Death Valley Weather: Nature’s Furnace
Introduction
Salt flats at Badwater Basin - Death Valley
Having been to Death Valley numerous times for both professional duties overseeing weather observing equipment and for personal exploration, I've come to intimately know the extremes of this harsh but beautiful place. From the scorching heat that can take your breath away, to the stark beauty of its landscape, Death Valley left quite an impression on me.
In this blog post, I'll explain what kind of weather you can expect each season if you’re planning to visit. Specifically, this data is for the official observing equipment at the Furnace Creek Visitors Center. Death Valley National Park is very large and includes mountains that rise over 10,000 feet, so weather conditions vary greatly across the park. Be sure to check with the National Park Service on the latest conditions at the park.
Be sure to check out my infographic on
Death Valley temperatures at the bottom!
Normal annual temperatures and precipitation
Winter
If you’re going to visit Death Valley, winter is the time to do it. With crowds low and temperatures cool but often pleasant, this is when I tried to get most of my work done there. Temperatures are coolest statistically at the end of December. Normal highs at that time are 64F/18C and lows are near 40F/4C. Usually a jacket or sweatshirt is enough to keep warm unless it’s really windy or some unusually cold air has settled in. It is possible to get a very cold day but only three times in history has the high never gotten out of the 30s. For many people, this is not exactly cold. In the desert, the temperatures at night can be significantly cooler. Normally, there are 12 days with lows below freezing. The coldest temperature ever recorded was 15F/-9C way back in 1913.
Lake Manly - Badwater Basin Death Valley
Winter is the “wet” season for Death Valley. Storms from the Pacific Ocean occasionally are able to produce rain even in one of the driest places on earth. Of the mere 2.20 inches of rain annually, just over 50% of that comes in the winter (Dec-Feb). In February 2024 there was enough rain to briefly produce Lake Manly, a very temporary lake of only a few inches. This happens only when there is enough rain, often in an El Nino year. It’s is even possible to kayak when this rare event happens.
Spring
The months of March and April are very busy. If you’re planning to stay in the park it is necessary to book months in advance. The reason is clear. Temperatures are warm and if there was enough rain over the winter, wildflowers may be in bloom.
Desert Gold wildflowers blooming in spring
Normal high temperatures start at 78F/26C at the beginning of March, but by the end of May are 106F/41C. Usually May temperatures are hot enough that tourist visitation is down. The first 100F/38C day on average happens by April 18th. While the valley may be heating up, temperatures in the higher elevations may be getting pleasant for hiking.
There are only four days of rain normally in the spring; 16 times it has been completely dry. It’s not unheard of but you’d be pretty unlucky to see rain in the spring.
Summer
Summer in Death Valley is dangerous. Having been there a few times to do some work on weather equipment, I always came early or limited my time outside to only a few minutes. Many people come to the park specifically to experience the incredible temperatures. Being a weather lover myself, I guess I can understand the draw but tourists should be prepared and try to limit their exposure to the heat. You do not want to overdo it and become a victim of heat illness. Not only because of your health, but if someone has to come to your aid - you put them at risk as well. Something as simple as your rental car breaking down can put you at risk in minutes. And always bring more water than you think you need! There are not many services in the park so not only is a safety thing, but it can save you a lot of money.
Now that I have given my heat safety spiel, here are some of the amazing stats on summer in Death Valley. July is easily the hottest month with normals highs peaking at 118F/48C. Most lows don’t even drop below 90F/32C and on many nights - not even below 100F/38C! And of course the world record of 134F/57C was recorded July 10, 1913. While July may be the hottest month, the first 120F/49F day usually occurs in June (24th). August is nearly as hot as July but things are slowly starting to drop by the end of the month. The average high is down to 113F/45C by the end of the month.
Don’t drive through flooded roads
Summer is a the driest time of year at Death Valley with only 0.25” total on average for the season. Late in the summer the monsoon which affects much of the Southwest can produce thunderstorms, especially near the mountains. Over the valley this is pretty rare, but rain from a storm over the mountains can fill washes in the valley even where it’s not raining. Flash floods can be extremely dangerous because you don’t know how deep the water is. The road underneath may be washed out and you won’t know until your try to drive across. Just don’t try it.
The record daily rainfall was set recently on August 20th, 2023 resulting in devasting floods throughout the park. The remnants of Hurricane Hilary moved over the region dumping 2.20 inches of rain in just one day. Check out the NPS image gallery on the damage.
Fall
Early in the fall it can feel like just more summer in Death Valley. Highs in September are usually well over 110F/43C much of the month. On average, the last 110F/43C day is September 20th but it has happened as late as October 17th. The last 100F/38C day is always in October, usually by the 11th. By the end of October it’s usually safe to come visit the park again and do some hiking. And in November, temperatures are very pleasant in the 70s and 80s. Keep in mind overnight lows drop off quickly in the fall and you’ll see 40s and 50s by sunrise.
Monsoon thunderstorms seem to hit Death Valley more routinely in the early fall months than summer. In fact, one of the worst floods in the history of park occured on October 18th, 2015. I was not working in Las Vegas the night of the flood, but the next few days when pictures of what happened started rolling in, we couldn’t believe what had happened there.
Flash flooding is not unusual but the severity of this one was unprecedented. Each month in the fall averages only 1 day of rain but that one day tends to dump a lot of rain.
Conclusion
If you’re really keen to see wildflowers, catching a super bloom after winter rains in March/April is the time to go. Personally, I like winter. Most days are sunny even though it’s the wettest time of year and there is no danger of heat illness. Most afternoon temperatures even in the winter are still in the 60s making it quite comfortable. I would strictly avoid summer just because the danger is real. It’s just not worth it. And the sign in front of the visitors center is not the official thermometer anyway so why bother getting your picture in front of it. My favorite month is February and this what I recommend to people who are heading to Death Valley.
Feel free to embed this infographic on your website or blog using the code below:
<div style="position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-top: 250.0000%;
padding-bottom: 0; box-shadow: 0 2px 8px 0 rgba(63,69,81,0.16); margin-top: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.9em; overflow: hidden;
border-radius: 8px; will-change: transform;">
<iframe loading="lazy" style="position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0; left: 0; border: none; padding: 0;margin: 0;"
src="https://www.canva.com/design/DAGCI7Ux0CA/qd_VbysUqROH3-F1bguxFw/view?embed" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" allow="fullscreen">
</iframe>
</div>
<a href="https://www.canva.com/design/DAGCI7Ux0CA/qd_VbysUqROH3-F1bguxFw/view?utm_content=DAGCI7Ux0CA&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=embeds&utm_source=link" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Death Valley Temperatures Infographic</a> by Vegas-Weather.com
