or below 45°F from 1 November to Nov 8, 2026, estimated from the daily highs and lows at the Friant Government Camp station.
How many chill hours did Madera get last winter?
983 hours from 1 November to 28 February (2025-26).
Which chill model is this?
The simple 45°F model: every hour at or below 45°F counts. The 32 to 45°F count, which leaves out hours below freezing, is shown as well.

Data: Global Historical Climatology Network - Daily (GHCN-Daily), daily maximum and minimum temperature (NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)); GeoNames gazetteer (cities15000) (GeoNames).