Best Time to Drive: Fresno, CA to Susanville, CA

The best overall window to drive from Fresno, CA to Susanville, CA is April to June. April is especially comfortable, and 8 AM to 11 AM is usually the easiest departure window. The main things to watch are heavy rain and ponding.

Best overall window

April to June

This stretch gives the steadiest mix of comfort, daylight, and lower weather friction.

Easiest departure pattern

8 AM to 11 AM

Mid-morning is usually the steadiest all-around departure window.

Most challenging stretch

January

January is one of the harder months for this route because the weather friction stacks up faster.

Why This Route Scores Differently

You can usually do this in one long day, which makes daylight and storm timing more important than hotel planning.

The current best window is April to June, when the drive is more likely to feel steady end to end.

This score uses multiple NOAA sample points along the route instead of a single state-wide climate average.

Month-by-Month Driving Conditions

Jan

Challenging 43°F

Feb

Fair 46°F

Mar

Good 51°F

Apr

Excellent 55°F

May

Excellent 63°F

Jun

Great 70°F

Jul

Fair 76°F

Aug

Fair 75°F

Sep

Good 70°F

Oct

Great 60°F

Nov

Good 49°F

Dec

Challenging 42°F

Best Good/Fair Challenging

Average Conditions by Month

January

Avg high / low 52 / 34°F

Moisture 5 in rain

Rating Challenging

Best departure

7 AM to 10 AM

Storm-prone

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Rain is common enough that extra buffer time makes sense.

February

Avg high / low 56 / 36°F

Moisture 4.9 in rain

Rating Fair

Best departure

8 AM to 11 AM

Wet stretches

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

March

Avg high / low 62 / 39°F

Moisture 4 in rain

Rating Good

Best departure

8 AM to 11 AM

Steady driving window

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

April

Avg high / low 68 / 43°F

Moisture 2 in rain

Rating Excellent

Best departure

8 AM to 11 AM

Steady driving window

Daytime temperatures usually stay in a comfortable driving range.

Rain disruption is usually limited compared with wetter months.

May

Avg high / low 77 / 49°F

Moisture 1.2 in rain

Rating Excellent

Best departure

8 AM to 11 AM

Steady driving window

Daytime temperatures usually stay in a comfortable driving range.

Rain disruption is usually limited compared with wetter months.

June

Avg high / low 86 / 55°F

Moisture 0.5 in rain

Rating Great

Best departure

8 AM to 11 AM

Warm afternoons

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Rain disruption is usually limited compared with wetter months.

July

Avg high / low 93 / 60°F

Moisture 0.1 in rain

Rating Fair

Best departure

6 AM to 9 AM

Heat stress Holiday traffic

Afternoon heat can make this route feel harder than the mileage suggests.

Rain disruption is usually limited compared with wetter months.

August

Avg high / low 92 / 59°F

Moisture 0.1 in rain

Rating Fair

Best departure

6 AM to 9 AM

Heat stress

Afternoon heat can make this route feel harder than the mileage suggests.

Rain disruption is usually limited compared with wetter months.

September

Avg high / low 86 / 54°F

Moisture 0.2 in rain

Rating Good

Best departure

8 AM to 11 AM

Warm afternoons

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Rain disruption is usually limited compared with wetter months.

October

Avg high / low 75 / 46°F

Moisture 1.4 in rain

Rating Great

Best departure

8 AM to 11 AM

Steady driving window

Daytime temperatures usually stay in a comfortable driving range.

Rain disruption is usually limited compared with wetter months.

November

Avg high / low 60 / 38°F

Moisture 2.6 in rain

Rating Good

Best departure

8 AM to 11 AM

Holiday traffic

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

December

Avg high / low 51 / 33°F

Moisture 5 in rain

Rating Challenging

Best departure

9 AM to 12 PM

Wet stretches Holiday traffic

Temperatures are workable, but not as easy as the best shoulder-season windows.

Weather is mixed enough that departure timing still matters.

Seasonal Hazards on This Route

Heavy rain and ponding

Jan - Dec

Short intense downpours can make a same-day drive feel longer than the raw route time suggests.

Summer heat load

Jul - Aug

Very warm afternoons increase driver fatigue and make tire, coolant, and water planning more important.

Best Departure Time by Season

Spring

8 AM to 11 AM

Mid-morning is usually the steadiest all-around departure window.

Summer

6 AM to 9 AM

Early departures help this route dodge the hottest part of the day.

Fall

8 AM to 11 AM

Mid-morning is usually the steadiest all-around departure window.

Winter

9 AM to 12 PM

Waiting for a little daylight and warmer pavement usually makes the drive easier.

How This Score Was Built

Source

Route-sampled NOAA climate normals

High confidence. Built from 4 NOAA-backed route checkpoints rather than a single statewide estimate.

Origin zone

Pacific Coast

Destination zone

Pacific Coast

Route sample points

Late route

Late route checkpoint

CA FRESNO YOSEMITE INTL (3.6 mi away)

Late route

Late route checkpoint

CA SACRAMENTO METRO AP (4.1 mi away)

Late route

Late route checkpoint

CA DE SABLA (14.8 mi away)

Destination

Susanville, CA

CA SUSANVILLE 2SW (0.5 mi away)

Ready to plan? See the full trip plan from Fresno, CA to Susanville, CA with stops, fuel costs, and directions.

Considering flying instead? Compare driving vs flying for this route.