Victorville - Geography and Climate

Geography and Climate

Victorville is located at the southwestern edge of the Mojave Desert, 81 miles (130 km) northeast of Los Angeles, 34 miles (55 km) south of Barstow, 48 miles (77 km) east of Palmdale, and 37 miles (60 km) north of San Bernardino through the Cajon Pass on Interstate 15. Victorville is the location of offices of the "Mojave Desert Branch" of the San Bernardino County government.

Victorville is bordered by Apple Valley on the east, Hesperia on the south, and Adelanto on the west. The Mojave River flows sporadically through Victorville. The elevation at City Hall is approximately 2,950 feet (900 m) above sea level.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 73.7 square miles (191 km2). 73.2 square miles (190 km2) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km2) of it is water. The total area is 0.76% water.

The summer climate for this area in the Mojave Desert is hotter than the Los Angeles basin, but 10 or 15 degrees cooler than in the Colorado Desert. The National Weather Service has maintained a weather station in Victorville since 1917. Official records show that Victorville has an arid climate with cool winters and hot summers. Average January temperatures range from a maximum of 59.5 °F (15.3 °C) to a minimum of 31.4 °F (−0.3 °C). Average July temperatures range from a maximum of 99.1 °F (37.3 °C) to a minimum of 60.8 °F (16.0 °C). The record high temperature was 116 °F (47 °C) on July 10, 2002. The record low temperature was −1 °F (−18 °C) on January 17, 1949. There are an average of 109 days with highs of 90 °F (32 °C) or higher and an average of 79 days with lows of 32 °F (0 °C) or lower.

The average annual precipitation in Victorville is 6.27 inches (159 mm). There is an average of 28 days annually with measurable precipitation. The wettest year recorded was 1983 with 13.42 inches (341 mm) and the driest year recorded was 1953 with 1.27 inches (32 mm). The most precipitation in one month was 5.45 inches (138 mm) in February 1944. The most precipitation in 24 hours was 3.00 inches (76 mm) on February 24, 1998. Snowfall in Victorville averages only 1.4 inches (36 mm) annually. The most snowfall in one month was 38.0 inches (970 mm) in January 1949, including 31.0 inches (790 mm) on January 14. Snowfall is rather common during the winter months in the higher mountains south of Victorville, especially around Cajon Pass.