National park in California

Best Time to Visit Death Valley National Park

Best time to visit Death Valley National Park: March, April, May, October, November and December. Month-by-month temperature, rainfall and crowd guidance.

☁️ 101°F now🕔 5:04 AM local📅 Best: March, April, May, October, November and December

Best time to visit Death Valley National Park

Go in March, April, May, October, November and December. These months score highest on comfortable temperatures, low rainfall and useful daylight.

Hardest months: June, July and August - expect the least comfortable mix of heat, cold or rain.

January★★★★
February★★★★
March★★★★★
April★★★★★
May★★★★
June★★★★
July★★★★
August★★★★
September★★★★
October★★★★★
November★★★★
December★★★★

Climate in Death Valley National Park month by month

Average high, average low and total rainfall, based on three years of reanalysis data.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLine: average high · Bars: rainfall
MonthAvg highAvg lowRainfallRating
January66°45°0,5 in★★★★
February70°50°1,8 in★★★★
March80°59°0,3 in★★★★★
April84°64°0,0 in★★★★★
May94°73°0,1 in★★★★
June105°84°0,0 in★★★★
July109°89°0,0 in★★★★
August105°86°0,8 in★★★★
September97°78°0,3 in★★★★
October88°67°0,1 in★★★★★
November72°53°0,9 in★★★★
December68°49°0,5 in★★★★

Climate type: Hot and arid. Source: Open-Meteo archive (ERA5).

How Death Valley National Park compares with nearby places

Annual averages, and the difference against Death Valley National Park.

PlaceDistanceAvg tempvs hereAnnual rain
Mount Whitney76 mi22°F86°F cooler33 in
Sequoia National Park91 mi35°F74°F cooler39 in
Kings Canyon National Park93 mi36°F72°F cooler32 in
Las Vegas Strip102 mi71°F38°F cooler5 in
ZIP Code 89109102 mi71°F37°F cooler5 in

What to pack, what to skip

Pack for the next 7 days
  • Lightweight, light-coloured clothing and a refillable water bottle
  • Sunglasses, a brimmed hat and SPF 30+
Worth avoiding
  • Avoid long hikes after mid-morning; start at dawn or leave it for a cooler day.
  • If your dates are flexible, avoid June, July and August - historically the least comfortable months here.

Summary

Death Valley National Park is a national park in California. Death Valley National Park is a US national park known for the hottest, driest and lowest US park.

Right now it is 101°F (39°C) in Death Valley National Park with overcast. It feels like 96°F. Today runs from 97°F to 119°F. Chance of precipitation is 2%. Sightseeing conditions score 7.3/10 - good conditions.

The best time to visit Death Valley National Park is March, April, May, October, November and December. The climate is hot and arid. June, July and August tend to be the least comfortable months. July is the warmest month with average highs near 109°F, while January is the coldest with lows near 45°F.

The closest major airport is Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), about 104 mi away. Nearby highlights include Mount Whitney, Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park and Las Vegas Strip.

In plain terms. Today is warmer than average for August. The forecast high of 119°F is 14.2°F above the 105°F typical for this month. The best window to be outside is roughly 7 AM to 10 AM, when temperature, rain chance and wind line up best. driving is the strongest bet in Death Valley National Park today at 9.3/10. No weather-related travel disruption is expected today. Roads and airports should run normally.

Compiled from this page's own data: atlas facts plus live Open-Meteo readings.

Weather in Death Valley National Park right now

☁️
101°F
Overcast · feels like 96°F
Humidity12%
Wind8 mph ESE
Gusts16 mph
UV index0 · Low
Cloud cover100%
Pressure1017 hPa
VisibilityExcellent · 56 mi
Air quality39 · Good
Sunrise6:10 AM
Sunset7:31 PM
Moon🌓 First quarter · 58%

Source: Open-Meteo. Updated 5:04 AM, Aug 21 local time.

⚠️Fri, Aug 21: extreme heat, 119°F (49°C). Hydrate and avoid midday sun.
⚠️Sat, Aug 22: extreme heat, 119°F (48°C). Hydrate and avoid midday sun.
⚠️Sun, Aug 23: extreme heat, 117°F (47°C). Hydrate and avoid midday sun.
⚠️Mon, Aug 24: extreme heat, 117°F (47°C). Hydrate and avoid midday sun.
⚠️Tue, Aug 25: extreme heat, 119°F (48°C). Hydrate and avoid midday sun.
⚠️Wed, Aug 26: extreme heat, 119°F (48°C). Hydrate and avoid midday sun.

Weekend outlook

Saturday, Aug 22

☁️ 119° / 94°

Overcast · 1% rain · wind 15 mph

Sunday, Aug 23

☀️ 117° / 91°

Clear sky · 0% rain · wind 16 mph

Things to do in Death Valley National Park

Attractions, parks and landmarks in and around Death Valley National Park.

Quick facts about Death Valley National Park

TypeNational park
StateCalifornia
CountryUnited States
ContinentNorth America
Coordinates36°31′56.3″N 116°55′57″W (36.5323, -116.9325)
Established1994
Known forthe hottest, driest and lowest US park
Local time5:04 AM (UTC-07:00)
Best monthsMarch, April, May, October, November and December
ClimateHot and arid

Explore Death Valley National Park

Every topic we hold for this place, and the same topic for the places around it.

Best Time to Visit for related places

Frequently asked questions

Where is Death Valley National Park?

Death Valley National Park is a national park in California. Its coordinates are 36.5323, -116.9325. It lies in North America.

What is the weather like in Death Valley National Park right now?

It is currently 101°F (39°C) with overcast. Humidity is 12% and wind is 8 mph.

When is the best time to visit Death Valley National Park?

March, April, May, October, November and December offer the most comfortable conditions in Death Valley National Park, which has a hot and arid climate. June, July and August are usually the hardest months for outdoor plans.

What time zone is Death Valley National Park in?

Death Valley National Park observes America/Los_Angeles (UTC-07:00). The local time is 5:04 AM.

What is the nearest airport to Death Valley National Park?

The closest airports are Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), 104 mi away, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), 197 mi away and San Diego International Airport (SAN), 263 mi away.

What are the top things to do in Death Valley National Park?

Popular options include Mount Whitney, Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, Las Vegas Strip, Valley of Fire State Park and Lake Mead.

Related articles

Data sources and methodology

Place dataUSPOTUS Atlas dataset (national-parks) - coordinates, hierarchy and facts.
Forecast and observationsOpen-Meteo (ECMWF and national models).
Air quality and pollenCopernicus CAMS via Open-Meteo. US AQI scale.
Climate averagesERA5 reanalysis via the Open-Meteo archive, aggregated over 3 years.
Official alertsUS National Weather Service.
MethodScores, comparisons and advice on this page are computed from the inputs above. Distances are straight-line. Nothing is estimated where data is missing - the block is simply not shown.

Last updated August 21, 2026 at 5:04 AM local time. Live blocks refresh every 15 minutes; climate averages monthly.

Davil Hofile
Written byWriter at USPOTUS

Davil Hofile is a writer at USPOTUS covering breaking news, NFL updates, viral stories, entertainment, pets, and lifestyle. He specializes in transforming complex news into clear, trustworthy, and engaging articles that help readers quickly understand what's happening across the United States. His reporting follows Google's E-E-A-T guidelines, emphasizing accuracy, credible sources, and practical value for readers.

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